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HOME mSTORY.

Recollections of Buffalo

DURING THE DECADE FROM 1830 TO 1840,

OR

FIFTY YEARS SINCE.

DESCRIPTIVE AND ILLUSTRATIVE, WITH INCIDENTS
AND ANECDOTES.

By SAMUEL' M. WELCH.

BUFFALO :
PETER PAUL & BRO.

Copyrighted, 1890, by
S. M. Welch.

TO MY ELDER BROTHER,
WILLIAM W. WELCH, M. D.,
OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.
Volunteer Surgeon, (Rank of Major of Cavalry), during the
War of the Rebellion, until January 5th, 1865, then Staff Surg
eon in Chief of the Western District of Mississippi, to the
end of 1865. In his early youth a resident of Buffalo, having
always manifested a lively interest in the improvement and
progress of the City — where he studied his profession under
the guidance of those eminent Physicians, Professor Austin
Flint, Sr., and Henry L. Benjamin, M. D., — this book is dedi
cated and inscribed with the fraternal regard of the
AUTHOR.

PREFACE.

T recall the memories hereinafter related in print, at the
^ solicitation of a few friends, together with whom, I have
often intimately conversed on this favorite subject of local
reminiscences, and with a personal desire to place on re
cord many of the names of well known persons who lived
here, and of current events during the childhood of the
City of Buffalo ; not very remarkable to the general read
er, but interesting to our townspeople of the present day
and those hereafter to follow.
My recollections of Buffalo, in its youth, when I also
was a child are remarkably vivid. I took in all my sur
roundings ; the serious and comic phases — all aspects of
current events — the doings and peculiarities of the people
daily passing in panoramic review before me.
It seems to me now, that when Buffalo became a char
tered city in 1832, I recognized and was familiar with
every person of all ages ; every dwelling and other build
ing — and every brick in the pavements. It has grown
away from me, while I do not yet call myself an old man.
I hope my readers will not find cause to cavil at these
records of my boyhood recollections, nor to question
their correctness. I admit possible errors ; may be mis
statements of facts and anachronisms, due to natural
lapses of memory common to every one, and for which I
am liable to criticism and correction. I have spent no

viii Preface.
time searching records and documents to verify myself,
(beyond references to one old City Directory), but have
written accordingly as has been suggested to my memory,
in the brief intervals when I would find time and was in
the humor to write. I may add that these papers have
been written with no special attempt at rhetorical grace
nor picturesque effect.
And so I present to the local public the " Recollections
of a Boy in Buffalo " during the decade of the " Thirties."
Buffalo, N. Y., 1890.

BUFFALO HARBOR.

CONTENTS.

PAGE.
Introductory Chapter, ... . i
Topographical, . 5
Climatic, ... 35
Where Folk Lived in the Thirties, . . 44
A Panorama of Main Street, . . . 61
Iroquois, . in
Stages, . . . ... 127
Lake Marine Service, . 134
Solicitors, . . . . . 155
Manners, Customs and Fashions of the Times, and
Who were the People in the Thirties, 164
Benjamin Rathbun, . . 197
Colonel Alanson Palmer, 203
The Buffalo Apprentices' Society, . 209
Early Churches, . 227
Cholera, 264
Cemeteries, . .270
Patriot War, ... 274
The Legal Fraternity, . 293
DocroRS, M. D., . . . . 330
"Y. M. A." — The Buffalo Library, 340
Log Cabin Campaign, 1840, . . . -351
Theatres, . 363
Gayety, ... . 375
Excursions, . . . 407
Concluding Chapter, . . . 419

ILLUSTRATIONS.

9
JO

Portrait of the Auihor,
Early Map of Buffalo, . . -,
Buffalo Harbor,
View of Buffalo from High Street in the Thirties,
CoNjocETY AT I02 Years Old, 22
Johnson Cottage, . jg
Eagle Tavern, 74
Ellicott Square, . 86
Bank of Buffalo, 89
Terrace Market House, . gg
Ga-o-wo, . . , . Ill
Noon-Day Pow-wow, 113
Seneca Indian and Squaw, . 117
The Modern Side-wheeler, 139
A Group of Buffalonians of the Thirties, 164
American Hotel, . . 205
St. Paul's — The "Old First" 228
Old Baptist Church, . 250
Figure-Head of the Caroline, 278
Erie County Court House of the Thirties, . 296
Another Group of Buffalonians of the Thirties, 340
Eagle Street Theatre, 1835, . 366
Dancing, 1840 and 1890, . . 376

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.
Reviewing a decade of past local history of a city like Buffalo,
as illustrated by its representative men, and methods and esti
mates, very much, above average, seems to have been accom
plished in that period. Events greatly crowded themselves here
in the decade of the thirties. Individuals stood out so con
spicuously in their special offices, that they were many times
multiplied ; more especially in what they procured to be accom
plished by others. The procession of people which thronged
the fast changing scenery of that decade, though so rapidly
moving to the absolute end of all their absorbed endeavors,
indicated no halting nor faltering in their united, resolute
purpose till mortal failure of flesh and spirit, in nature's order
overcame them.
The Necrology records how surprisingly fast the active men
of that generation advanced to a condition of abated powers,
inefficiency, and final retirement from the stage on which they
had severally so well performed their parts. How vividly we,
of the now elder who still linger, remember the departure of so
many from among us who had participated so prominently in
the numerous enterprises which the city had developed. Select
any one as example : Long time he appeared so strong ; to
have in store such wealth of years to come, he was so vigorous
and active. One day we all missed him from the places he was
wont to frequent. It scarcely seemed beyond the next, when a
gloomy chill came over us, and a shadow brooded upon the city
at hearing he had passed away. Another day, and attended by
a solemn procession his remains were added to the ever aug
menting multitude already occupying the city of the silent.
But the eternal want favors no class. All alike must forego
lamentations and to-morrow resume their places at the Sysiphusian

2 Recollections of Buffalo.
stone. The dead sleep well, and must be left to their peaceful
slumbers. Thenceforward the departed so soon pass from our
regard that we are ever surprised in retrospect, when reminded
of them, to discover how fast the years have fled since they went
away ; how very great the increase in their numbers in a given
interval ; so lightly have we really been impressed with their
individual departures in our absorption with diurnal affairs. We
are also by this forcibly reminded that no one fills so large a
place in society as long to be missed when he passes out of it ;
nor but what it can be as well occupied by whomever chances
to succeed him. The so-called great in all the past, but served
as so many successive links in the lengthening chain of history ;
and how meagre the number on the list of those known to be
truly great there have been among all the untold millions that
have existed on the earth.
One object I had in simply recording so many well re
membered names of prominent men of the thirties, and even
later, has been to emphasize the fact above set forth, which so
few realize except in a general way.
The work the prominent men of the thirties did and whom I
have limitedly essayed to portray, was fundamental, materially
and morally. They were eminently the men for that decisive
hour ; making it, as now appears, and will in the future of Buffalo,
the most important era in all her antecedent history. Its burn
ing by the British in 1813 and the completion of the Erie Canal
in the twenties, though events of great concern to her future,
•were not so determining as were those of the thirties, and the
doings of the men that decade brought so prominently forward,
or into training preparatory to occupying the places fast being
vacated, and who became as notable in the historic records ot
their generation as their predecessors had been in theirs ; and
these will remain conspicuous in that local history for indefinite
time to come.
Day of remarkable men, well adapted as they testified by
their deeds to the work of advancing every interest by legitimate
and honorable methods, the inevitable compensations would not

Introduction. 3
be preserved if the contrary, fact did not to some extent obtain.
It does appear that wild schemes and self-seeking designs con
tributed nearly as much when measured by final results as
strictly honest purposes, in testing feasibilities and giving what
proved to be good and wholesome impulse to legitimate objects
and enterprises ; showed what could be done, which otherwise
had been left untried or so timidly undertaken that only failure
and discouragement could have resulted.
I venture to believe that the demolitions and every of the irre
gular proceedings of Rathbun, by whatever motives or circum
stances prompted, were far more than compensated in numerous
ways, which will suggest themselves, by the returns which came
at length. No small consideration beyond the substantial im
provement of the city, and the new enterprises and interests es
tablished, was the great extent of employment given for a
considerable period to a large number of poor laborers and
mechanics — all worthy, honest, peaceable men. The immigrant
element of that day, though mostly poor, was composed of the
best of their class. Though of foreign nationalities they were
not exciters of strikes, disturbances and rioting, like the hordes
of canaille, of the anarchistic, pauper and criminal population
from foreign sinks and slums, such as threaten to overwhelm our
country to-day. They were honest, industrious, economical,
thrifty and law abiding. And from this class have developed
many of the now best and most highly respected families of
Buffalo. I dare say we can readily find some among them
whose grand-parents were among the frugal laborers to whom
Rathbun gave opportunity to provide for themselves, in the
thirties. Whatever estimate be held or comment made as to the un
principled proceedings and absurd eccentricities of Palmer and
other semi-lunatics of that period, these doings were demon
strative of possibilities of what could successfully be done
legitimately on a substantial basis, though the immediate,
temporary results were inflation and disastrous speculation,
followed by the well remembered "hard times."

4 Recollections of Buffalo.
Whatever purposes prompted and however done. Palmer as
well as Rathbun did leave substantial, superior and lasting im
provements behind them, which later inured largely to the
general advantage, even if in some cases the methods, in principle
were scarcely better than those of Claude Duval and other
" Knights of the Road." * I remember often hearing it so dis
cussed in those days by leading citizens when they would chance
to meet in knots and coteries in places of common exchange.
The estimated benefits probably to result (which did) were always
advanced in offset, as likely far to exceed the temporary dis
advantages. Though consequent embarrassments continuing for
a season from these unlawful and high-handed acts did result,
these were far more than recompensed by the general, widely
extended benefits accrued, and in which all have participated —
even unto this day. Their acts proved the necessary and
efficient fertilizers of the soil in which Buffalo grew to her
present greatness. Verily, God orders that even the bad deeds
of pien shall be made to praise him !
* They were of the class of robbers, who sometimes took from the alDundance of
the rich and relieved the necessities of the poor — I think some of them did it, in the
name of God !

RECOLLECTIONS OF BUFFALO.

CHAPTER I.
TOPOGRAPHICAL.

The topography of the village or city which it is my intention
to describe, in a colloquial manner, is, or should be, my first con
sideration. The original site of our city, in the thirties, was not confined
to outlined boundaries nor to the limits of the unique plan adopted
by Joseph Ellicott, who himself was a civil engineer and sur
veyor, and who, with the assistance of his brother. Major
Andrew Ellicott, laid out the village of New Amsterdam, after
wards Buffalo, following or copying the plan of the city of
Washington as nearly in design and execution as the natural lay
of the ground would allow ; the elevated lands about Buffalo
being more convex, swelling or bolder, than those of Washington,
which were the reverse, concave, receding, or bending inwards.
I have supposed like many others of our early citizens, that Mr.
Ellicott had obtained the assistance or co-operation of Captain
L' Enfant in carrying forward the plan and who had generally
been accredited with designing and the laying out of the city of
Washington; but, in writing to a friend,* there to obtain the
correct name of this French engineer, I was surprised to learn
the following interesting information :
" Pierre Charles L'Enfant came over with La Fayette in 1778 ;
Washington had him appointed Captain of Engineers. This

* General Innis N. Palmer, in his youth a resident of Buffalo, appointed a Cadet to
West Point by Millard Fillmore, M. C., and was several times breveted for gallant
and meritorious conduct in the war with Mexico and in the war of the rebellion.

6 Recollections of Buffalo.
L'Enfant was a cranky, irascible Frenchman, and after trying in
various ways to make use of him Jefferson was obliged to get
rid of him." " He was for a time quite a favorite with Wash
ington, but nothing could be done with him." " He went with
Washington and Andrew Ellicott (brother of Joseph Ellicott,
who laid out Buffalo), to survey this place (Washington) in 1790
and he made some drawings. But Andrew Ellicott, who was
afterwards Professor of Mathematics at West Point and who died
and was buried there, was the man who made the survey, laid
out and mapped the city. I saw yesterday his map made in
1792. I copy a newspaper article written by Mr. Kennedy, a
grandson of Andrew Ellicott. It contains the perfect statement
of the laying out of Washington."*
I quote from the article referred to above, which is signed
" J. C G. K.," the following :
" While there can exist no reasonable doubt that as a draughts
man L'Enfant prepared a general outline on paper of the plan
probably determined when General Washington, Major Ellicott,
L'Enfant, all three surveyors by profession, and others viewed
the ground on horseback in the spring of 1791." " Richard
King, U. S. Surveyor, in a communication to the President, Sept.
25th, 1803, states: that in January, 1792, Major Ellicott was
instructed by the President to prepare a plan for publication ;
using such materials as he possessed and the information he had
acquired while acting as surveyor."
" Captain L'Enfant having refused to give up the original
plan, a plan was drawn by Ellicott and his brother without
L'Enfant's aid and ready for engraving by March 14th, 1792. It
differed from the other plan in some instances, but was better
adapted to the nature of the ground."
" The Philadelphia and Boston maps bear record of their exe
cution by EUicott ; there never was engraved or printed a map
purporting to be the work of L'Enfant."

* Within a fortnight after receiving the newspaper article above mentioned, gotten '
by General Palmer from Mr. Kennedy, the newspapers reported the brutal murder of
Mr. Kennedy.

Topographical. 7
"In a letter from Washington of November 20th, 1791, there
occurs severe reprehension of Major L'Enfant, see Sparks, vol.
10, p. 204." " He speaks of Ellicott as a man of uncommon
talents." " A brother of Ellicott was his assistant."
The entire article is quite interesting as bearing on Washington
City. Perhaps out of place here, but it will show by deduction
whence came the topographical similarity of the two cities,
having had the same engineers and surveyors. And so the
Immortal George must have originated, in part at least, the
thought of the plan of our city ; leaving the execution of it to
the two brothers Ellicott. And if the resemblance be not de
stroyed by meddlesome blundering in our city councils they will
rusult, finally, in the two most beautiful cities in America.
Those persons who may be familiar with both cities will observe
marked features of similarity.
Most of our people, who will be sufficiently interested in
these local sketches to read them, are presumably aware that
Joseph Ellicott was the factor and agent of the " Holland Land
Company," from which most of our real estate titles descend,
and he therefore may be looked up to as the Grandfather ot
Buffalo. The modern, utilitarian method of laying out our western
towns and cities, is, in some respects, advantageous : convenient
with reference to business ; as the construction of tramways, on
straight lines for easy and prompt transportation of passengers
and heavy freight. Incidentally, to supply the want of local
knowledge on the part of strangers, and facilitate the movements
of stupid pedestrians. Also enforcing economy of ground
instead of plotting more nearly to nature, broken as the site may
be by rocky acclivities, a harbor, or tortuous streams, which
would be far more picturesque and satisfactory to live in than
when reduced to regular blocks and squares, paralleled by streets
of exact and economical width. Existence is rendered wholly too
monotonous and lessened of satisfactions limited to such checker
board precincts.

8 Recollections of Buffalo.
The " happy thought " of the Ellicotts, aided by the sugges
tions of Pater Patrice, have averted, so far as possible, this
calamity to us, and left us the uncompleted design of a most
beautiful city, which even in its incompleteness is the admiration
of all tourists and strangers.
If the reader will scan the early map of the village, bound
within the covers of this book, he will observe in the main
avenues, squares and open spaces of our incipient city the
characteristics peculiar and appropriate to it, and which we hope
our Park Commissioners will continue to improve and beautify as
time goes on, imitating our Washington brethren, who, by
systematic methods, have beautified and are beautifying the
streets, open spaces, points, triangular parks, curves, squares and
places, with shrubbery, flower parterres and statuary, making the
waste places blossom as the rose, the city beautiful and a joy
forever. What is life good for, unless you can enjoy it? What con
tributes more to its enjoyment than to have your lot cast
where your surroundings are pleasant ; made more beautiful by
cultivation, education and refinement ?
Naturally, in coming to Buffalo in the early days of its ex
istence, we would be most likely to approach it from the east ;
but the old Albany road before reaching Buffalo, ten or twelve
miles away,'had to veer round to the southward, or it would
have landed travelers on the banks of the Niagara River, near
about Tonawanda Creek, where, as now, the Erie Canal reaches
it and then turns southward to gain its objective point, Buffalo
and Lake Erie. Therefore, as paradoxical as it may seem,
although Albany is directly on a latitudinal line east of Buffalo,
yet the old stage and transportation traveled road and the Erie
Canal approach us from the north, inclining a little westerly.
It was a very common problem with new comers in early days
to solve why the sun should rise here in the south and set in the
north. To-day we witness quite as strange a contradiction of
the compass : travelers coming here from the west, Chicago,

Topographical. 9
Toledo and other places, by the Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern Railroad, come into town from the south-east.
Fancying that we came by one of Bela D. Coe's or Rathbun's
four-horse stages, or post coaches, at our advent here, our first
view of Buffalo would have been from the summit of the hill at
or near the junction of Main and High Streets, from whence we
looked through a grand vista, through and over grand old forest
trees and shrubbery to Lake Erie, showing midway to the
margin of the lake, openings and clearings, delighting and
gladdening the beholder.
The first objects likely to attract our vision would be the
shining domes of our old county Court House and " Old First
Church." Then in the distance the bright, gleaming blue water
of Lake Erie, varying and changing its colors to a sea-green, or
white-capped or tossed in waves, scintillating diamonds of light,
according to its atmospheric humor, either placid or in anger.
The view, then and there, was to the lover of nature romantic ; at
times surpassingly charming. Perhaps it would be during one of
our gorgeous sunsets, in which we rival the Vesuvius Bay !
It may be in the full rich leaf of June or rainbow coloring ot
October foliage.
Approaching the site of Buffalo from the south-west, scanning
it from a vessel's deck on Lake Erie in the days before it was
peopled or but sparsely settled, your first observation would be ,
a chain of bluffs, commencing a short distance beyond Ferry
Street at Black Rock, reaching their highest altitude in the
vicinity of Fort Porter and the " Park Front," and thence
running off" to the south-east in a convex, curving line of terraced
hills, dwindling away as you reached and passed the site of the
" Mansion " at the junction of Main and Exchange Streets
(formerly Crow Street, named for an early resident, one John
Crow.) Back of these bluffs and hills on the table land or
plateau were located the village of Buffalo and the south village
of Black Rock. A great part of this territory was covered with
an indigenous growth of trees and shrubbery. Overlooking this
table land was the ridge of land now known as North and High

i^^'^^^

VIEW OF BUFFALO FROM HIGH STREET IN THE THIRTIES.

Topographical. i i
Streets. This ridge was also covered with a good growth of
forest trees. On and near North Street and Porter Avenue (now
so called) were handsome chestnuts, in openings or groves.
The foregrounds below those terrace bluffs hereinbefore spoken
of, in the vicinity of Buffalo Creek and along the lake and river
shore and away around and past the present Elk Street market
and Market Streets to Seneca Street were low, flat lands and
marshy places, known to early Buffalonians as " The Flats,"
which were frequently overflown during high water after a
westerly gale. From the mouth of Buffalo Creek to Hamburgh
it was plentifully wooded on both banks of the creek and to the
lake beach.
On the table land or plateau heretofore mentioned, was the
nucleus of the embryo city as it is now the central and principal
part of the city, which was early planned, laid out and surveyed
by grandfather Joseph Ellicott as " New Amsterdam." Where
North and High Streets are, and beyond, was far off in the
country and only reached through by-paths or country roads to
become thrifty farms ; the prolific thrift is mostly now, in the
decade of the eighties, obtaining in city lots.
The flat lands below the village were almost wholly neglected,
as only now and then was Buffalo Creek visited by sailing craft
until a more recent period, when commercial business became
the ruling passion and marine interests the prominent feature.
When I was brought here, a child, by the way of the Erie
Canal to the village of Buffalo (it received its charter as a city in
1832), the village had extended its lines somewhat beyond the
outlined limits of Ellicott's original map ; but the leading
features, which still exist, were then almost intact. Some
changes, however, had been made, which it would seem to have
been early found necessary to a growing town. The nomen
clature of the streets had been changed, some of which might
well have been retained, if for no other reason than to perpetuate
our local history.
On the original map the line of Main Street from Eagle Street
to Swan Street was the frontage of the property intended for the

12 Recollections of Buffalo.
residence and use of Mr. Ellicott as a private estate, running to
the rear easterly and indefinitely, or as far as his desire might
be. He did not complete this project. Main Street, north from
Eagle Street, was named Van Staphorst Avenue. South from
Swan Street, Willink Avenue, the intermediate space dividing
these two avenues, was to be the front area of Mr. Ellicott's
lordly reserve. His front line swerved out as far as the west line
of Main Street in the form of a bow, around which the people
and vehicles would have had to travel to reach one or the other
of these avenues. Directly in front of the centre of this outward
curve or swelling bust was the head of Stadnitzky Avenue
(Church Street.) To the north-west reached out Schimmel-
pennick Avenue (Niagara Street), or the " Black Rock Road,"
as it was known for many years, and to the south-west
Vollenhoven Avenue (Erie Street); these three last mentioned
Avenues forming the two triangular spaces or blocks with their
base on Cayuga Street (now known as Pearl Street.) These
triangles arc now occupied by the two churches : " St. Paul's "
and the " Old First Presbyterian." Franklin Street was known
as Tuscarora Street; Morgan Street as Mississaugua Street.
Busti Avenue was changed to Genesee Street.
Of all the streets in our city, why should not that have been
called an avenue, leading as it does directly to the heart of
Genesee County ? while numbers of our very modern " avenues,"
five hundred to one thousand feet long, leading out of avenues,
perhaps directly into a cul-de-sac, are so designated by local
speculators, prompted by their vanity : as Smith, Brown or Jones
" Avenue." They signify nothing ; record nothing ; euphony is
violated, and a false impression created of the importance of
common-place streets.
The Terrace from Erie Street, north-west, was called " Busti
Terrace," and from Erie Street around to Main Street, " Cazenovia
Terrace." Washington Street was first christened Onondaga
Street and Ellicott, Oneida Street, while Seneca, Mohawk, Huron,
Chippewa and Delaware Streets have very properly maintained
their historic names, excepting that within the last decade the

Topographical. 13
new regime of Delaware Street have discarded the title " street '
for avenue. I would like here to make a suggestion : that we
should add avenue to Niagara, Genesee, and Main, abolishing the
word street as in connection with them.
The ground on which stands our " Buffalo Library " (time-
honored " Young Men's Association "), was intended and set
apart for our Court House and County Jail, and where the
ancient structures for those purposes were first erected, Lafayette
Square was " Court Square " at the head of and looking directly
down through Cazenovia Ave. now Court Street, to Niagara
Square. Niagara Square was intended to be the Grand Plaza of the
picturesque New Amsterdam for the business of the town and
the congregating of its people. The changes of names were
made after the reign of the Hollanders ; their nomenclature
being too Hollandische or Outlandish for our brevity of
expression. At the time of my advent here the village with its later names,
with a few more added, namely : South Division, Tupper, Oak,
Elm, Michigan, Elk, Commercial and Water Streets, comprised
nearly all of the village of Buffalo. " The Terrace," commonly
adopted as the general name for Busti and Cazenovia Terraces,
was a series of hills and bluffs, which, to my childish ideas, were
of great height, dropping away to The Flats and low lands on
the margin of the river, lake and creek.
About on the average level with the tops of these terrace
" hills " it had been the intention of Mr. Ellicott to lay out, grade
and beautify in a picturesque manner, making of it a sort of
" Champs Elysees," terminating at Niagara Square, where should
be a Triumphal Arch as at the Champs Elysees in Paris at the
Arc De Triomphe, which it would be not unlike, for the resort of
the people in their leisure hours, having a beautiful overlook to
the lake and river beyond, fanned in summer by our lake
breezes. To the north and north-east of the plateau of the village was
another rise of ground of which High and North Streets, called

14 Recollections of Buffalo.
then the " Top of the Hill," was then, as now, the summit or
highest land about us. Gradually most of these hills and high
lands have been "lost to sight and memory dear" as the result
of constant grading, until now there is a gentle ascent from the
water to the highest grounds.
West and north-west of the village was what was known on
the records and to our title searchers, as the " Mile Strip," * a
strip of land formerly belonging to the State of Massachusetts,
but by a compromise, or as an offset conveyed to the State of
New York. This strip ran along the margin of the river, cover
ing a mile from its banks, from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.
Some of our intelligent old citizens call it our historic ground or
classic land, and indeed that " mile strip " has more of local
historic interest connected with it, than all else of Western
New York ; north-westerly from where it joined the village
of Buffalo it was known as the South Village of Black
Rock, which brought the boundaries of that village well down
into our present city. I believe that in conveyancing much of
our city property is described as being in the South Village ol
Black Rock ; one point of demarcation is nearly defined by a
stone monument, now standing at the junction of Georgia and
Chippewa Streets and Whitney Place. This stone has cut upon
its surface " Jail Limits." From this point the lines converge
and diverge in northerly and south-westerly directions. To the
north and west of this line the intermediate country was in an
almost primitive condition or very little changed from its natural
state as when roamed over by the Indians : there were but few
habitations and no real improvements of modern utility, and
much covered by forest trees ; indeed, nearly the whole village
of Buffalo was encompassed by trees and undergrowth ; the
descent or gentle slope from " Prospect Hill " to the south and
eastward needed none of those modern improvements of grading

* The curious reader desirous of knowing more about the " Mile Strip " would be
well informed as well as entertained by having a chat with Judge James M. Smith or
Judge R. L. Burrows or William Fleming, Esq., who was Ijorn at Lewiston and is
familiar with the facts.

Topographical. i 5
and leveling up, destroying trees, cutting streets and other marks
of civilization to make it comely to the eye, as it lay in a state
of nature, with the glorious colors of autumn foliage and the
soft yellow haze of an October Indian summer, or in the
luxuriant green of a bright May day, with the overlook to the
sparkling water of the Lake and Niagara River, it bordered on
the romantic. It was my delight, as a youth, to wander about
its paths in dreamy contentment.
I will endeavor further to describe Buffalo as it appeared to
me a boy in the thirties, the decade between eighteen hundred
thirty and forty, first briefly establishing its baptismal name.
To the Indians it was known as " Te-hos-ororon " or
" Te-osah-way " or " Basswood Place," as applied to the Indian
village hereabouts. And for Buffalo Creek, " Tick-e-ack-gou-ga-
haunda." The Indian name for the Buffalo is " Tick-e-ack-gou,"
and for Beaver is " Ack-gou-e-ack-gou." The variations of the
names was occasioned by the variation in the dialects of the
different tribes of Indians. According to tradition among the
remnants of the tribe of Senecas the " buffalo " formerly
frequented the salt lick on the banks of " Big Buffalo Creek " in
droves. In 1801 the Holland Land Company gave this place
the name of " New Amsterdam." In the early part of this
century the locality began to be known as " Buffaloe," but through
the persistent efforts of Mr. Smith H. Salisbury, the editor and
one of the proprietors of the old Buffalo Gazette,^ the final " e "
was discarded, and when Buffalo received its charter as a city in
1832 its name was therein verified as " Buffalo."
Another plausible, and seeming to be a correct solution of
this mooted question of the name of our city, was told me in a
conversation with our respected townsman and old-time resident.
Captain David P. Dobbins, who in his earlier days was a navi
gator of the lakes, as was his father before him, who, for many

* The Gazette was the father of all the newspapers here and the Commetcial Adver
tiser is its lineal descendant. The first number was issued in 1834 under the pro
prietorship of Messrs. Salisbury, Foote & Manchester.

1 6 Recollections of Buffalo.
years, was engaged as captain 'of divers of the early merchant
vessels on the upper lakes, and during the war of 1812 was in
command of the " Ohio," one of Perry's fleet in the Navy ; and
subseqiiently was captain of the United States Revenue Cutters
Rush and Erie on the Lakes, and Taney on the seaboard.
Captain Dobbins said to me : that about the year 1795 some of
the " Holland Land Company " and the " Population Land
Company " acting together with their corps of surveyors were
passing through Western New York on horseback on their way
to Erie County, Pennsylvania (which county was then a part of
the territory of this state.) There were no settlements here
abouts, and no roads then. Towards the close of one day they
came to the banks of our creek, its name to them unknown,
where they found an Indian wigwam, occupied by one lone
Indian, whose name was " Buffaloe," given him by his tribe.
This Indian had belonged to a Far- West Tribe, was a half
breed, the son of the chief's daughter. As he grew to manhood
he gradually lost cast with the Indians of the tribe ; becoming
more and more repugnant to them ; he was finally driven out of
the tribe, away from them. Having white blood in his veins, his
natural instincts inclined him to go nearer the eastern settle
ments, and he found a resting place on the banks of this stream
and here' he remained for a number of years, trapping, hunting,
and having possession of the entire creek. Travelers and
settlers coming here, and no other name being known for the
place, it was commonly called " Buffaloes Creek."
Captain Dobbins, senior, was always confident from minute
inquiry that this was the origin of the name of Buffalo, which
has been still further confirmed by the investigations of his son,
who is equally confident of its being a fact.
To give the reader a general idea of the character of the town,
we will take a bird's-eye view, flying low.
The region between the Erie Canal and along Niagara Street,
which' now is perhaps the most perfectly graded street, topo
graphically, that we have, was in those days one to be shunned
by wheeled vehicles, pedestrians, saints and sinners. While the

Topographical. i 7
distance from Main Street to Prospect Hill was only about a
mile, and to Ferry Street or Haggart's Ferry perhaps a mile and
a half, whoever had occasion to travel that road, except in the
most favorable weather and season, thought it a Sabbath-day
journey of most wearisome plodding, generally known then as
the " Black Rock Road." In bad weather it made one shudder
to think of going over it from Niagara Square to " Prospect
Hill" (Porter Avenue.) It was a rolling sea of thick clay mud,
like roiled billows of a shallow, storm-tossed sea ; bordered here
and there by zigzag rail fences, the by-paths like the road, sticky
with mud. In dark and winter nights, without street lights or
other beacon whereby to trace one's steps, it needed sturdy
courage to wander to Black Rock or thence from there. From
where Mohawk Street crosses Niagara, or near the boundary
line of the South Village of Black Rock to Albany Street, there
were very few houses or improvements of any sort ; among those
which were built in the decade of the thirties were, as I remem
ber them, the " old clock factory " on the southerly side at the
junction of Mohawk Street; nearly opposite, on the northerly
side, the old white pillared mansion of " Counselor Root," sub
sequently occupied by the Pitts family. On the same side of
Niagara Street, further on, the ornate cottage known as the
" Shepard Cottage," which, in subsequent years, was long occu
pied by Mr. S. M. Welch. At the corner of Georgia Street was
the stone mansion built by Elihu J. Baldwin, an enterprising
lawyer, contractor and agent. Beyond this house was a
deep ravine, by which stood an ancient " Hat ^ Factory."*
Away beyond, on the south side, was a frame cottage owned by
Charles Howland. Above this, on the north side, stood the
plain brick house known as the " Tommy Day " house, after
wards used as the Orphan Asylum. Leaping from there to

* The course of this ravine could be traced towards its source through the woods
and fields across Delaware Street about where Edward Street crosses it, to and across
Main Street between "Virginia and Carlton Streets. Another branch formed a swale
and quagmire near and across both Franklin and Huron Streets at the corner. From
the hat factory across Niagara Street it was quite deep as it approached the lake. The
old wash-out is not entirely filled to this day.

1 8 Recollections of Buffalo.
Porter Avenue, at the south-west corner-is the stone mansion
built by one of our early Mayors and President cf the old
"Safety Fund," "Bank of Buffalo," Hiram Pratt, which was
afterwards sold to Bela D. Coe, and is now the home of A. Porter
Thompson. On the opposite corner was built the brick mansion
of the late Edward S. Warren, now occupied by his widow.
There was also the large stone dwelling built for Elijah D, Efner,
facing Prospect Park on Seventh Street. This mansion has under
gone recent alterations and is now owned by George H. Lewis.
These few straggling houses were all the houses worthy of
note from Niagara Square to Albany Street. Beyond Albany
Street it was a trifle more thickly settled as Black Rock, where
the great Erie Canal originally was to terminate, and a formid
able rival of the village of Buffalo.
Buffalo at that time had practically no harbor facilities, in con
sequence of the shallow water of Buffalo Creek and the insur-
¦mountable bar and sand reach at its mouth, which difficulty was
overcome soon after the canal was opened for traffic through the
energetic efforts and money of a few of our enterprising citizens,
particularly Samuel Wilkeson, Oliver Forward, Chas. Townsend,
Ebenezer Walden, Ebenezer Johnson, Elijah D. Efner and Geo.
Coit, who hoped to be re-imbursed by the government, but I
believe never were. However, the work- was accomplished;
which took the wind out of the sails, and sales, of the Black
Rockers, and water craft merrily " boomed " up Buffalo Creek.
Euffalo had a harbor and it was not necessary for vessels or
steamboats to be launched and towed up against the current of
the river by twenty Yoke of Ox-(s)team power (then called a
•" Horn Breeze ")* from Black Rock, as I once saw twenty Yoke
pulling the steamboat " New England," just then built, launched
and put into commission, to where she was thenceforth expected

*The first application of " Horn Breeze" power, as an assistant to steam power,
¦was to the first steamboat on the lake, the Walk-in-the- Water, built in the village of
Black Rock, now included in the City of Buffalo. This steamboat, about 300 tons
burthen, could not get up the rapids with its own power, and twenty yoke of oxen
were procured and attached to a hawser, which was hitched to the steamboat, a little

Topographical. 19
to arrive and depart, as Buffalo would be the starting point of
navigation on the great Western Lakes, over which all products of
the West must come to our terminaV facilities for distribution.
The district mentioned, between Buffalo and Black Rock, had
been but little disturbed from its primitive condition ; it was a
sort of neutral ground between the two rival villages. The
property of this hyphen land was coming into market, as the
rapidly approaching era of speculation in real estate became so
rife and so fictitiously prosperous, and which ended so dis
astrously within that one decade.
Most of the territory east of Niagara Street and north of the
base of the hill, about where the line of Virginia Street would
define it, was plentifully wooded with forest trees, on North
Street, the summit of the hill and below, there were large
chestnut tree groves and openings. The writer, when a boy,
used to pepper a good many of those cunning seductive little
animals, the black and gray squirrels, in those groves south of
North Street. My heart would palpitate with thrills of delight
as they came tiimbling down through the branches. North
Street was at that time a winding country road, embowered, and
all thereabout, with trees and shrubbery ; hence the name given
to " Bowery Place," now Irving Place. (Why ? Is not " Bowery
Place" quite as euphonious and appropriate?) The road was
called the " Guide Board Road." I recall to mind seeing the
old " guide board " on a large old sycamore tree, near where it
led out of Main Street. Sentimental persons, and indeed the
people generally, called it " Lover's Lane." Which it was ; for
when I was in love I used to get the nicest rig-out of a buggy
with the gayest of horses called " Dandy," from John Stevenson,

above the level of the water, and thus brought up to the mouth of Buffalo Creek.
The drivers and oxen were engineered by Capt. Sheldon Thompson, and ever after
ward this method was adopted to start her up the lake. She could not enter the
creek and would not if she could. She would " lav to " outside and receive and dis
charge passengers by yawl boat. On the last occasion to stop the captain shouted to
some passengers waiting on the beach to go west, that he would not stop. That he
would only receive passengers at Black Rock. Those passengers would have had to
wait two or three weeks, so they were compelled to take stages.

20 . Recollections of Buffalo.
and travel yonder lane winding in and out among its romantic
bowers, with my girl, saying the softest and sweetest nothings in
Hfe and enjoying " love's young dreams," listening to the
humming of bees, the chattering of squirrels and songs of birds,
and absorbing the perfume of wild flowers.
On this lane, not far from Niagara Street, near the junction of
York Street, was located the " Poor House," or " Erie County
Alms House;" (the reader will please not connect this with the
Mttle acknowledgment made about my girl and I), a rough
cast building, which some years since was purchased by the
Catholics, and they have built upon its site, a double-steepled
church, and college for theological students.
While the place was occupied for county purposes, an elder
brother of the writer, a young sawbones, who was then a student
of medicine and surgery with Doctors Benjamin and the late
Austin Flint, Sr., was made resident physician at the institution.
He ca7ne into town one Saturday, and seeking me out, said to me :
" Say ! Would you like to see a post-mortem examination ? "
" Yes, I would, immensely."
" Well, I have got a patient out at the ' Poor House ' who is
going to die about next Tuesday; a good subject. You come
out next Tuesday afternoon and we'll cut him up," said the young
grave snatcher. (Cheerful prospect for the man ! )
" The funeral was appointed, the corpse was to be ready."
Near the Poor House this guide board road diverged to the
north-west and entered the river road near the junction of Ferry
Street, down which it went past " Haggart's store," who managed
the horse ferry boats, then the only available method of getting
to Canada. Haggart's store is still standing.
On Delaware Street, beyond the Ferry road, (all these streets
were country roads at that time), were the old " Jubilee Water
Works," a collection of springs of very excellent water, which
was served to the people through auger-bored log pipes, ex
tended through the streets and into their dwellings, and the water
drawn from a pen-stock through a wooden faucet. I believe it is
used to this day in a limited way, in some localities ; at any rate.

Topographical. 2 1
there are " Jubilee Water Commissioners." A queer coincidence :
While writing the foregoing, my attention was attracted to exca
vations being made in front of my window for some unusually
large gas mains. I saw the workman in front of the residence
of Sherman S. Jewett, unearthing and taking away some of those
old " Jubilee water " logs ; seemingly in as perfectly good condition
as when planted half a century since.
"water JOHN."
There was another means of water supply coincident with the
"Jubilee Water Works." This annex water supply was engineered
and executed by a man of marked importance to every thrifty
housewife in the village, particularly on Mondays, the universal
¦washing-day, then and now. John Kutcheson was a genial,
happy-go-lucky sort of an old chap, known to every man, woman
and child as "Water John,'' and was so denominated in the .old
directories. He was an Alsacian by birth ; came here early in
life and planted himself at the south-west corner of Franklin and
Court Streets. His old rickety, rough-cast house stands there
to-day, used now as a rough-cast drain pipe depot. It is directly
across the way from the Academic portals of our Collegiate Free
High School. John's method of supplying water to the ladies
was a skeleton one-horse cart, a hogshead mounted thereon, with
a leathern hose for a tail. When the hogshead was full, the tail
was cast upon its back or top, where John might be seen, or
might be called from his perch, driving his " one-horse shay," or
leading it on foot about town, singing: "Here's your ladies'
water," " Ladies', here's your water," " Ladies' water," " Ladies'
water ! " His fountain of supply was the same as that from
which our two hundred and fifty thousand people obtain their
necessary supply of fluid, one hundred millions of gallons per
diem from Lake Erie.
He could have been seen any fair day with his miniature
reservoir backed from the sand beach of the lake into the water
near the foot of Erie Street, the reservoir filling itself with the
use of a siphon. His was the earliest of our water works

2 2 Recollections of Buffalo.
systems. Many a time a God-send in a dry time, when our
housekeepers' rain water cisterns ran dry, when John would hang
his hose or conductor over the fences and fill their water barrels
at a shilling (twelve and one-half cents) each. (Then, dimes were
an unknown currency.) John amused the women by his cunning
simplicity, while they petted him, and the unruly children plagued
him.

" SGAN-DYIUH-GWA-DEH."

"CONJOCKETY" AT 102 YEARS OLD.

Topographical. 23
scajauquady* creek
Is but a short distance beyond the " Jubilee " or Cold Springs.
It threaded its way through overhanging woods and shrubbery
from Niagara River at or between Black Rock and the Canal
Dam, easterly, and lost itself somewhere in the regions of Caze
novia or Cayuga Creeks.
On the banks of that once romantic stream the old Chief, Captain
Phillip " Scajauquady," had his early Indian home. All along
this creek, Saturday half-holidays, the piscatorial neophytes used
to capture long strings of rock-bass, sunfish, shiners, sticklebacks
and now and then a muddy pickerel. Following up the creek
through " Granger's Farm " (now " Forest Lawn ") crossing Main
Street you can shortly reach " Little Normandy ; " where some
of the Le Couteulx family used to live and fancy they were
dreaming in the picturesque old Normandy home of their fathers.
Near by the Ensign's, William and Charles, both born
Buffalonians, for years quarried out large masses of stone for
public works, as the abutments of bridges, culverts, viaducts and
substructures of huge buildings. Not far from here, in the north
eastern section of the town, was the farm of Daniel Grider, our
" Daniel Lambert," whose frequent appearance and sturdy walk
was one of the sights of Main Street. Many is the time, " when
I was a boy," have I stood gaping at him, as his rotund form,
short, stout legs, his head covered with a low-crowned, broad,
stiff-brim'd hat, passed me; and when he was in a humorous
mood his " big round belly shivered and shook like a bowl
full of jelly." That farm is now, 1889, being cut up into villa and
city lots. At the time I am writing of it was a long way
off in the country. Away south-east of this farm were the
head waters of " Little Buffalo Creek," which creek is now, I
believe, almost obliterated, but then found its way towards " Big

*The manner of spelling this name seems to be a question of doubt. I have noted
it as written by William Hodge, an old pioneer resident who lived but a short distance
from the old Chief, as " Conjockety." 'The late Charles D. Norton, who was familiar
with Indian orthography wrote it 1' Scoijoiquoides." I give four variations. "You
have paid your money, take your choice." — Editor.

24 Recollections of Buffalo.
Buffalo Creek " (so distinguished) through the passage, part of
which is now the Hamburgh Canal, that odoriferous, pestiferous,
ever-be-with-us elongation of the Erie Canal, which Col. Waring,
by his " Trunk Sewer," was to have made the waters of as sweet
as " Afton Water" — but he didn't: it flows as gently, but never
so sweet. The creek crossed Crow Street (Exchange Street) near
where the western end of the New York Central passenger
station now is, 1889. I think the creek did help to supply the
" Hydraulic " Canal, where was situated the blanket factory of
which Reuben B. Heacock was the manager. Somewhere along
the tortuous line of this creek between where it crossed Crow
Street and the Hydraulics, the stream divided and formed an
island ; then it traced its way in a south-easterly direction, having
its rise near about Jackbury-Town. When a shaver, I used to
paddle all along this little creek in an Indian dug-out canoe, i. e.,
the excavated trunk of a tree. The " Hamburgh Canal " is
properly an extension of the Erie Canal, and was so called when
it was made, to connect with slips running out into " Big Buffalo
Creek," like the " Clark and Skinner" Canal, a system inaugurated
to relieve the crowd of canal boats, which were getting too
numerous for the limited capacity of the water ways. The boats
being of shallow depth and small stowage, therefore taking up
too much surface space. The nearly parallel of the Erie and
Hamburgh Canals with Buffalo Creek ; the lateral slips connecting
the two, gave more scope for handling the boats.
Our harborage at that time was quite limited ; being confined
to the creek proper, stopped by the " old red toll bridge " where
Ohio Street terminated. There were no " Ohio " or " Erie
Basins," nor " Blackwell " Canal ; an outer harbor not thought of
Along in the early forties this limited harborage was perplexing
•to shippers ; we had no facilities for unloading vessels or loading
canal boats excepting the old-fashioned man power, with tackle
block and bucket, for raising grain in bulk, or more frequently in
bags on men's shoulders. As said of canal boats, the vessels
were of small tonnage and capacity as compared with the ships
of the present, and were increasing in number. After a succession

Topographical. 25
of westerly winds they gathered in such numbers in the creek
that you could pass from one to another across the creek on any
part of it from the light-house pier to the foot of Washington
Street, thus materially impeding the process of docking and
unloading the vessels ; all of which is changed since " Dart's "
elevators came into use.
About this time, foreseeing the impending necessity for more
harbor room. Orange H. Dibble projected and nearly or quite
completed what was known as the " South Channel," which was
to have been a more convenient and direct way of admission,
passing from the lake or bay directly across the peninsula to the
upper creek, thus to facilitate passage and increase dockage. But
from the rapidly filling in of the sand into this " South Channel,"
or its other impracticable use, it was not perfected nor utilized
and was finally abandoned. The " Blackwell " Canal and the
" Basins " superseded it and then came the outer harbor.
Since the introduction of grain elevators, the happy thought
and invention of one of our earlier citizens, the late Joseph Dart,
the whole world has been revolutionized in the methods of
handling grain and facilitating its transfer. It has done away
with the old methods of handling it in bags or by rope, pulley
and bucket, by man or horse-power. Now the huge elevator by
the use of steam runs its trunk into the holds of vessels, swallows
up the grain without stopping to take breath and discharges it in
one continuous process through its conductors and spout? into
large storage bins, canal boats, or cars, without effort except
trifling puffs of steam.
Going easterly a little way from Washington Street on Ohio
Street is the junction of Elk Street, one of the early streets of
" The Flats ; " it reached out to the " Red Jacket " Tavern on the
Aurora Plank Road or Seneca Street. On Elk Street there was
quite a settlement of thrifty citizens. Ohio Street terminated at
the " old red toll bridge," where was a tavern and watering place
for Niel, Moore & Co's western stages, kept by one of the
numerous Harris family, in that business hereabouts in those
days. That bridge was the south-west point of the boundary of

26 Recollections of Buffalo.
the city, from whence you passed to the Hamburgh turnpike, or
lake shore road ; then it was quite a distance through the woods
to the lake shore beach. Those woods continued down nearly
to the old brick light-house which stood near where Capt,
Dobbins has his "life-saving station" and where the present
light-house pier commences its extension of the harbor. A
family named Jones, father and two or three sons, kept and lived
in the old light-house in the thirties. Subsequently it was in
charge of Capt. Ramsdell. Those woods scarfed the lake shore
around the bend of the bay, past Comstock's and Smith's taverns,
on to the south-west, out of sight. " Comstock's " was a popular
place of resort eight miles out. It was one of our country
drives ; as it would be now, but for the innovations of trade and
commerce and the labyrinth of iron roads. The old folks drove
there in chariots, the young chaps in tilburys or buggies — nor
left their girls behind them.
Those woods were a great resort for wild pigeons. Many
millions were hatched there. Every boy knew where the pigeon
roost was ; he went there, too, with one of Joe Haberstro's or
Pat. Smith's shot guns. It made but little difference with the
average boy whether it were Saturday half-holiday or some other
day, " he got there all the same " while that roost held the fort.
The older boys did not require much coaxing to take a day off
to join in the fun of slaughtering those poor birds.
The reader will hardly believe that during the tornado at the
time of the great tidal wave in October, 1844, the present light
house pier was, to use a nautical expression, literally thrown on
its beam ends, (as is said of vessels not capsized but thrown on
their sides.) For nearly a thousand feet huge masses of the
rocks which composed the upper surface and summit of the pier
were lifted bodily and thrown over into a chaotic mass.
On the opposite or north side of the entrance to the creek
where are the immense docks and coal chutes of the Lackawanna
Railway ; was the " little pier," a few piles driven, filled in with
stone and topped with plank. On and off" this pier and all along
the sand beach to the north of it, where is the Erie Basin, was

Topographical. 27
the great bathing and swimming place for men and boys. • On a
Sunday morning from May to October this place was alive with
hundreds of nude humanity, where you could see others as they
saw you. A great feat for the boys was to swim from this beach
outside this north pier and the light-house pier, stem the current
at that time there and reach the beach on the south of it. When
a boy could accomplish this and return the same way he was
pronounced a good swimmer ; but few accomplished it. Diving
off the end of the big pier was good fun for the boys.
The family in the old light-house at the east end of the present
pier and the Sloan family, living in an isolated stone house on
the sand beach half a mile distant- to the north of the " North "
or " Little Pier," were the only houses where families lived within
ordinary eyesight. So the men and boys bathed with impunity
all along that beach without the incumbrance of bathing suits,
and were not molested by the officers of the law. Sometimes
you would hear of complaints that ladies who lived way up on
the terrace hills could see nude men on the beach ! " It was
outrageous ; " "a shame that it should be permitted in a civilized
community." But those women who desired to witness the exhi
bition were compelled to study the anatomy of the bathers
through strong binoculars to discern the more intimate facts of it.
When you got away from this bathing establishment to the
north of it you reached a region of sand dunes, almost limitless.
The sand hills were like the billows of the lake, tossed in endless
confusion of orderly disorder. As you looked upward and about
you from one of the valleys or canons, you saw only a sea of
sand, white sand, everywhere, which the dome of heaven
canopied. When a child was. there among these dunes all alone
he must have felt as I once did there — very much alone ! The
water has widely encroached upon that beach. From the canal
to the water on lake and river it was sand ; beautiful, silver-white
sand. It was a Saturday afternoon play-ground for the
youngsters from up-town. Many is the lark, the tumble, " hide
and seek " I have enjoyed among those sand dunes. The sand
was deposited in heaps beyond the heel-path on the eastern side

28 Recollections of Buffalo.
of the canal. The place was known by all and everywhere as
" Sandy-Town." The first lines of " Old Zip Coon," the second
song written for the book of " Negro Melodies," were of here —
" I went down Sandy-Town to-ther arternoon," etc. The first
song, as will be remembered, sung in negro character on the
stage, was by the famous " Jim Crow " Rice.
The sand and Sandy-Town have disappeared. To effect this
change great rivalry has existed between the encroaching water
of the lake and the wagons of the contractors for sand for build
ing purposes which could dispose of the most of it. Between
the two piratical institutions they have quite leveled the dunes.
Encroachments of the water and the works of civilization have
covered the place nearly out of sight.
the BLACK ROCK RAILROAD.
The first railway built in the town was to leave it. The depot
was the open air at the south-west corner of Pearl Street and the
Terrace. The old " United States '' Hotel had recently been
built by Doctor Josiah Trowbridge ; and the home station was
there. It was an ordinary strap road, the moving power was one
horse ; sometimes, when travel was heavy, another horse was
added and the two driven tandem. Perhaps this was the first
street car or tramway inaugurated in the world for the trans
portation of passengers. The rolling stock was limited to two
cars : one for fair weather and the other for stormy weather ; the
first, a platform box car with two very open compartments and
an outside front seat for the driver and supernumerary passengers.
The two compartments and driver's seats would accommodate,
when full, twenty persons. The seats were planed boards with
straight up and down backs, painted in oak color, entirely covered
by the firmament of heaven, open to the genial warmth of old
Sol in summer and the refreshing blasts of Lake Erie in winter.
The other car was more elaborate ; it had a flat top on stanchions,
with glazed canvas curtains, buttoned on to keep out the storm,
when the button-holes were not too much worn and they didn't
flap. There was no special time-table ; when the car arrived at

Topographical. 29
either termini the horse turned hisfai:e to the "right about."
The route was through the Terrace and Sixth Street, or there
abouts, as Sixth Street was not then opened, bearing away
towards the canal and running under the bluffs at " Prospect
Hill," passing along nearly where the present track of the " New
York Central " now is to Ferry Street its terminus, opposite
Haggart's store and " Ferry House." From thence passengers
took the " Horse Ferry Boat " for Waterloo, upper Canada, and
there were transferred into Nelson Forsyth's or Chrysler's stages
for Niagara Falls, St. Catherines and Little York (Toronto.) The
ferry was operated under the charge of James Haggart. The
railroad fare was one shilling, or twelve and one-half cents. John
S. Stevenson was manager or superintendent of the tramway.
Very soon after the " Black Rock Railroad " was constructed,
work was commenced on the " Niagara Falls Railroad." Its first
car and freight house was a cheap-built building of quite small
dimensions at the south-west corner of the Terrace and Court
Street ; where the train was made up and backed up on the
Terrace to near Pearl Street, where was a rough platform, un
covered station. Later on was built the " Western Hotel," which
was kept as a first-class establishment by Ira Osborn.
The old building has even now been abandoned from its later
and more recent uses, the City Overseer of the Poor, police, and
officers of justice, and place of detention of those charged with
minor offences against law and good order, and is being rebuilt
more substantially for mercantile purposes.
At that station in the young forties I one day saw disembark
from a train Charles Dickens (" Boz "), then a young man, but
who had established a phenomenal reputation as the then young
author who had written " Pickwick," " The Old Curiosity Shop,"
" Oliver Twist," and " Nicholas Nickleby ; " as the man who had
originated the characters of " Pickwick," " Sam Weller," " Squeers
of Do-the-boys-Hall," " Smike," " Little Oliver," and " Grand
father Whitehead," and dear " Little Nell," which were being
read by all Americans, old and young. He was a great object of
interest to my young eyes ; I was brimful of his creations and

30 Recollections of Buffalo.
surrounded by his characters ; whom I knew and recognized
quite as well as my friends and acquaintances, whom I knew only
in the flesh ; so the reader may well imagine the fever of excite
ment with which I looked upon the man Dickens himself right
here in Buffalo — which was then a long way from "Fleet Street"
and " Seven Dials."
I well remember how he appeared to me. He was fancifully,
flashily dressed, as was the vulgar fashion and taste of that day,
except with the most Chesterfieldian of gentlemen and the elders,
who wore the dress of the past decade. I looked upon him as
being too "loudly" dressed for a man of whom I had formed
more refined ideas ; wearing long hair and earlocks which were
then denominated as " soap-locks," but deemed vulgar, except
for the dudes and " Bowery boys " of those days. His popularity
on that first visit to America was unbounded ; his reception at
Boston, where he first landed, and elsewhere, was Princely;
words of welcome everywhere greeted him ; the hospitality of
the people was most generously shown him ; no expense of
entertainment but was lavished upon him. But alas ! The in
gratitude and base return he gave us for it was a stain on his
character forever. No sooner had he returned within the sound
of " Bow Bells " than he published his " American Notes," in
which he scandalized, insulted and maligned us. We condoned
the offence, although we did not forget. He had not the
generosity to ask forgiveness nor apologize. We had our lesson.
We continued to read his books, to laugh and grieve over the
emanations of his brain, and always shall. He came again thirty
years later ; we, all who could, went to hear him read and picture
to us his ideas of the characters of those, we all knew. We
enjoyed it much and felt grateful to him for thus giving us
pleasure ; but we omitted to fete him, to play the sycophant to
him, and outside the reading hall purposely • forgot the man.
He was the same self-conceited, surly, coxcomb as before, but
intensified. We loved his books ; we read them ; we loved him
for them ; we still read and love his books, and always will.
When he first came to us we were almost willing to fall down

Topographical. 31
and worship him as an idol, but he rode over us with his jugger-
nautic car — yet he came again and read to us and we hand
somely paid him with what he was after, the coin of freedom.
But, manly gratitude was never in his make-up. To complete
this amazing chapter : The sycophantic " Boswell " of Dickens
(Forster), to confirm the animus of his master, must needs add
his sneering ridicule of the low-bred gnat, to us, and yet our
warm-hearted tourist friends drop flowers on Charles Dickens's
grave and will continue to do so ; my own have done so ; but
they are not for him nor Forster, but for " Little Nell," " Dorrit,''
" Lady Dedlock," and " David Copperfield."
When the Niagara Falls Railroad was being constructed the
people used to walk down the line of the road, where the grading
was being done, to see the process of laying the track, which
was quite different from the present method ; the bed of the road
and heavy cross ties of timber were practically the same as now,
but on these ties were laid two continuous lines of six inch
square stringers, upon which were laid the old strap rail, a simple
flat bar of iron ; at one end a tongue and at the other the mouth
or lips ; the bars were spiked to the stringers, the tongue and
lips being dovetailed together.
One of the ever present fears of travelers riding on those strap
rails were the so-called " snake heads." By the action of heat
and trundling of locomotives and cars over those rails they would
loosen from the stringers, the ends spring up, protrude into the
passing car and possibly impale a passenger sitting in his seat.
The sight of building a railroad was altogether a novel one ;
lookers-on were much interested ; the people would wonder how
a train would look, placed upon the track ; when it came to be
a fixed reality, they were amazed at the sight of the curious
mechanical animal, called a locomotive, as it went forward,
backed and moved as if by inspiration. It, however, made more
fuss, puffed and coughed, screeched and hammered, than the
more perfect machine of to-day.
At that time the only railways in this country were the
" Boston & Quincy,'' " Boston & Lowell," " Albany & Schenec-

32 Recollections of Buffalo.
tady " and the " Camden & Amboy ; " possibly one or two other
short roads. A small locomotive was built by Peter Cooper, in
Baltimore, in 1830 ; the boiler stood upright; the whole, engine
and all, did not weigh over a ton. It made an experimental trip
between Baltimore and Ellicott's Mills, attaining" a speed of
eighteen miles per hour ; cylinder three and one-half inches in
diameter, this was the first locomotive ever built in America.
Costly constructed and equipped railways, with ponderous
steam horses; were an entirely new departure from the four-horse
wagon and stage coach. It required the courage and enterprise
of bold individuals or companies, to undertake the building of
them. It was some considerable time before we ceased to be
dazed and became accustomed to the fiery monster as a motive
power, as people to-day are yet wondering at the phenomenal
discoveries applied to practical uses, of the telephone, of elec
tricity and the magical labor-saving natural gas.
Railroads were an untried business experiment ; there were
doubts as to their success in practical utility as a means of
transportation in place of former methods ; their great cost to
build ; their liability to accidents ; they could not be built nor
used on the common roads of the country ; they would interfere
with, be dangerous to, and obstruct other roads of travel ; they
could not go up and down great hills in rolling countries, nor
pass over great water ways ; as a matter of financial investment
there would be gigantic failures, were they adopted for general
use, (and so there were.) They would be relegated to the back
ways, dry roads, unwatered districts ; where were no lakes, rivers
or canals to compete with their dearly bought progress. No
farmer would permit them to cross his farm, nor citizen of a
town allow them to pass through his back yard : too much
danger to life and limb of their children and cattle. These were
the simple arguments of the time, magnified then, of course.
The gigantic accomplishments of a score and more of years and
the possibilities of great engineering successes, which followed
later, of tunneling through mountains, scaling the Rockies and

Topographical. 33
the Andes, passing over the Hudson, the Niagara and the Missis
sippi, were unheard of, not thought, nor dreamed of
As for a railroad across the Continent to the Pacific ! I very
well remember what a wild chimera it was considered when pro
jected in 1846 by Asa Whitney, who strove so hard to obtain
subsidiary aid from Congress ; it was very difficult for him to
get any sort of recognition or to gain supporters or helpers in
Congress ; members really shunned the man, ashamed to be seen
consorting with a crank ; the newspapers of the day snubbed
him and made derision of him. Congressmen had no confidence
in such a wild scheme ; it was entirely impracticable ; they would
be looked upon as schemers to rob the National Treasury, or
ridiculed as monomaniacs. " It could not be done 1 " " They
could not pass the Rocky Mountains." Natural obstacles of all
kinds would impede their way in" that far off unexplored country ;
and what to gain when tin fait accompli? The country, mostly a
desert, bleak and sterile, and when you have reached the Pacific,
what then ? What use can you make of the road : take a swim
in that bouyant water of the Pacific, then come back, if you can
get through a country teeming with wild animals and hostile
Indians. No, not in our day or generation ; some day perhaps
in the far away future. Poor Whitney was supported in his
grand scheme by Senator Breese, of Illinois, and indifferently by
Thomas H. Benton ; but not until the period of the war did it
assume tangible shape. Meantime, Whitney was almost for
gotten. And this was so recently as in the decade of the
forties. Within twenty years thereafter the " Union and Central "
Pacific was built by government aid, adopted as a war measure.
" Oh ! " wonderful changes, amazing ! Now there are four trans
continental roads. The latest and noblest, constructed in the
British possessions, the " Canada Pacific ; " the most magnificent
of roads ; in construction, equipments and appointments ; in
overcoming natural obstacles ; in variety, diversity and grandeur
of scenery, which the spectator from the observation windows of
the vestibule-palace cars, (the acme of luxurious travel), in quiet
silence, if you so wish, at a speed of forty miles per hour, from
ocean to ocean, almost trembling with awe. This road built
where, in my youth, it was said and strongly maintained, no

34 Recollections of Buffalo.
creature could live save the stunted Esquimaux and the Polar
Bear. It is the most complete and best railway, take it for all
in all, in or on the round world !
As late as 1845 I arrived in Buffalo one evening at ten o'clock,
thirty six hours from Boston. I was travel-stained, begrimed
with dust and smoke. I went directly to my barber's to be reno
vated. Those there present wished to know where I had come
from. I told them I had just arrived from Boston, having left
there the previous day. I was disbelieved; no sleepers nor
drawing room cars then ; the usual time of passage now, is
about fourteen hours. At that time the ordinary passage from
Buffalo to Albany was twenty-four hours ; changing cars and
baggage and trains at Rochester, Auburn, Syracuse, Utica, and
Schenectady. On arrival at Albany the cars were let down the
Jiill by a cable, with stationary power. There being no railroad
down the Hudson, passengers had to change again for the boat,
reaching New York the second day, at sundown.
I have, in traveling by cars, been left by the way, more than
once, but have caught them by a rapid use of my pedal ex
tremities. It was an ordinary occurrence for the passengers to
get out of the train by a wood pile and aid the trainmen to load
the tender, while others indulged in a walk by the roadside to be
picked up by the train when it came along. Those who could
indulge in the luxury, when arriving at Syracuse would lay over
and sleep at " Phile Rust's Syracuse House " and go on next
morning to Albany, which delay would prolong the journey to
thirty-six hours. Wedding parties usually did this, but many
continued on in the uncomfortable cars of those days, trying to
sleep upright, bumping their way along as best they could. In
the early morning, all weary, they would seek the platform and
steps for fresh air, hanging on like grim death to the railings,
going down the Mohawk Valley, enjoying its scenery, stopping
at " Little Falls " to buy diamonds (crystals) of the boy peddlers,
and at St. Johnsville they had a good breakfast.
I did not anticipate in giving my readers a topographical
sketch of Buffalo in early days, that I would land them in the
eastern part of the State ; but such is the natural sequence of an
old boy's wanderings.

CHAPTER II.
climatic.
If there has been one thing more than another detrimental
to the fair fame of our beautiful city, it has been the practice
of disparaging its climate ; and that too by our own citizens of
the present generation, and through them influencing the outside
world, who have adopted the habit thus gained, not from correct
knowledge of the facts, but based upon the reports of our own
people, partially acquired before they themselves became com
ponent parts of our community.
Much of this complaint against our climate is the thoughtless
talk of the unobserving, excited by the prevalence of some
epidemic or special disturbance in the general health, such as
occur at times everywhere in like zones or latitudes. Not due
to anything local in climate, as was our participation in the
universal prevalence of that severe and virulent form of Influ
enza, which appeared soon after the elevation of John Tyler
to the Presidency, when he abandoned his party platform and
principles, and the disease was named in grim satire, the Tyler
Grippe, which was in all men's mouths while coughing and
expectorating. Nor is that later form of the disease, known as
'I Hay Fever," to which so many are liable here at certain seasons,
specially a disease of this climate.
In newly settled districts it may be the affiiction of intermittent
fevers or other malarious diseases. Cold or heat in the head
results usually in a more or less extensively inflamed mucous
membrane, likely to occur or to be aggravated in a foggy, damp
atmosphere, or where easterly winds prevail. A mountainous or
rarefied atmosphere does not favor diseased action of the mucous
membranes of the air passages, but its influence is rather curative
when already existing and strengthens that sensitive finish which
lines these open passages of our wonderful organization.

36 Recollections of Buffalo.
Agues and fevers are prevalent in the opening and developing
of new countries ; they were quite so here in the thirties and
before that, on the line of the Erie Canal. Whereabouts, I would
ask, are they not liable to these epidemics and complaints in
our latitude ; on the sea coast, along the lake country and water
courses, except perhaps iii the mountain regions or the
undeveloped plains of the far west? The residents of eastern
Massachusetts and nearly all New England, except its uplands
and mountains, are more subject to membranous attacks and
lung difficulties, which hold with more tenacious grip, than
among the people of Western New York or the countries of the
lakes. Buffalo, for the past sixty or seventy years, has been in a
transition state, in health and climate, in the development of the
city and surrounding country. It has been in process of being
cleared and grubbed up. The canals and creeks have been exca
vated, our harbor enlarged, dredged, increased in size and depth ;
new slips and basins dug out, and heavy grading within the
limits of our town; the undisturbed soil of centuries opened and
exposed. Added to which has been excavated two hundred
miles of sewerage, some of it twenty feet in depth. It could not
be otherwise than that diseases obtaining from such causes
should arise and be propagated.
Who, of the old residents here or in Western Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, or Wisconsin, where the same
rapid development has occurred, where canals and other public
works have been constructed, the unworked soil greatly
disturbed, but is familiar with the wide-spread prevalence of all
the fevers and agues.
It will be remembered that so much was this the case, and so
widely extended its notoriety, that Dickens in his satirical story
of Martin Chuzzlewit, locates the site of "Eden " the " Paradise "
to which his English family emigrated — where his "Mark
Tapley" was met by so many adverse circumstances, but who
was "always jolly," on the Maumee River, in the vicinity of
Toledo. There these diseases of a new country raged; where

Climatic 37
quinine, or as the Hibernian excavators on the Ohio Canal called
it " Queen Ann," was the boon of life. Do we not remember
poor Tonawanda, our suburban neighbor, how it was pestered by
fevers and agues, and mullet, suckers, and catfish, during the
thirties ?
What is the test of a good climate? Is it not the general
good health of its people? Their average longevity and the
annual death rate, as compared with all other cities and countries ?
We have accurate general statistics to substantiate statements
which I may make in this regard, as well as to the thermometrical
range of temperature. It is an established fact drawn from
careful records, that the annual death rate per one thousand of
the people, has been, notwithstanding the extensive disturbances
of the soil and numerous and deep excavations in this locality,
only an average of fifteen for the past half century ; which, as
compared with all other towns and cities of the continent or
the world, so far as has been ascertained, is the lowest recorded,
one or two other cities excepted, which are about the same ;
notably London, strange as it may be, which showed a point
below Buffalo. As for longevity, the citizens of Buffalo now
alive, who were observers in the decades of thirty to fifty, know
that at that time most of our elderly men died at about sixty two
or three; that very few then living here, had reached the years
allotted to man, or past; but now as the mortuary records com
piled in our annual directory show, it is not uncommon to see
there the names of many who had reached the age of eighty and
ninety; showing that the same class of men of those decades
mentioned, now live longer, than at that period or fifty years
ago. The writer can count among his acquaintances over thirty
octogenarians in apparent good health, time-honored Buffalonians.
As for the temperature and salubrity of the climate, the well-
known statistician Disturnel shows by his tables and distinctly
says : That the climate of Buffalo is more equable than any
other place in the temperate zone ! Why is this so ?
In a conversation some years ago with my esteemed friend,
the Hon. James M. Smith, on this subject, he advanced the

38 Recollections of Buffalo.
theory : That lying to the west and south-west of us, in such a
position as to affect our climate, there is an unusually large body of
fresh water, continually purifying itself by natural agencies. The
pure atmosphere created by other and larger bodies of water
passing through our lake, from the north-west; the rapid
current of its outlet by means of the huge race, titanic water
wheel and fanning mill of Niagara River and its Falls, producing
a softening influence on what might have been a harsher and
more extreme climate, at the same time this same imperceptible
palpitation of the atmosphere acts as a sanitary invigorator.
That during the warmer seasons the lake is attracting the rays
of the sun and until the middle of the Autumn or October it is
storing up the latent heat, which is not usually exhausted until
late in January or February, thereby rendering our Autumn
months more soft and balmy than in other sections. And to
this climatic peculiarity we are indebted in large measure for
our rare " Indian Summers," with their yellow, hazy atmosphere,
for the beauty and brilliancy of our indigenous foliage. The
true period of " Indian Summer " is or should be looked for
between the middle of October to the middle of November ;
lasting about a fortnight or half a moon, between its first and
fourth quarters. One of the most enjoyable seasons of the year
for all out-of-door studies of nature and recreation. That the
cold of winter freezing the surface of Lake Erie, to the depth of
twelve to thirty inches according to the severity of the winter,
has of course the contrary effect and cools the water of the lake
and Niagara River to the temperature of iced water; thus
acting as a refrigerator for the hot months, or until the water
has absorbed sufficient heat to equalize it with the atmosphere ;
causing our summer and autumn seasons to be the most delight
fully healthy yet found on the surface of the earth, equalizing
the temperature of the entire year, besides purifying the atmos
phere by the action of the water. Are not these among the
best conditions for the promotion of health ?
The ordinary storms, winds and clouds, of which our chronic
grumblers are so free to speak and of which our foreign

Climatic 39
detractors are so often inclined humorously to mention, that
Buffalonians are recognized by their leaning angularly to the
windward when turning a corner and clutching their hats. It is
next in order to object to it as a local peculiarity. (Only last
evening I met a clear-minded lady, who had recently taken her
residence here. Speaking of our city, she said : She had always
been told that this was the home of boisterous winds and
tornadoes or blizzards and was glad to be disabused as to the
facts.) I have lived in this climate as child, boy and man, since 1830.
During most of that long time I have been an observer of the
weather ; often forecasting it. During the early years of that
time I remember that our summers and autumns were very much
as I have described. "In the rare days of June," when the
numerous native trees, which surrounded us, the Basswood,
Birches, Beeches and Maples, the Sumach and other deciduous
forest trees and shrubs, had put on their fresh and new green
liveries, with the balmy south-western breeze to fan them, it
seemed a pleasure only to exist here among them. Our winters
were more uniformly cold, the precipitation of snow heavier and
more continuous, lying upon the ground for longer periods of
time, often giving us an hundred days of uninterrupted good
sleighing. The winds did seem to howl louder and with more
portentous warning then than now ; wind storms appeared to
last longer; the mercury did register a lower range; but with
our wooded surroundings the cold was not severely felt. These
are the early recollections of childhood. Since the removal of
the forest trees in this vicinity, the closing of open and exposed
places by the permanent erection of massive buildings, the
massing together of inhabitants with their numerous industries
requiring so enormous, continuous combustion of fuel, our
winters seem milder, less bleak ; showing what would seem a
moderation of the climate in our immediate vicinity. Wind
storms of magnitude are infrequent ; we do not have tornadoes
or blizzards, which are so frequently reported in other parts of
the country by our meteorological bureaus; nor do I remember.

40 Recollections of Buffalo.
in the past thirty years, storms that will approach those terms in
violence. On the twelfth of October, 1844, we had a phenomenal storm
of wind and flood. The wind had been blowing from the north
east for several days, causing the water of our harbor, lake and
river to become very low, piling up the water at the south
western end of the lake ; the wind suddenly shifted to the right
about and blew with tremendous violence directly down the lake
upon us ; which drove the water back, apparently in one solid
wave thirty feet high, creating a flood, which, together with the
tornadic wind, caused great destruction of life and property
hereabouts. It was reported that there were fiftj' lives lost. I
think forty-seven was the exact number, as nearly as ascertained.
Large portions of the lower part of the city, known as " The
Flats." were badly wrecked ; the water came up nearly to the
line where the railroad now is, at the Terrace station ; leaving
considerable of the debris, like a chevaux-de-frise, composed of
lumber, boxes, hogsheads, dead cattle, swine, wrecked houses,
and the vestiges 'of human creation generally. The water came
into the kitchen of the " Mansion" and canal boats were stranded
in Seneca Street, near Michigan ; sail vessels were lifted on the
docks and landed in Main Street !
This flood was before our sea wall and breakwaters were con
structed and before the construction of the Blackwell Canal.
There is now no fear of a like calamity, should such another
storm occur.
I also remember a storm in November of the following year,
in 1845. The morning of the day on which it occurred was an
unusually bland, sunshiny one ; a typical Indian Summer day.
It began to cloud up about noon and soon to blow, and snow
furiously, in great whirling drifts. By four P. M. business
houses were closed and the heavy shutters put up.
In ihose days it required a considerable amount of lumber to
supply the outside window shutters of a shop ; which were put
up and taken down daily, as one of the duties performed by
¦" the gentlemanly clerks ; " who also sold the goods and kept

Climatic 41
the books, from seven o'clock in the morning until ten in the
evening, without vacations or holidays. In times of ice, snow
and wind that handling of the blinds was no child's play, I
assure you.
The lake was storm-tossed, and with the blinding snow and
sleet no vessel could outweather it unless safely protected under
the lee of some shelter or in some harbor. Vessels were cast
ashore, others foundered. One vivid instance in my memory :
A schooner was cast ashore, about a mile south of the light
house pier. Two days afterwards, when aid could reach her,
they found the only person left on board was a young woman ;
large, healthy looking, bright eyes and rosy cheeks, standing in
the companion way : eyes wide open, staring abroad as if towards
approaching help. On going to her they found her frozen ; ice
cold, stiff, dead !
That storm closed navigation until the following spring.
There was continuous sleighing from that day far into April.
We have had storms, severe ones, since that period, but nothing
like those in fury or magnitude.
I recently saw a published statement of the aggregate annual
velocity of the wind in 1873 as compared with other cities.
Buffalo was 76,000 miles ; New York 88,000 ; Philadelphia
86,000 ; Chicago 86,000 ; Cleveland 80,000. I have not selected
this particular year to make a favorable comparison, but the item
struck me as apropos to this subject and I therefore make use of
it. With regard to temperature during the thirties it was not
uncommon for the mercury to fall to zero and sometimes to five,
ten or even fifteen degrees below. I do remember, as an extreme
point, of its touching thirty degrees below, way back in the
thirties ; but this was so exceptional at the time as to have im
planted the occurrence in my childish memory. But for forty
years back it has not reached the zero point more than four or
five times during a winter, and then only for brief periods, while
all about us and in far away cities : Syracuse, Albany, Boston,
Toronto, Chicago and elsewhere, it is no uncommon circum
stance for- the thermometer to register twenty to thirty degrees

42 Recollections of Buffalo.
and more, below zero. (I spent New Year's week in Toronto
two winters since, and while there, at least half the time, the
mercury stood at thirty below and lower.) And the more
southerly cities, Cincinnati, Louisville and St. Louis, during an
extremely cold term, outbid us in low degree as in their heated
terms they all take rank above us. The year 1887 was an ex
ceptional year for extremes of heat and cold. At one time
during that winter the mercury touched for a short space
thirteen degress below zero ; and during the summer of that
year we experienced the extraordinary heat of the nineties,
reaching as high as ninety four or five degrees, making the year's
extremes greater than any year within my mature recollection.
The mercury rarely reaches the nineties here ; a blanket is a
comfort nearly every night in summer.
A curious fact which has come under my observation, is, that
when the country has been visited by unseasonable or severe
storms of wind or extreme cold or heat, it becomes a matter of
special public interest or record and N-E-W-S (the letters of
which last word, we all know, denote the cardinal points of the
compass.) The city of Washington is on our line of longitude,
but several degrees south of us ; but in comparing our velocity
of wind, extreme cold blasts and temperature, we are sister
cities and nearly agree in extraordinary demonstrations of the
weather, mild as compared with other cities of this temperate zone.
There is one remarkable circumstance verifying the fact that
our winters are becoming milder in this region, so phenomenal
as to be worthy of mention. Since 1830 I have no remembrance
of a winter when Lake Erie was not covered with ice, so as en
tirely to obstruct navigation, excepting those which I here
mention : Three times in the past ten years the ice in winter
was not of sufficient strength in Lake Erie to obstruct navi
gation or so that it could not be overcome ; the last of these
exceptions has been that of 1890, with no ice whatever in the
lake. This remarkable phenomenon has scarcely been noticed at the
times; showing also a singular lapse of observation in our public

Climatic 43
prints, which usually record and cover the events of the world
daily. Never before in the memory of man, as far as I know,
has the lake failed in performing its duty, in the formation of a
sufficient supply of " cold ice."
In the winter of 1837-8 the steamboat "United S'ates," Capt.
Whittaker, left this port in January and again entered it in the
month of February ; the lake was only obstructed by ice during
the intermediate time.
The previous winter, 1836-7, was a long one and navigation
was not fully open until May or June. If I am correct, the
steamboat " Monroe," commanded by Capt. J. T. Homans, U. S.
N., did not reach our harbor until June 8th of that year, she
having been in sight several miles out, locked in the ice ; the
passengers and crew at last reduced to a short allowance of food,
however, previous to its arrival, for a number of days, steamers
had been passing and repassing it by the north channel or
north shore route.

CHAPTER III.
where FOLK LIVED IN THE THIRTIES.
The high toned " upper ten," the well-to-do and well-known
town-people, were scattered broadcast over the city and its sub
urbs. The young city then being bounded by North, High and
Jefferson streets, Buffalo Creek and Niagara River. There was
no so-called " West End " or assumed aristocratic quarter ; Black
Rock, Cold Springs, Buffalo Plains, Little Normandy, " The Hy
draulics" and Clintonville, were not then within the boundaries
of the City of Buffalo, as now. Among the residents of those
outlying suburban villages, or hamlets, lived many of the promi
nent citizens of the town as distinguished from the city. The
leading or well-known people lived in all parts of the city and
town, wherever they had purchased farm lots, located property or
their interests were centered. They gathered for social entertain
ment, weddings, or at church or funeral, from all quarters ; from
Main street. Pearl, Franklin, Washington, Niagara, Clinton, Eagle,
Swan, Seneca, Crow, Elk, Ellicott, Oak, Huron, Mohawk, Chip
pewa, Genesee, Tupper and Delaware Streets and the Terrace,
which covered pretty much all the nomenclature of the residence
streets in those days.
General Peter B. Porter, once Secretary of War, and one of the
commissioners on the part of the United States in conjunction
with the commissioners of Great Britain, to locate and define the
boundary line between the Canadas and the United States and
the Northwest Territories, with Col. Wm. A. Bird, his associate,
acting on that same commission, who did by their personal and
persistent efforts and diplomacy with the British representatives
in the commission, successfully obtain and preserve to the State
of New York, our " Grand Island " in Niagara River. The com
mission also had in its employ Major Andrew Ellicott, the brother

where folk lived in the THIRTIES. 45
and assistant of Joseph Ellicott, the engineers and surveyors
of Buffalo. Gen'l Porter was also the first president of the newly
constructed Niagara Falls Rail Road, and Col. Bird its first Vice-
President, (of wliich Geo. P. Stevenson was its Secretary and
Treasurer.) *Gen'l Porter lived at Black Rock, corner of Ferry
Street. Where subsequently lived until his death, this year. Col.
Lewis F. Allen, a long time resident here, dying at ninety years
of age; he was uncle to President Grover Cleveland. Col. Bird
lived south of the corner of Ferry Street. Captains Asa and
Robert Hart, John D. Harty, James Haggart, Harry Thompson,
Absalom Bull, Samuel F. Gelston, Geo. Kingman, Stephen W.
Howell, and others, dwelt in Black Rock. Captain Wm. T. Mil
ler, William and Benjamin Hodge, Gen'l Lewis Eaton, Col. Van-
deventer, and Deacon Abner Bryant lived on their farms near
Cold Springs on Main Street.

* General Peter B. Porter in conjunction with his brother Judge Augustus Porter
early acquired title to the American shore of Niagara Falls, including Goat Island
and the islands adjacent thereto, covering in all some two hundred acres, of which
seventy acres was contained in Goat Island and the remainder in the other islands
and that part of the main shore at the brink of the American Fall known as Prospect
Point. So that in fact they did own Niagara Falls to the dividing line of the " Horse-
Shoe " or Canadian Fall, An early resident of Niagara County tells me : That the
Porters located the property with soldiers land warrants, which they obtained at
nominal cost, probably less than one dollar per acre. Geo. W. HoUey in his book on
Niagara says :
" In 1806 the two brothers became interested with others in the purchase from the
State of New York of four lots in the Mile Strip lying both above and below the
Falls. A few years later they purchased not only the interest of their partners in
these lots, but other lands at different points along this Strip. In 1814 they bought of
Samuel Sherwood a paper, since named a float, an instrument given by the State
authorizing the hearer to locate two hundred acres of any of the unsold or unappro
priated lands belonging to the State. This float they fortunately anchored on Goat
Island and the islands adjacent thereto, lying " immediately above and adjoining the
Great Falls." The wherefore of the name of the larger island is as follows. Mr.
John Stedman who came into the country in 1760, had cleared a portion of the upper
end of the island, and in the summer of 1779, he placed on it a few small animals.
Chief among these was an aged and very dignified male goat. The following winter
was very severe, navigation to the Island was impracticable and he fell a victim to the
intense cold. For a time he was, like Juan Fernandez, " monarch of all he sur
veyed" and like him he left his name to his water-bound home."
The primary object of the purchase said to be was an unromantic one. The
Porter's desired the island for a sheep paddock or preserve to protect them from the
wolves which were numerous all about the Falls, but not molesting the islands.
General Porter resided at Black Rock until about 1839 when he took up his residence
at Niagara Falls, where other members of the Porter family were living.

46 Recollections of Buffalo.
The Granger family lived on their large farm at and beyond
the Cold Springs and through which Scajauquady Creek passes ;
this farm, which was the most romantic and picturesque piece of
ground naturally, within our present city domain, and topograph
ically the best suited to the purposes for which it is now used.
The farm has been absorbed with other lands to create and make
our beautiful " Forest Lawn " and " The Park."
John T. Bush, once our State senator, had his office here,
but lived in Tonawanda.
The Dodge family lived on what is now Best Street, opposite
" North Street Cemetery.'' The homestead place now belongs to
the city, prospectively intended for use as a storage reservoir for
our water supply of one hundred and twenty-five millions gallons.
Oliver G. Steele and Warren Bryant were on Clinton Street,
then a short street, now a quite important one, reaching far in
to the country.
Judge Philander Bennett was on Eagle Street, in a large old
stone mansion, I think the very last on the street with extensive
grounds about it. It has recently been purchased of his heirs
and converted into a public park.'
On Eagle Street also lived Wm. Lovering, Sr., John Lay, Jr.,
Geo. B. Walbridge, Chas. H. Bramhall, and on the corner of El
licott, Rushmore Poole, in one of the then fashionable city
blocks, all occupied by nice people. On the south-east corner
lived at various times in those early years, Morgan L. Faulkner,
E. L. Stevenson, and Cyrenius C Bristol. East Swan Street was
devoted to the several Pratt families, who filled a considerable
place in the affairs of Buffalo, e'en to the present day. There
were also on that street, Orlando Allen ; his abandoned old home
stead remains, but evidently decaying rapidly, as the surrounding
property is being occupied for business purposes. Deacon
Joseph Stocking, Roswell W. Haskins, Joseph Dart, Thomas
Farnham, and others, all locally historical, time-honored
people. The high storied brick block on the north-east
corner of Swan and Oak Streets, was built in the flush times
of '36 and known as the " Hempsted & Keeler Block;" they were

where folk lived IN THE THIRTIES. 47
then considered fashionable, palatial, first class city houses, where
lived Henry Hager, John G. Dodge, Mrs. Laura Davis, Captain
Morris Hazard, and others. In one of these houses in '46 lived,
when he was Mayor, Joseph G. Masten. He gave there a large
elegant evening party as the " Mayor's Party," then a custom, as
it was also a custom for the Mayor to keep " open house " to all
callers, with a bountifully spread table on New Year's day. Near
Seneca Street on Ellicott Street, lived Aaron Rumsey. Seneca
Street was quite an important one for residences. Here lived
Russell H. Heywood, our first President of the " Board of Trade,"
and who held other honorable offices. Major John G. Camp, a
most popularly known citizen and of handsome soldierly
appearance, Margaret St. John, widow of Gamaliel, Doctor Thomas
M. Foote, United States Minister to Bogota, General Lucius Storrs,
General Nelson Randall, Commodore Stephen Champlin, William
Fiske, William Ketchum, James McKnight, Elisha A. and Robert
H. Maynard, John B. Flagg, John Bush, Henry Lovejoy, and
other well-known citizens.
At the Hydraulics on the " Grosvenor Place," Reuben B. Hea
cock, in a fine large stone mansion. At Clintonville, Seth H.
Heacock, James Durick ; way out on Elk Street, which really did
not seem as far away, in the thirties as now, were domiciled Au
gustus C and George A. Moore; the family of Mr. A. C. Moore,
since his death, have migrated from that southern extremity of
the city, to the northern, near the Park, a distance of about five
miles, but not out of the same city. On Elk Street were also
Doctor John W. Clark, The Coatsworths, William J. Mack, and
Theodore Coburn. On the Terrace, near Seneca Street, was the
ornate cottage of Col. W. F. P. Taylor ; at the south corner of
Swan Street and the Terrace once lived Captain Harry Whittaker.
At the junction of Swan and Franklin Streets, where now stands
the " Catholic Building," or " St, Stephen's Hall," was the house
of Col. Ira A. Blossom ; he was the agent of the Holland Land
Company ; his house stood on lot one hundred and tw,o of the
Company's village plat. At the foot of Swan Street, a little to
the north and west of Col. Blossom's house, on the brow of the

48 Recollections of Buffalo.
Terrace, stood one of the earliest and most known, district school
houses. Some of the boys and girls yet remain with us, who at
tended that school in the early thirties, but they are mostly gone
over to the majority. Where now are St. Joseph's Cathedral and
the Bishop's Palace, Chapel and Residence, was the handsome
home and gardens of George B. Webster. Quite recently Bishop
Ryan has built for his own occupancy and use an elegant palace
and chapel on upper Delaware Avenue. Referring to the Ca
thedral, which now occupies the Webster grounds, I fancy few of
our people are aware of the treasures it contains. Without go
ing into detail as to its stained windows and paintings, it has,
smothered in its diminutive tower or steeple, the chimes which
were awarded the first premium at the World's Exhibition at
Paris in 1867. And in its organ loft, the great " Hook" Organ
which was exhibited at the " Centennial " at Philadelphia in 1876.
On the lower side of the Terrace, now Sixth Street, near
Genesee Street, lived W. L. G. Smith, Harlow S. Love, Silas
Manville, Mahlon Kingman. At the corner of Main Street, on
Crow Street, opposite the old " Mansion," was the dwelling and
flower garden (open to view) of the venerable Count Louis
Le Couteulx de Caumont ; a gentleman par excellence in culti
vation, reputation, manners and dress. On the corner of Crow
and Washington Streets dwelt Jacob A. Barker. On Crow or
Exchange Street were Nehemiah Case, Daniel G. Marcy,
Clarence Shepard. Tracing Washington Street upwards Albert
Hayden, Geo. W. Allen, Mrs. James Sheldon (mother of the
late Judge James Sheldon), Robert Hollister ; above Seneca
Street, where now is the Coal and Iron Exchange, were Cyrus
Atheran, and Jacob S. Miller dwelling and livery. He was the
father of our enterprising livery proprietor Charles W. Miller.
On the corner of Swan Street Dr. Austin Flint; south-east
corner of South Division Street Elijah D. Efner ; north-east
corner John W. Beals, of the firm of Wilkeson, Beals & Co.,
proprietors of the Orazaba Iron Works. He was the father of
Edward P. Beals and his brothers. North of Mr. Beals were
two of the city style of dwellings then popular ; in one of which

Where Folk Lived in the Thirties. 49
lived Wm. A. Thompson and his two brothers, all bachelors, in
what was then thought pretentious style. They were hardware
dealers; Scotchmen. In winter Wm. A. wore a "sugar loaf"
shaped, otter fur cap without visor ; which was unusual, and of
course attracted attention in a small place. He was a man of
fine appearance, with haughty but condescending manners. The
young men about town dubbed him the " Duke of Argyle." He
failed in business ; retired into Canada ; became a prominent
man there, particularly in the projection and construction of the
Canada Southern Railway. Was elected to the Provincial
Parliament. He died at Queenston on Niagara River.
Facing Main Street, on Washington, stood the building of the
old " Niagara Bank," which a few years later was taken down to
open North Division Street. On and near the corners of that
street lived James C. Evans, widow Letitia Evans, Wm. A.
Evans, Charles W. Evans, Lewis E. and John R. Evans ; in fact
pretty much all the Evans family, who have ever been
identified with the interests and business of Buffalo. Here were
also (connected with them) Mr. Augustus Raynor and Samuel
Cary, a consistent plain old-fashioned Quaker, who would not
purchase any but free labor sugars.
North of the corner of North Division Street was what might
then have been called a handsome, brick dwelling, built by Dr.
Josiah Trowbridge, in 18 17, afterwards occupied by Pierre A.
Barker, our Mayor in 1838, succeeding Dr. Trowbridge in that
office, as well as his house. Subsequently the house was occu
pied by Alanson Robinson, and then for many years by Edward
L. Stevenson, and recently by the " City Club."
Next above, on the corner of Eagle Street, is the solid brick
house built by Isaac Kibbe shortly after the war with Great
Britain, say about 18 16, known as the " Kibbe House ; " long
afterwards and for many years the home of Doctor Charles
Winne. Above Eagle Street lived Elijah Ford and Nathaniel
Wilgus. Above them was built, in 1836, by Noyes Darrow, the
" Darrow Block," then considered a palatial block, equalling the
fine blocks of New York city in grandeur, on Broadway " above

50 Recollections of Buffalo.
Bleecker;" (in those days the line of demarcation between the
commonality and the upper strata of society, and where the
parvenu first sought to locate.) The cost of these houses was
said to have been ^17,000 each; a fearfully expensive dwelling,
particularly for renting purposes in those days; some of our
most fashionable people occupied them then. They still exist,
in a transition state, between dwellings and business houses.
One of them was occupied in the thirties by Albert H. Tracy;
another by Henry M. Kinne. For many years two of them
were occupied by Miss Clara Cutler as a private boarding house ;
she and the house are worthy of being mentioned in these
records. It was a favorite place for first-class young men and
for gentlemen and their wives. Neatness and good order pre
vailed ; the living was good. Miss Cutler was a lady of whom
her guests were fond, and she had a good moral influence over
the young men and they all liked her home. On that same
ground previously stood, in the young thirties and prior to that,
our first County Jail, inclosed within palisades of sharp-pointed
logs, about eight inches in diameter and twelve feet high. I
suppose to prevent people breaking in. In this jail were in
carcerated the three Thayers, so well known in our local
history, who were hung for the murder of John Love.
Above the Darrow Block was the rough-cast, ornate cottage
of Noyes Darrow. On the corner of Clinton and Washington
Streets, now occupied by the French Church, was a rough-cast
two-story building, gable end towards the street, the land office
of" The Holland Land Company." On the north corner of the
" Batavia Road" (Broadway) where stands the Buffalo Savings
Bank, was the early built brick mansion known as the " Harrison
House," built by the father of the late James C. Harrison. It
was occupied by Sheldon Thompson, later by Lester Brace.
Farther up Washington, near Mohawk Street, lived Samuel
K. Kip, E. Fitch Smith, and George W. Houghton, all
lawyers; on the corner of Mohawk, 'Squire Harry Slade ;
beyond him, Jonathan Sidway, a wealthy land-holder, the
father of Franklin and Jonathan Sidway. On the opposite
side lived John and George A. H. Patterson. Farther up

Where Folk Lived in the Thirties. 51
Washington Street, near Tupper and Goodell Streets, were the
houses of George Palmer, a prominent man in the community
in his time, and if I be correct, the first President of the Buffalo
and State Line Railroad, part of the Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern system. Near by, Jabez Goodell. Skipping over to
Tupper Street, at the head of Pearl Street, was the cottage of
Col. Alanson Palmer, which now and for many years has been
the home of Philo B. Eaton. From there scattered, along down
Pearl Street were Henry Colton, Lyman Dunbar, Judge Horatio
J. Stow, Isaac T. Hathaway, Samuel W. Hawes, Elias Green,
Garrett S. Hollenbeck, Hamlet Scranton, a gay bachelor, cashier
of the Commercial Bank, who kept house in good style at the
corner of Huron Street. He went from here to Rochester, and
after a time became Mayor of that city. Daniel F Kimball
lived on the opposite corner. Silas Hemingway, Capt. Chas.
Gardner, Sylvester Chamberlain ; Sidney Ball also lived on
Pearl Street. The Harrington Block on the corner of Pearl and
Court Streets were fashionable dwellings. Between Court and
Niagara Streets, on Pearl Street, lived Rufus C. Palmer, Doctor
C. C. Haddock, Col. Nathaniel Vosburgh, Doctor Wm.
K. Scott and General Sylvester Matthews. Below Niagara
Street lived General Heman B. Potter, Doctor John E.
Marshall ; Doctor Bryant Burwell in the same house where
now lives his son, Doctor George N. Burwell, fifty years
later. At the corner of Pearl and Swan Streets, Doctor Moses
Bristol ; at the corner of Erie and Pearl Streets, Silas A. Fobes,
father of W. Dana Fobes. From this point to the Terrace on
Pearl Street lived George Coit, George R. Kibbe, Henry R. Sey
mour, William Hollister, Oliver Forward, Stephen K. Grosvenor,
Gurdon C Coit ; on the east corner of Seneca Street, Widow Re
becca Wheeler, who kept there a wonderfully good pension, whose
daughters were then and subsequently married to well-known
citizens, viz : George W. Bull, Loomis Lyman, George McKnight,
Mrs. McKnight afterwards married James W. Sanford ;
Charles M. Hopkins married the youngest daughter, Kate Wheel
er ; Mrs. Wheeler had a son, Fred. Wheeler, who was the com-

52 Recollections of Buffalo.
mander of our popular lake steamer, St. Louis. At this establish
ment boarded, in those early years, a number of our well-known
citizens, such as- Gibson T. Williams and the late William Lav-
erack. Judge James M. Smith, and others. On the south-east
corner William Williams, the druggist, who with his wife, died
on the same day of cholera, in '49. Next south of Mr. Williams
lived Martin Daly, in a costly house for those days ; then followed
Stephen Clark, Daniel M. Hodges, and in the last dwelling on
Pearl Street near the Terrace, John B. Macy.
On West Swan Street were Doctor Cyrenius Chapin and Thad-
deus Weed; Mrs. Weed a daughter of Doctor Chapin ; and, if I
be correct in my statements, the oldest living person to-day na
tive to Buffalo, and is upwards of ninety years of age. I saw her
not long since, this year 1890, walking down Main Street, as
erect as any queen ! She is the mother of Hobart Weed and of
the late DeWitt C. Weed.
At the junction of Swan and Erie Streets lived Samuel N. Cal-
lender ; the frame house is still there, like as it was, more than
fifty years ago, and but recently was the home of his widow.
On Niagara Street, between Main and Pearl, in the " Kremlin
Block," lived Judge William B. Rochester, father of Paymaster-
General William B. Rochester, U. S. A., (retired in 1890.) Judge
Rochester was the President of the United States (branch) Bank-
He was a dignified gentleman, highly esteemed; atone time a
candidate for Governor of the State. He was lost at sea from the
ship " Pulaski " when she was wrecked and burned off" Cape Hat-
teras, while on a voyage from New Orleans. The writer remem
bers hearing at the time, that he nobly sacrificed his life to save
others. The following verses are from a lengthy poem, written by
W. H. C. Hosmer of Avon, New York, in which he alludes feel
ingly to the loss of the lamented Rochester:
" A boat rocks on the tide — ¦
Skill plies the bending oar.
May God the trembling inmates guide
In safety to the shore !
From danger on the deep
To home and friends restore them —
In vain ! the surf, with drowning sweep.
Breaks in terror o'er them."

Where Folk Lived in the Thirties. 53
" Late mid the pallid band
I marked the form of one.
Whom annals of his native land
Pronounce a favored son.
His voice of hope and cheer
The faint of heart sustained,
When land was dimly seen, and fear
The rower's strong arm chained."
" Wife, child, nor sacred home
Will glad his gaze no more ;
With the saved y^iw all drenched with foam.
He stands not on the shore :
Fond hearts will wait in vain
His coming, far away — "

" 111 fated ship ! of all
Who shared thy dreadful doom,
And sleep beneath a briny pall.
Within a boundless tomb,
Where legions of the drowned
Fill grot and cavern dim,
Not one, not one was more renowned.
Or better loved than him."
The other occupants of the " Kremlin," on Niagara Street, were
Erastus Sparrow, John Langdon and William R. L. Ward. From
Pearl Street down as far as our octant Square, were the residen
ces of Johnathan Mayhew, Benjamin Fowler, Mrs. Barent, I.
Staats, Isaac W. Skinner, and Doctor Henry R. Stagg. On and
around Niagara Square : Stephen G. Austin built and lived in the
house where now resides his daughter, the wife of Truman G.
Avery, her birth place. Next house west, corner of Delaware
Avenue, was built by General Heman B. Potter, a prominent law
yer ; after the deaths of the General and his widow, it was occu
pied by George R. Babcock, whose wife was a daughter of Gen
eral Potter; another daughter married the Hon. Mr. Grant, M. C,
of Oswego. It was an old pun, that Mrs. Potter, not satisfied
with what we at home could produce in the way of young men,
although we were well stocked with good material, must needs
obtain a " Grant " from Congress to marry her daughter.

54 Recollections of Buffalo.
The old time mansion on the west side of the Square, was
built early in the century, (as its facade of tall pillars show), by
Judge Samuel Wilkeson, who was one of the stalwart characters
of the town in the days we are now writing of; one of our earli
est Mayors. Was at one time President of the " American Colo
nization Society." His son John, an octogenarian, still lives at
the old homestead with his daughter, where he must have passed
the greater part of his life. To the writer it was always an at
tractive old place and home of refinement. The place and its
people are one of the few remaining links connecting us with the
past of fifty years ago.
I must here add, in just testimony to this family, my grateful
tribute to them for their public spirit as citizens, their self-sacri
ficing patriotism and love of home and country, which they one
and all seem to have borne in their various careers, and demon
strated, from grandsire to the present generation, and which the
records of the Great Rebellion will fully testify. I depart from-
my usual role in writing these memories to mention in detail their
family record as connected with the late war :
A son of Judge Wilkeson, Samuel Wilkeson, Jr., who died in
1889, was the very graphic war correspondent of the " New York
Times " during the Rebellion. I remember his pathetic, vivid de
scription of the battle of Gettysburg, Pa., in 1863, when on July
1st his gallant son. Brevet Lieut.-Colonel Bayard Wilkeson, of
the Fourth Artillery, U. S. A., while in command of " G " Com
pany of that Regiment, was killed.
Another son. Lieutenant Frank Wilkeson of the Fourth Ar
tillery, was, until recently, Assistant Editor of the " New York
Times," and a briliant writer.
Henry R. Stagg, a grandson of Judge Wilkeson, was a Colonel
in Ullman's Brigade during the war.
Brevet Captain John W. Wilkeson of " Company K," One
Hundredth Regiment, N. Y. Volunteers, (the " Buffalo Board of
Trade " Regiment,) a son of John Wilkeson, was killed at the
battle of " Fair Oaks," Va., May 31st, 1862.

Where Folk Lived in the Thirties. 55
Another son, Colonel Samuel H. Wilkeson, was in the Twen
ty-First N. Y. Volunteers, the first Buffalo regiment, and in the
Eleventh N. Y. Cavalry ; was also Assistant Inspector General of
the Cavalry Division, Dept. of the Gulf in 1864.
Wiljiam Wilkeson, son of Eli R. Wilkeson, was a private in a
Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment.
Hugh Johnson, grandson of Judge Wilkeson, was in the Twen
ty-First Regiment N. Y. Volunteers, and Fifth U. S. Infantry.
Another grandson, brother of the preceding. Captain Tellico
Johnson, was in a Pennsylvania Volunteer Regiment of Infantry.
Is not this a noble record for one family ?
On the north-west corner of Delaware Avenue and the Square
is the house built by Henry H. Sizer ; his daughter, whose birth
place it is, resides there ; she is the wife of Col. Albert Barnard.
On the opposite corner resided Albert H. Tracy. The house
was moved down Niagara Street (and converted into a Parsonage
of the Unitarian Society for the use of the Rev. Dr. Geo. W.
Hosmer), which gave place for the present structure, built for
James Hollister ; and which was subsequently sold to President
Fillmore, where he and his widow resided until their deaths.
At the north-east corner of the Square lived Stephen Osborn
(Government Agent for the Seneca Tribe of Indians), and
Hezekiah A. Salisbury, one of the original proprietors of the
Buffalo Commercial ; the old house is still standing in that very
central location. Where is now our " Free Collegiate High
School" lived General David Burt (father of Henry W. Burt,
cashier of the German American Bank) ; the house forms a part
of the present school building. At this house General Burt
entertained the venerable John Quincy Adams, " the old man
eloquent," when here in a late year of his life. On the corner
of Court Street, west side of Niagara Square, lived Phineas
Barton and Robinson Morehead. On Niagara Street, near
Georgia, was the pretty cottage owned by James D. Shepard,
'it was known as "The Shepard Cottage;" opposite it lived
Samuel A. Bigelow, and on the corner of Virginia Street Samuel
Caldwell. On Eagle Street, west of Franklin, were Elias

56 Recollections of Buffalo.
A. Bradley, Oliver Bugbee and Harry Daw, and at the corner of
the Terrace, later, Gibson T. Williams.
The Franklin Street residents incompletely detailed in the
order in which I name them, from down to up-town, were
Horatio Shumway, John Hicks, Richard Sears, Dr. H. N.
Loomis, John R. Lee, Joseph Clary, Judge Thomas C. Love,
James J. Baldwin, Judge James Mullett, Judge Nathan K. Hall,
Millard Fillmore, John Newman (father of W. H. H. Newman),
Robert Gillespie, Hiram Perce, Capt. James M. Lundy, John
Lamb, Edwin Rose and others not recalled. On Church Street
lived Birdseye Wilcox, Israel P. Sears, Hiram Barton ; at the
north-west corner of Delaware Avenue James L. Barton ; on
Mohawk Street were Dan Bristol, James Demarest ; and below
Delaware in the " Kissam Block,'' Rev. George W. Hosmer,
On Huron Street, near Delaware, lived Joseph G. Norton and
Horace Clark. On this street was built, early in the thirties, the
row of brick houses known as. the "Boyd & Bull Block; " they
are not much changed ; in the corner house lived Captain George
W. Floyd ; in the same block Charles Hequembourg.
On lower Delaware Street were Walter Joy, Jerry Radcliffe,
Silas Sawin, John Fleeharty.
On Delaware Street, above the Square, were very few houses.
On the east side below Mohawk was the cottage of C. C. Bristol ;
the house on the north-west corner of Chippewa, recently occu
pied by the " Buffalo Club," was built in '35 by Philander Hodge,
a costly house, finished elaborately with rosewood doors and
highly ornamented stuccoed ceilings ; the house later, was occu
pied by Aaron D. Patchin, and still later by John S. Ganson. On
the opposite corner Alexander A. Evstaphieve built in '36 the
English basement house, which is now owned by E. Carleton
Sprague. A little above the Hodge Mansion, where the home
of S. S. Jewett now stands, a short street was laid out (afterwards
discontinued), on which was built a handsome brick dwelling,
facing south ; its rear walls are now, (as I remember), part of the
rear walls of the dwelling owned by Mrs. William H. Depew, on
Johnson Place ; built for Charles B. Lord, to place in it one of the

Where Folk Lived in the Thirties. 57
handsomest brides that ever came to Buffalo. On the east side
of Delaware, north of Chippewa, George Hubbard built and lived
in a two-story brick house which now belongs to Mrs.' Gibson F.
Howard. On the West side again, we come to the
" Johnson Cottage."
This house was built early in the thirties, about 1834; Doctor
Johnson adopted the style of an Italian villa ; it was rather more
carefully built and more ornate at first, but it was almost entirely
destroyed by fire, leaving little more than the outer walls ; subse
quently it was restored, but the effect of its first picturesqueness
was injured by the indifferent manner of its reconstruction. The
interior has been much changed from what it was when first built ;
then, the apartments on the main floor, when in ordinary use,
were divided, but for receptions and grand occasions the rooms
of almost the entire main floor could with facility be transformed
practically into one large drawing room, the central part of which
reached up to the stained glass dome, which gave a unique effect
to the whole interior. The surroundings of the house, also, are
far different from what they were : then, Delaware Avenue was a
broad country road, green with native trees, undergrowth and
grass. The house standing as it does near the front, but alone
in its glory, with extensive grounds, possibly twenty-five or thir
ty acres, mostly surrounded by high picket fences, a part of it
given up for a special park, through the fences of which could
plainly be seen the glancing antlers of a herd of deer. In the
rear grounds was a beautiful grove of handsome trees and be
neath them a pond fed by springs, stocked with fish ; swan float
ing on it, and with a boat house, etc. The walks, nooks and dells
were cultivated in rustic semi-wild condition: The picketed front
fences were relieved by large high gate posts, arched over the
tops, the most southerly gate leading down a long lane or drive
way to the rear grounds ; the others around by a drive to the
front of the mansion, where on the broad steps several carriages
could discharge their guests at the same time. Directly in front
was a broad walk to the entrance gate, on either side of which in

JOHNSON COTTAGE.

Where Folk Lived in the Thirties. 59
a semi-circle fence, stood a large willow, seemingly as guardians
of the place; one of these trees was destroyed during a cyclone
a few years since, and the other having become gnarled and un
sightly was hewn down.
During the decade of the thirties a person standing in Dela
ware Street facing this house, could plainly see on the ridge of
ground to the north-west the mansion built by Pierre A. Barker,
now the residence of Franklin Sidway, and also to the right of it
the house of Israel T. Hatch, where he resided many years, now
the home of John S. Noyes ; intermediate were but few objects
to obstruct the view. Looking down " Delaware " there were
but few scattered houses to interfere with the overlook to the bay.
When this place was being constructed, the people of whom
the greater number lived down town, were frequent visitors to it,
inspecting its progress; it was an excursion of a Sunday to walk
up town so far, to view it, and when finished it was as "Johnson's
Cottage " the attractive show place of the town, and of our first
Mayor. There is a lady now living on "Johnson Park," Mrs. Horace
Utley — a daughter of Doctor Ebenezer Johnson, who was born
in the " Cottage " when he resided there.
Nothing to the north of this cottage until you came to the
large old mansion, built in 1835, and in which lived Sextus Shear
er. This was the end of Delaware Street, beyond which was a
straggling country road, but very little used. On the road near
the Ferry Road, (now Ferry Street), lived a well known Buffalo-
nian, Henry P. Russell. The Shearer house stands on the cor
ner of Allen Street; in the thirties Mr. Shearer was an enterpris
ing hardware merchant, did business on Main Street, below the
bridge at No. 84, (old number.) He moved from here to St. Louis
and after he was" sixty studied law, was admitted to and practiced
at the bar. Since Mr. Shearer lived there it has undergone many
changes and owners ; it was at one time the Catholic Seminary
of the " Sacred Heart." The daughter of President Fillmore
was a student at this school. The place has been owned at dif
ferent times by Joseph Christopher, Hiram Niles, S. N. Derrick,

6o Recollections of Buffalo.
Stephen D. Caldwell, and more recently by George B. Gates,
where his widow and their daughter now reside.
On Cottage Street, where now lives David F. Day, was the
dwelling of Judge Henry K. Smith.
On Chippewa Street, west of Delaware, at the head of Morgan
Street lived Benoni Thompson; his widow now lives there. On
Genesee, junction of Mohawk Street, lived Nelson' Robinson, of
the banking firm of Robinson, Waring & Co., and Philo Dur-
fee ; and on Genesee below Niagara Square lived Elbridge G.
Spaulding. I have no doubt omitted the places of residence of a number
of the prominent citizens of Buffalo of the thirties, but these are
the recollections of a youngster of fifty years ago. I purposely
omitted the old residents of Main Street in order that I might
give them to the reader in another chapter.

CHAPTER IV.
A PANORAMA OF MAIN STREET-
ABOUT THE YEARS I 83 5, '36 AND '37, OR FIFTY Y'EARS AGO,
WITH SOME ALLUSIONS TO THE LAND SPECULATIONS
OF THOSE YEARS.
In my effort to write a descriptive view of our Main thorough
fare in the decade of the thirties, having no guide nor reference,
but the memory of my early boyhood, I may be inaccurate in
my description, and very likely will be. I may also be guilty of
anachronisms. However I will attempt to give a general view
of the character of the Street, and who were the occupants of its
buildings. The reader can form his own idea of its appearance,
and contrast it with the present time. In writing this lengthy
detail I may be led aside from the subject by relating some epi
sode or incident connected with the localities as they are enu
merated, as is often the case with the delineator of a pictorial
panorama, who by frequent digressions endeavors to interest and
entertain his audience.
Beginning at North Street, which was then the northern bound
ary of the city limits, down to Virginia Street, the only dwelling
the writer remembers, was the pillared front, large, aristocratic
mansion of Colonel Guy H. Goodrich, standing on the summit
of the hill north of High Street. It stood in the track of Wash
ington Street, facing Main Street, the grounds taking in the en
tire territory bounded by Main, High, Ellicott and St. Paul
Streets, (beyond Ellicott east, I think the lands belonged to the
Bloodgood family.) At that early day a stranger coming to Buf
falo and seeing that lordly residence might well suppose it the
Manor House of the Shire Tpwn. It was then considered the
most eligible site for a residence in Buffalo; just one measured
mile from the Park in front of the Buffalo Library ; where stood

62 Recollections of Buffalo.
the old Erie County Court House, from which point all distances
were measured), two miles from the dock at the foot of Main
Street, and one mile south from Ferry Street or the " Cold
Springs." The Goodrich House is still standing, but environed,
by more modern structures. The Goodrich family are all gone.
This house when first built in 1823, was intended for the resi
dence of Mr. Josef h Ellicott, he having abandoned his first de
sign to reside on the block between North and South Division
Streets, with the front on Main Street ; the house was left unfin
ished by Mr. Ellicott, and subsequently purchased by Colonel
Goodrich and finished in 1831.
The lots in front of this homestead in '35 and '36, were thought
to be worth, for speculative purposes, one hundred dollars per
foot front. A lot at the corner of High and Main streets, part
of that homestead plot, 56 feet front by 150 in depth, sold at auc
tion in 1856, or twenty years later, at eighty dollars per foot, the
purchaser was congratulated on getting so good a bargain ; the
writer was the buyer. The same property after considerable lo
cal improvement, was again sold in 1867, after eleven years more,
at sixty-three dollars per foot, the seller having lost in taxes and
interest the entire purchase money. Eleven years later, in '78,
the last buyer obtained a less sum for it, and now in '90, or after
fifty years, it will no doubt sell for the valuation of 1836-7. The
lot spoken of is now vacant ; think of this land speculators !
What was fifty years ago the most eligible building site in the
City of Buffalo, unoccupied and unproductive still ; only one
mile from the business centre on the principal thoroughfare,
while property on Delaware Avenue at about Ferry Street, a mile
north of High Street is valued at ;^300 per foot, and on Linwood
Avenue, near Ferry Street, which avenue had no existence until
quite recently, is valued at ^150 per foot! A queer freak of real
estate values.
Co-incident with this circumstance in values of real estate, I
will relate an occurrence in 1836, which was told me by one of
the interested parties. On Niagara Street, a little below Porter
Avenue, about in a direct line west of the Goodrich property and

Panorama of Main Street. 63
a similar distance from the business centre, the late Luman K.
Plimpton, a well known resident at that time, purchased some
lots of a non-resident owner and stranger at ;^ioo per foot front,
paying the seller giooo down, merely taking a receipt for the
money in the loose manner common at the time, expecting to
complete the trade later on. Shortly after this; Plimpton was
employed by Benjamin Rathbun to go to New York (then an im
portant and lengthy trip) to negotiate some financial business.
During his absence Rathbun failed and sequentially the real es
tate " boom " or craze, begun to culminate and exploded by spon
taneous unanimity. Shortly after Plimpton's return, the non-res
ident land seller and stranger, put in an appearance, came to
Plimpton and announced that he was ready to pass the papers
and settle that little land deal :
" What deal do you refer to ? "
" Why, for those lots I sold you on Niagara Street ? "
" I don't comprehend you ; you are laboring under some mis
take or hallucination."
" Not at all," says the stranger, " you paid me a thousand dol
lars on the trade and I gave you a receipt."
" Indeed," says Plimpton, " I don't see it ; you have got the
wrong pig by the ear ; if you got a thousand dollars out of me,
or any other egregious fool, you, had better try to keep it.''
The lots referred to, or lots very near their location, sold at
auction forty years afterwards for from eight to twelve dollars per
foot; and now, after a lapse of half a century they are doubtfully
worth the one hundred dollars Plimpton was to have given for
them. To continue the sketch of Main Street : On the line of the
street, near the corner of Carlton Street, diverged to the northeast
a country road. Here stood a modest dwelling, and near it, back
from the road, an old tannery, faced by a line of poplar trees.
Here is where lived Jesse Ketchum, who did a prosperous busi
ness tanning leather. He was latterly better known as " Father
Ketchum." He left an endowment for gold and silver medals for
successful competitive rewards to pupils in our public schools.

64 Recollections of Buffalo.
He was a practical philanthropist. The Westminster Church, on
Delaware Avenue, is indebted to him for a munificent endow
ment towards its establishment and erection.
From Virginia to Goodell, and what is now Edward Street,
was then a driveway or cow-lane for the use of the owner of the ad
joining property. On the corner of Virginia Street, shortly af
ter this time, the Medical College as it now stands was built. It
is thus far the only outcome of what was intended and promised
to be the great " University of Buffalo." Enterprising, public
_ spirited, ambitious citizens in those flush times, generously prom
ised and fully intended to perform, and made liberal subscriptions
to endow the institution with professional chairs in scientific or
classical branches of education, under their patronymics. This
enterprise and liberality was all born of the millions these gen
tlemen had acquired on paper, in the rocket like rise in real es
tate; which millions dropped and died, in the stick like fall
thereof The result thus far reminds one of the following anecdote.
In a village, in a rural district ot this state, noted for its beauty
and pastoral surroundings, its culture and refinement. A seminary
for young ladies and children had been established. It was
named after one of the Feminine Saints and was in every way a
worthy institution, but was drooping for want of sustenance. A
meeting was called and was attended by a considerable number
of influential persons in the neighborhood, to discuss the means
and ends to resuscitate and aid the school. It being under the
sheltering arm of the church, the Bishop of the Diocese presided
at the meeting. In his opening address the Bishop kindly spoke
of its being his intention to do various things to help the insti
tution through its difficulties. Amongst the congregation
present was an outspoken, independent gentleman, a Mr. P., well
known in that community ; who after one of these expressed
"intentions" interrupted the Bishop by saying, in a somewhat
irreverent manner, " Bishop ! Do you know what hell is paved
with ? " " No sir ! I do not ! You are better prepared to
answer that question just now than I "

Panorama of Main Street. 65
The Faculty of the Medical College or Chancellor holds the
original charter of our fifty-year-old university.
The first building below Virginia Street, built before the
Medical College, was a " Military High School ; " which, with its
play and parade grounds, occupied the entire block as far down
as the old St. Louis Church lot. It is now the central portion
of the old " Hospital of the Sisters of Charity " building, facing
North Pearl Street, which street, or " Pearl Place," has been
but recently opened. The building was crowned with a cupola
and bell.
The ambitious boys of the town, aided and abetted by their
fathers and mothers, were desirous of being promoted to that
" High School ; " where they could parade in blue jackets and
trousers (in summer white duck trousers), the jackets or round
abouts covered profusely with bright silvered globular buttons ;
in which uniform they were paraded on Sundays down Main
Street, escorted by the band or drums and fifes, to the Old First
Presbyterian Church, where they filed into the gallery to listen
to morning service, led by the Rev. Sylvestor Eaton.
The Academy was presided over at different times by several
Principals, the first of whom (if I be correct), was Jonathan
Dodge. Among the others were Colonel James McKay and
Professor C. M. Fay. I think the last Principal of the Military
High School was Silas Kingsley ; who abandoned the parade and
bell buttons. Not long after, for want of patronage, it collapsed.
The first St. Louis Church, next below the Academy, was
built early in the decade of the thirties. The grand structure
recently erected is the third of that name on the same site.
On the east side, opposite this square, were a few small shops
and dwellings occupied by our recently imigrated, thrifty
Germans, who, of those that remain and their descendants, old
and young, are to-day among our methodical, enterprising and
well-to-do citizens. Below Goodell Street, on the corner, stood
according to my recollection, an ancient hostelry, known as the
" Broadwheel Tavern," where Jabez Goodell " entertained man
and beast." This tavern was so known by its patronage, the

66 Recollections of Buffalo.
teamsters and freight handlers of the broad tire wheels ;
enormous arks of the so-called " Pennsylvania wagons," driven
with four to ten horses; used for the transportation of goods,
wares, merchandise and rough-and-tumble passengers, going east
and west. They were mostly under the direction and super
intendence of  Hunter, subsequently of the firm of
Hunter, Palmer & Co., in the canal and lake transportation
business here. Goodell was the founder of " Goodell Hall,"
a part of the Seminary buildings facing Johnson Park ; from him
the name of Goodell Street was derived. He was a Deacon of
the First Presbyterian Church. After his benefaction to the
.Seminary and other distribution of his property, he left a small
income for the support of his widow. The " Broadwheel
Tavern" may not be confounded with the tavern the writer
remembers as the " Plough Inn," a long two-story yellow
building, much patronized by the farmers from the outlying
northerly towns of the county, which was located on the block
next below. During the decade of the thirties the old " Broad
wheel Tavern " had to give place to the brick dwelling erected
upon its site by William Hollister. It is now the property and
home of Elbridge G. Spaulding. On the corner of Edward
Street, heretofore mentioned, was the sightly old mansion with
large front columns, the home of Judge Ebenezer Walden. It
stood a considerable distance from Main Street, surrounded by
broad and attractive grounds. One of the daughters of Judge
Walden is the widow of the late General Meyer. He is re
membered as Chief of the Signal Service (Old Probabilities.)
" Music Hall " occupies the site of Judge Walden's old home
stead. The next large house and grounds was the residence of
Clark Hecox. It was an attractive place, with an extensive lawn.
For many years, until recently, it has been the home of the late
Charles Ensign.
The first innovation after the thirties in this handsomely
located square or block was the square brick house built by
Henry Roop, between the places of Judge Walden and Mr.
Hecox ; it has been converted into a boarding house. It is next

Panorama of Main Street. 67
south of Music Hall. Also the brick cottage of the Yankee
comedian Dan Marble, which, later on, became the property of
Mrs. Charles Roseel, who enlarged and improved the house.
On the opposite or east side of Main Street, south of the house
of Mr. Hollister to Tupper Street, the lands were vacant, except
a few forest trees. On these grounds after the first election of
William H. Seward as Governor of the State, in 1838, was held
a great Barbecue in honor of that event, when an ox, sheep, and
other animals were roasted whole. (Joseph Simpson, the
colored cook who turned the spit on which the ox was roasted,
still resides in Buffalo.) When they were mostly eaten their
carcasses or skeletons were drawn on sleighs in triumph about
the town. At this Barbecue whole barrels of ale (no lager then)
and cider were broached. The Whigs were joyful and merry
over their triumphant success and the defeat of Governor
William L. Marcy and his Democratic supporters.
From Tupper to Chippewa Streets, on the west side north
corner, stood the tidy square-framed white dwelling of Manly
Colton, a well-known citizen, a merchant, and at one time
County Clerk. Next, south of Mr. Colton, Peter Curtis built
and lived in the plain brick house which stands nearly flush with
the sidewalk and was until recently occupied by his son
Frederick B. Curtis. South of this, on that block, the one-story
pillared front cottage of Merrill B. Sherwood, the Sherwood
cottage was removed to make room for the palatial mansion
built by Mr. Sherwood for his residence, the now well-known
" Sherwood," a fashionable Pension of to-day ; the hostess, Mrs.
Waring, is the widow of a banker, resident here in the thirties.
It was said that the Sherwood mansion was built from the profits
of the "Bank of Gallipolis," "Agricultural Bank," and the
" Farmer's Joint Stock Bank of Toronto," and other
kindred defunct institutions. I have always considered myself
a stockholder in that " Sherwood House," having a purse
of the money of that " Joint Stock Bank," since its failure,
stored away among my archives. Next below the Sherwood '
cottage was the modest dwelling of Mr. Ebenezer Day,

68 Recollections of Buffalo.
who laid most of the substantial brick side-walks fifty years
ago and more ; some of which remain in good condition to this
day. Near the corner of Chippewa Street lived Elisha Ensign.
The opposite or east side block on Main Street, corner of
Tupper, was, and is, the aristocratic old mansion of the late
Judge Charles Townsend, where his daughter, Mrs. Guilford R.
Wilson, resides. Judge Townsend was one of the most sterling,
enterprising men of the young town and city. About the centre
of this block stood the large carriage shop of Williams, Gould
.& Co. and the dwelling of Watkins \yilliams. Further down,
where the late John G. Deshler erected his marble palace, was a
long^faced, pretentious, unsightly white frame house, where lived
Rodman Starkweather, of the firm of Starkweather & Brown,
dry goods merchants. Below this was a brick dwelling where
lived Morgan L. Faulkner and subsequently Judge Geo. W.
Houghton. On the corner of Chippewa Street was a small
frame store and lumber yard.
From Chippewa to Huron Streets, west side, was a white
frame grocery store kept by William Crawford, whose two
sensible daughters married General Daniel D. Bidwell and
Captain Reuben B. Heacock, both killed in the war of the
Rebellion. The next house below Crawford's was occupied by
David M. Day, printer and journalist, of the firm of Day, Follett
& Haskins, a notable character of the town. Previous to Mr.
Day's occupancy it was the residence of Dr. Johnson, who
moved from there to his cottage on Delaware Avenue ; below
Mr. Day's house a couple of two-story brick dwellings were
built, towards the close of the decade, in one of which lived
Captain Charles A. Miliken ; I cannot recall who lived in the
other. These were all the buildings on this block between
Chippewa and Huron Streets on Main Street. I distinctly
remember a long, weather-beaten, tight board fence, on the
lower half of this block, running halfway down to Pearl Street, on
Huron, to the two-story brick dwelling of Captain Elias
Ransom, one of our earliest residents. On the east side of
Main Street, below Chippewa, north of Genesee Square, the only

Panorama of Main Street. 69
house I remember was a two-story white frame, with door in the
centre ; the dwelling of Moses Baker, father of Everett L.
Baker," our worthy Musical Professor in the Public Schools.
About the period of which we write Mr. Baker built
the block which faces Genesee Square on the north side.
On the west side between Huron and Genesee Streets, the only
building was the old original " Genesee House," occupying the
south-east corner of the block. The upper side of the block was
vacant. It was long the temporary abiding place for weary farm
ers and their more weary cattle, who brought their produce, fruit
and garden truck to market from the towns in this and the ad
joining counties of Niagara and Genesee. The sign, " Genesee
House," was in large black letters across the front of the house
on Main Street. The old home of the farmers has passed away ;
a hotel, the third in succession, a " first class " house, with the
same Indian name, " Genesee," having been retained, thanks to
its owner and builder, the late Doctor Walter Cary ; the name is
pleasantly euphonic and locally historical.
Opposite the Genesee, across the Square, Major A. Andrews,
our second Mayor, 'had a sort of rural, attractive home, which is
now part of the " Griiener Hotel." Later on in the same decade
it was occupied by Judge James Stryker.
On the south side of Genesee Square was a large, rambling,
unsightly building, the wagon shop of Thomas Spicer. Down
Main street from Genesee Square, on the east side, a little below
the corner, was the store of Henry Colton, a large, frame build
ing, gable end to the street, peaked with a hood, sustaining a
tackle block and fall for hoisting goods. Adjoining was a double
frame store occupied by Handel & Koon,s, who came here from
Germany ; the remainder of this block to Mohawk Street, was a
line of small shops, very plainly built, and variously occupied.
On the corner of Mohawk Street, Caspar Volmer had a mixed
store, largely hardware and farmers' implements. Volmer subse
quently built the large brick building which now stands there,
and at a later date was sold for about six thousand dollars. I re
gret not having purchased it, as it was offered to me at the price

70 Recollections of Buffalo.
on such easy terms that I could have made the purchase without
the slightest inconvenience.
On the block opposite, on the west side, at the corner of Gen
esee Street, was the grocery of Kendall & Adams ; the same build
ing is now occupied by Diehl, the druggist. Between this cor
ner and Mohawk Street was a succession of small shops and of
fices, mostly of one story. On the corner of Mohawk Street
was a two-story white frame dwelling, where lived at one time,
Noah P. Sprague, father of our distinguished townsman, E. Carl
ton Sprague. Mr. N. P. Sprague held the office of County Clerk
in 1832. The block below Mohawk was rather more of a busi
ness centre, except that at the corner of Mohawk Street, lived, in
a house standing back from the street, James Miller, or " Quaker
Miller,'' as he was called ; the lot is number fifty-five of the orig
inal town plot, the same on which the present business block,
known as the " Miller Block " stands. The lot was conveyed to
Miller by the " Holland Land Company" in 1824, and is still
owned by his daughters. I might as well say here, that a num
ber of the original plotted lots, sold by the Holland Company,
are still held by the children of the first purchasers. These titles
to the fee simple of the land may be considered good; they do
not require the endorsement of astute counsel as to their validity.
A quite full list of the first and early sales of the Holland Land
Company, can be found in the appendix to Ketchum's History of
Buffalo, which the curious reader will find an interesting record,
more easily available than searching the Libers in the County
Clerk's Office.
South of the Miller property were the frame stores, one yellow
the other white, 'of John Frick and Ernest G. Gray ; the latter
died the present year, 1890; then one or two small stores when
you came to the brick store, gable end to the street, tackle blocks
hung by an iron hook and staple in its hooded peak, reaching
over the side walk. This, for many years was the store of Gen-
ei-al .David Burt, the Brigadier in command of the militia here
during the " Patriot War," so-called, but more properly the Cana
dian Rebellion. General Burt did considerable business in this

Panorama of Main Street. 71
store, in a mixed assortment of goods much like the old fashioned
country store, where you could usually find second hand pulpits
if they were in demand. His business was of an erratical char
acter. He was a constant attendant and reliable buyer at all auc
tions. He delighted to attend the sales of failed merchants' stocks.
This was particularly remarked during the crashing times of '37,
when the.se sales were so common and frequent here, that a noted
auctioneer named Fitch, a resident of Ontario County, was en
gaged here several months, going from store to store, selling out
the stock of the failed merchants. Of course this changed the
occupants of the business houses along Main Street, and hence
will account for any discrepancies in my record of Main Street
at the time of which I am writing.
On one of these occasions was being sold the stock of a whole
sale dry goods house, Messrs. Dexter & Masten ; this firm made
purchases largely in original imported packages ; at that time the
article of hooks and eyes for ladies' dresses were put up in small
paper boxes containing a dozen pair, and these boxes in other
larger boxes, containing a dozen dozen boxes, or great gross ; the
sizes marked on each package as three, four or five. In this
stock, when being sold, were the contents of several large cases
of these hooks and eyes. A large sample package of one num
ber was shown, when the auctioneer. Fitch, offered a package of
one number with the privilege of as many more of the same
number as the buyer might wish at so much per small box, con
taining a dozen pair. The bidding was spirited, and they were
struck down to General Burt at four cents per small box or doz
en pair ; at that time the retail price was sixpence per box. When
asked how many he would take ? he said " all ;" " what, all ?" " yes,
all !" They then offered another number with the same privilege,
when General Burt said impatiently, "Did'nt I say: I would take
all ! " then Fitch said, " put them all down to Burt." Then the
clerk produced a package of still another number ; the General
seemed quite indignant and said : " Did'nt I tell you, I would take
all!" "What, take all of all the numbers?" "Yes, yes! all the
hooks and eyes you have in the store." " All right," said Fitch,

¦7 2 Recollections of Buffalo.
" put them all down to the General." After the sale, when they
were sent to Burt's store, there was an entire dray load and the
bill was somewhat startling to the General ; over fourteen hun
dred dollars for such an article ! When he came to remonstrate
they convinced him that he himself made the sale imperative, and
he had to stand to his bargain, which he did ; but years afterwards
when his stock was sold many of those hooks and eyes were
found in his attic.
In the later years of General Burt's mercantile life he still con
tinued this propensity for attending auction sales. He was al
most always to be found at the regular trade sales of the old firm
of Plimpton & Welch. Plimpton used to remark that all he
needed to make a good morning's sale was the presence of Gen
eral Burt and General Bennett Riley, and a bale of batting stand
ing on end with a hat on it, to make a competition. General Ri
ley had a remarkable proclivity for that sort of amusement. The
old warrior has been known to repurchase a cart load of trash
which had accumulated from his former auction ventures, arfd
which had been relegated to his attic, and again been sent to the
auction house by his wife, to get rid of.
The site of Burt's store, the only building of brick in the block,
is now occupied by Phillip Becker's store, our recent Mayor, or
worthy Burgomeister as you prefer the title. Next below where
are the handsome new stores of Mr. Becker, is the lot upon which
stood the only dwelling left standing at the burning of Buffalo,
by the British soldiers and Indians in 1813, and where lived Mrs.
Margaret, the widow of Gamaliel St. John and her seven daughters,
at whose solicitations the British officers protected it and permitted
it to remain unharmed. The Historical Society of Buffalo should,
with permission, put up a brass plate recording this fact on the
present building. Mr. Becker's title to the property came direct
from the children of one of those daughters of Mrs. St. John,
who was the wife of the late Dr. Thomas M. Foote, who was
made Minister to Austria during President Fillmore's term of
office. The writer has in his possession a piece of lath taken by
himself from the last vestiges of the ruins of the old house of

Panorama of Main Street. 73
Mrs. St. John, whose several daughters became the wives of
prominent citizens of Buffalo.
Continuing on through this block were the stores of Dr. Fred
erick Dellenbaugh, druggist; E. & W. Rose, John Dingens, (fath
er of the Dingens Bros., in trade now, further down town). A. &
O. Field and A. & A. Luce, both firms in the dry goods trade,
these two stores were in a two-story frame block built together ; and
on the corner of Court Street was the store of Joel Wheeler ; sub
sequently and for a long period, was occupied by Parker & Churchill.
On the opposite or east side block, commencing at Mohawk Street,
were several low frame shops, down as far as the present " Tifft
House," which was the site of the two-story " Phcenix Hotel," kept
for a long time by William Bivins. There was an ample drive
way, or porte cochere, opening directly through the first floor of
the house from Main Street to the stables in the rear, for teams
and country vehicles ; it was a popular resting place for people
of the surrounding towns.
Below the Phoenix to Lafayette Street and " Court House
Park," (now " Lafayette Park," ) was only a lumber yard or some
thing of that character.
The block below Court Street, on the west side, was half occu
pied by the old and locally historic " Eagle Tavern," and its ad
jacent offices, buildings and stables ; the stables backed up on
Pearl Street, the open stage yard being in front, facing Main
Street. This was the great Stage House of the west, tke popu
lar, first-class public house of its time, where the ancien regime
of the town, the dignified, high toned, the gay and thoughtless
did mostly love to congregate. The " Eagle " main building was
a three story brick, solidly built, with a frame ornate wing run
ning north to the corner of Court Street, the lower story occu
pied by a half dozen shops and offices, among them on the cor
ner of Court Street, early in the decade, was Sprague & Martin's
store. I also recall Sprague & Loomis, Doctors' office ; Pidding-
ton & Humphrey, a tailoring shop, and others. The upper or
second floor was used as chambers for the tavern. At the south
end of the " Eagle," was a small office of the Stage Company.

EAGLE TAVERN.

Panorama of Main Street. 75
Over the front entrance door of the Tavern was a handsome, gilt,
spread eagle ; on the gable peak of the roof was hung a large
bell to call the guests to their meals. The Eagle Tavern had for
its landlord, Benjamin Rathbun, who became a noted character
in the annals of Buffalo. Later on, the managing proprietor was
Isaac R. Harrington, popularly called " Old Cuff"; " why, I know
not, for he was a genial, well met individual. He at one time
held the office of Postmaster, and at another, that of Mayor. The
" Eagle," in the thirties, was a curious admi.xture of a country
tavern, a generous " Old Stage House," and a Metropolitan Ho
tel : with its large reception parlor off the front main hall of the
street floor, and on the other side a congregating room for men,
with its bar in the rear part of it ; an immense fire place with
great andirons to support the fire in front of the huge back log,
which was commonly the lower part of the trunk of an Oak or
Hickory tree, often two feet in diameter, which fire in cold weath
er was kept in a perpetual blaze, to cheer the traveler on his ar
rival. The fire was manipulated with a long iron-handled heavy
shovel (hammered out by the local blacksmith), a crow bar and a
pair of Cyclopean tongs ; in the fire place over the fire was hung
a huge crane with a graduated flat slide hook hanging upon it
and on it an iron kettle, at all hours steaming hot with boiling water
to supply cold travelers and/z«(5/yz/«'i'of the place with hot drinks,
most commonly then brandy slings (so called.) It was a jolly place
of a cold night ; the reader will remember that at the time of which
we write there were no heating furnaces, steam heating, nor nat
ural gas, and rarely a wood stove ; no coal but charcoal was ever
seen here then, so that all rooms were heated with wood fires in
fire places, hence the origination 'of the English custom of stand
ing with your backs to the fires with your coat tails under your
arms, occasionally turning and facing the fire to thaw out the
front side. The Ladies' Parlors were thus made comfortable, but
the halls of the house were cold places with draughts to be for
ever shunned. After night-fall and supper, (no teas), the porter
brought an armful, perhaps fifty, sheep skin russet slippers, with
out heels or backs, and dumped them down in the broad corner

76 Recollections of Buffalo.
of the fire place, and which were used as common property with
all the guests and were not worn in pairs, so that those you wore
last night I and a stranger may wear to-night. Later on as a
hint to go to bed, the porter places on a side table, perhaps fifty
flat brass candlesticks with half a mould candle to each ; but be
careful not to extinguish it, while yet you may need it, or you
will have to be provided with a tinder box, flint and steel, to re
light it, or go down stairs to the fire place for that purpose, which
was frequently done, as there was no friction or locofoco matches
in those days.
The dining-room was also at that time generously provided,
the room was large and long, with tables the full length of it ; on
them at dinner were placed large joints of meats, pot-
pies, and fowls roasted and fricasseed with dishes of boiled po
tatoes with their jackets on, and other vegetables, but never a to
mato, as they were considered poisonous at that time, and only
grown to ornament the kitchen garden, and known as love apples.
Midway between the enormous rotary castors, which were at in
tervals along the tables, were generous sized decanters of brandy,
gin and rum, in pairs or quartettes straddling or surrounding a
gallon pitcher of ale free to all ; the dining hour was from twelve
to one o'clock.
A considerable number of the younger prominent citizens and
their wives, and the bachelors, were boarders from time to time
at the " Eagle," which was quite the " swell thing" to do, to es
tablish one's self in those days. Much of all the current topics
of the time, politics and gossip were discussed there, the first-
class fun, frolic and amusements were concocted there. Specu
lators in town and water lots dropped in ; western cities built on
paper, were fabricated, hatched and born there, as in an " Ex
change ;'' gentlemen came there to imbibe their customary " cock
tails " and take their " glass of grog."
When General Lafayette passed through Buffalo in 1826 he
was entertained at the Old Eagle, and a public dinner was given
in his honor, presided over by General Peter B. Porter.

Panorama of Main Street. 77
About the middle of the decade of the thirties, Harrington
built the " Harrington Block," stretching from the " Eagle's "
wing down Court to Pearl Street, thence down Pearl Street half
way to Eagle Street. The Harrington Block was occupied as
fashionable residences for the towns-folk, including the influx of
new comers, who at this period were rapidly coming in. There were
several other new blocks which were built at this time, including
those known as the " Darrow Block," Washington Street, " Ypsi-
lanti," or " Kissam Block,'' on Mohawk Street, " Boyd & Bull "
Block on Huron Street, and the " Hempsted Sc Keeler Block "
on Swan Street. They were built to conform to the style of build
ing then in vogue in metropolitan cities, particularly New York,
(which was rapidly growing) and to economize in the use of land,
having adopted the idea that land in the city was too valuable,
and there was not enough of it, for our rapidly growing and then
" booming young city." After the crash of '36, '37 we began to
learn that private residences were each to occupy a good portion
of a farm lot, land had again become comparatively cheap, and
our builders of private residences were prodigal of it. Now,
Buffalo is " booming " again, with more steadiness of purpose and
upon a more solid basis ; land is a desideratum, and is rapidly
increasing in value. We are realizing that those builders who
built subsequent to the crash of '37, by being liberal with their
land, built better than they knew, by setting an example which
ever since- has been more or less followed, in devoting ample
space in the establishing of their homesteads, providing in ad
vance for unrestricted light and pure air; fixing this condition
unchangeably, and placing upon it the image and seal of being
one of the most beautiful cities on the continent.
A common remark of tourists and visiting strangers, is that
they never before saw a town where so many private dwellings
seemed each so to be separated and independent of its neighbors,
each having its own special domain and adjacencies to ornament
and embelhsh ; and all coinciding in such cultivation, imparting
to the city in general, a beautiful and aesthetic appearance.

78 Recollections of Buffalo.
The " Harrington Block " has now been transformed and is
being converted to business purposes.
On Main Street, the southerly half of the block below the " Ea
gle Tavern " and the Stage Yard, was occupied mostly with un
important shops and one-story offices ; among them I recall the
little shop of Mrs. Chalk, so dear to the little girls and boys of
those days for its flakey, brown, petits pates, its " bull's eyes,"
and other confectionery to delight infantile covetousness. Also,
Ben. Fowler's grocery and wine shop ; " The Little Eagle," where
older boys showed as strong desires in a liquid direction. Coun
selor John Root, a conspicuous lawyer of his time had his office
there ; contemporaneous friends could relate good stories of him.
Sidney Ball had his " goldsmith shop " in one ; at his residence,
corner of Court and Pearl Streets, Mr. Ball had constructed in
the peak of the gable end, in half circle and triangular form, a
black and white sun-dial ; on it were roman figures and points
with the words "tempusfugit," this was placed just above a closely
barred blank window blind ; it was a constant terror to the small
boys, and it was understood among them that Ball dealt in the
" black art," a conjurer, cabalist or necromancer, and those boys
gave the house a wide berth.
There was also the office of Joseph Clary, who dispensed jus
tice to all applicants ; and Elijah & Nelson Ford's law office.
The office of William A. Mosely, our chesterfieldian lawyer and
congressman. He gave as a reason for declining a renomination
that he could not undergo the ordeal of kissing all the babies
while visiting his constituents before election. The shop where
worked and lived "Holt," the wife killer; he was the last man
hung in public in this State. The execution was somewhere in
the rear of the " Wilkeson Mansion," which faces Niagara Square ;
the writer saw the hanging when a small child held on the shoul
ders of a stalwart German, standing in the midst of a great con
course of people. Holt had bruised his thumb severely with his
shoe hammer, the wife made some taunting remark and in an instant
fit of anger he turned and struck her on the head with the same
tool. When arrested and questioned if he did the murder ? he

Panorama of Main Street. 79
replied stolidly, without hesitation, " I killed the woman." One
of the shops near was occupied by Garrett S. Hallenbeck, " Cord-
wainer;" It was Hallenbeck's habitual practice to lounge into
the bar-room of the " Old Eagle " of a forenoon, and then and
there would address his familiars thus : " Good morning gentle
men all ! " to which David M. Day, usually present, would res
pond : " Good morning Mr. Pegging Awl."
In the lower part of this block, in a red brick store with the
gable towards the street, owned by Nathaniel Vosburgh, was the
Harness and Saddlery shop of Vosburgh & Pritz. About 1835
or '36, was built near the centre of this block where the Stage
Yard was, the " American Hotel," of which more will be said
elsewhere. Next to the " American " on the ground now occu
pied by the " Stevenson " building, Rathbun built about the same
time two large, long stores, which were patronized by his army of
workmen ; I have seen these two stores packed to their utmost
capacity of a Saturday night, ' with his laborers and their wives
buying supplies for the following week, the windows , reeking
with the emanations from the steaming humanity within.
On the opposite or east side of Main Street, between Park
Street (Clinton) and Eagle Street, we would have found on the
corner the so-called " Park Coffee House," where the older boys
used to eat their " pig's feet and tripe," discuss " sounds and
tongues " and politics, lubricating their whistles with cider and
ale ; if a cold day or evening, a hot sling, spiced rum, mulled
wine, flip or Tom and Jerry, odoriferous decoctions not scorned ;
" Lager " was an unknown beverage, introduced in Pittsburg
about 1850; not to the recollection of the writer was " Zwei
Lager " ever drawn in Buffalo at an earlier date. The square
red lantern at this one-story " Park Coffee House," (advertising
those rare enjoyments,) " pigs' feet and tripe" and "oysters and
clams," shines out its rubicund brightness through the murky opa
queness of the past to my memory now ! As I think back to those
old days, it seems to me that previous to that period, oysters
were an unknown material happiness in this then far off" western
town. Oysters ! with the old sea flavor, which I solemnly affirm

8o Recollections of Buffalo.
•(with much fear of contradiction) have gone,, disappeared in the
dim past, and which the younger people of this generation have
never known. The oysters of the thirties, the natural growth
oysters, the hard meated, fat, succulent Staten Island, Rocka-
way, or Saddle Rock oysters, with their genuine marine flavor,
which did not have the metallic taste of the flat, dead, disappoint
ing oysters of to-day. For the pleasure of swallowing those mol-
lusk friends again, their old lovers would travel a thousand miles
to indulge their longings, to have those bivalves opened for them
on their native shores. Nor did they need to disguise their taste
with condiments, lemon juice, vinegar or other vitiation, but
would swallow them neat in one gulp of satisfaction, no matter
what the size, from pure honest love of the flavor and effect ;
those were the days of good oysters !
One cannot forget the appropriate remark made by Thackeray,
when being entertained by the literati of Boston on the occasion
of his first visit to this country, they had placed before him some
huge sea bred immaculate oysters ; not knowing the cue to their
mastication, like other people of tact, he scanned his neighbors
to adapt himself to their role. They were all in the secret, busy
swallowing their portions, but of a more manageable size, when
he exclaimed : " I wonder if I am expected to gorge these mon
sters without dissection ?" " Oh yes ! certainly, it would never
do to destroy the virginity of their flavor by contamination with
a knife." He bolted one, it filled his mouth, his eyes started from
their sockets, streaks of bloodshot like the after streaks of sun
set spread over his eye balls ; the exquisite agony passed, when
gleams of satisfaction lit up his genial countenance. It was the
after flavor which saved his humor and him from suffocation.
When composed, they asked him how he felt ? " I feel as if I had
swallowed a little baby ! " Alas ! their name is all that is left to
us ; nor do the multitude who consume the coarse, loose, soft, ill
bred, no flavored, tasteless oysters of the present, mourn their
degeneracy, because they know not the ancestral oyster, which
the generation of the thirties reveled in, with convivial zest. They
sang of them, they were renowned in story. The hot, home-like

Panorama of Main Street. 8r
chafing-dish stew, warmed up the cockles of one's heart, made
the old people benevolent, generous. The " Ettrick Shepherd "
was eloquent while discussing his " powldoodies " in the tent
with " Christopher " and their friends. Even the recollection of
those sea-born oysters is a fading pleasure to the grey-headed
lovers of them and who still haunt the shores where they were
wont to obtain them ; indulging in reminiscences of the old time.
I have gone astray from the exact latitude of the subject: let
us finish the block on the easterly side of Main Street, between
Park and Eagle Streets. Near the " Park Coffee House " was
John Sage's barber shop, where he shaved for Sundays the best
of our townsmen. Near him was an old theatre, managed by
Gilbert & Trowbridge ; I think the same building was afterwards
used as a cabinet shop by Uncle Jerry Staats, who died but the
other day, a nonagenarian, during the writing of these sketches.
Near him was the old firm of Hersee 8z Timmerman, cabinet ma
kers. There were two or three other forgotten shops. All these
old shops and buildings were subsequently burned — on the loth
of March, 1850, when the first American Hotel and other build
ings on the west side were burned, including the old " Eagle Tav
ern," which was blown up to stop the raging fire. The fire made
room for the ramshackle building known as the "Arcade," built
in the fifties by Albert and George Brisbane, designed or copied
from a similar building in Florence, Italy. Above the corner of
Eagle Street, on this block, was the comfortable buff" brick resi
dence of Bela D. Coe, who afterwards sold it to Arthur and John
McArthur, who converted it into a confectionery and ice cream
saloon. The corner was a long vacant lot to Washington Street.
It was the site of the " Log Cabin," a rendezvous for the " Whigs"'
during the " Harrison Campaign" of 1840.
The next square below, bounded north by Eagle Street and
south by North Division Street, had but few buildings. On
Eagle Street, a short distance from Main Street, James Brisbane,,
under the supervision of his son Albert Brisbane, built in 1836
the well appointed " Eagle Street Theatre." On Main Street,
below a vacant corner, (this vacant corner has since the thirties

82 Recollections of Buffalo.
been occupied by three first-class hotels : the " St. James,"
" Richmond," and now the " Iroquois" (a fire-proof building), all
of which were owned by our " Young Men's Association,") there
were two or three inferior buildings which held their position until
they were destroyed by the conflagration of the " Richmond
Hotel" in the spring of 1887. Further down was a large
double frame building, in one of which was the millinery
establishment of Mrs. Winteringham, and a fashionable dress
maker, Mrs. Humberstone, occupied the other. The adjoining
frame building, with a large rose window in the third story, was
occupied by R. Hargreave Lee, a typical Englishman, who
kept a choice stock of dry groceries, West India goods and
tropical fruits. He was " quite English, you knaw," and
adopted the customary mode as of the traders, " At 'Ome," by
living over the shop. The north-east corner house of North
Division and Main Streets was of red brick, where lived Benjamin
Rathbun and with whom the Rev. Dr. Wm. Shelton made it his
home for many years.
The west side block between Eagle Street and the churches
known as the "Kremlin," after its destruction by fire in 1832
was rebuilt by Rathbun for the lessees of Judge William
Peacock, who lately died, a nonagenarian, at his residence in
Mayville, Chautauqua County. Some of which leases have not
yet expired nor lapsed. The Main Street front was first built in
three sections. On either corner were three stores of four
stories each, the centre section being of one story, which, later
on, were built up uniform with the corners. The stores were
occupied, as nearly as the writer remembers, on the Eagle Street
corner by C. C. Haddock, druggist and grocer ; next and so on
by Boyd & Bull, Dolson, Fish & Co., L. K. Phmpton, James W.
Vail, and Wright & Tiffany, all dry goods dealers ; Charles
Coleman, apothecary, and others. On the south corner for many
years James D. Shepard had his music store. He furnished all
the pianos at that time for the Buffalo ladies ; Robert Denton
was his clerk. At that corner pedestrians buttoned up their
coats, pulled down their fur caps and braced themselves against

Panorama of Main Street. 8.3
the fierce winter winds, (on their way down-town.) The entire
triangular " Kremlin " was built then, much as now, except what
is called " Kremlin Hall," which is of later production.
On its site stood a low, white, wooden building, where once lived
General Sylvester Matthews. On Eagle and Niagara Streets
were three-story dwellings.
We have reached " The Churches," The Old First has not
changed much in the past half century, it seems only to have
been stripped of its superficial wooden adornments which earlier
were supposed to have ornamented it. This church was taken
down in August of the present year to be replaced by the new
building for the Erie County Savings Bank. The pretty little
light-blue " St. Paul's Church," of the decade of the thirties, has
since been replaced by a beautiful edifice.
The block opposite the churches was a uniform brick block of
handsome four-story stores, with the exception of a pretentious
structure with massive high white pillars in front, built for the
use of the United States Bank at the corner of South Division
Street. Among the occupants of the stores in this block were
W. & G. Bryant (Warren and George), who sold groceries and
toys ; Starkweather & Brown, dry goods ; and a jolly, " Stalwart
Englisher " they used to call " Tom Bates," who kept a first-class
liquor and wine store. There were other establishments, but I
cannot recall their names. This block of stores was built by
Rathbun for various owners, afterwards purchased by Rathbun,
and were torn down except the two on the corner of North
Division Street (which " still live.") After Rathbun's failure a
meaner class of buildings were built in the " hard times " sub
sequent to 1836-7. In the years that have passed later on, the
South Division Street corner where stood the U. S. Bank, (the
teller of that bank died the present year, a nonagenarian, Mr.
Joseph Saltar), has undergone several changes. Mr. Orson
Phelps acquired the property and built there a handsome hotel,
called the " Phelps House." Not long anterior to the carrying
out of Mr. Phelps' enterprising scheme, a notable citizen of
Albany, Mr. E. C Delavan, an earnest temperance advocate.

84 Recollections of Buffalo.
thought practically to test the question of supporting and
making profitable a first-class hotel operated on purely
temperance principles, and therefore caused to be built the
well-known " Delavan House " at Albany. Following the
example of Mr. Delavan, Mr. Phelps established his house as a
first-class temperance house. These experiments failed ; being
all too soon in first-class hotels. There were no " Prohibition
Parties" at that time, nor " Maine " nor " Scott" laws; only
individual temperance mania or ephemeral temperance reform
societies, which died out as their zealous advocates or supporters
got more and more very thirsty. Then the " Phelps House "
changed " title," but not owner. It became the high-sounding
" Clarendon ; " which was destroyed by fire, with loss of life, and
was rebuilt as stores, with offices above.
The space between the two churches, now occupied as a hack,
van and cart stand, has been heretofore used for various purposes.
Church Street to Pearl Street has never been a thoroughfare in
¦ the town's history, either for vehicles or pedestrians. In the
thirties a low, double, barn-like building stood in the street
midway between the two churches ; rather in advance of them,
facing Main Street, in one side of which was deposited our first
hand fire engine, called " Cataract " Engine Number One, and
where the Volunteer Firemen had their rendezvous. On the
other side of the building were stored the trappings of " Pioneer
Hook & Ladder Company Number One." The other fire com
panies of the city were at that time the " Eagle Number Two,"
" Fulton Number Three," "Buffalo Number Four," "Washington
Number Five," and " Red Jacket Number Six." The companies
were wholly composed of volunteers without pay and did most
efficient and eff"ective service. The last named company was
composed of our most active and brightest business men, who
were ever zealous and on the alert when called out. Their
uniform was quite showy on parade, being a red and black
ribbed fire hat and red box coat, with cape and white belt.
At that time there were constructed a number of reservoirs in
the most central and thickly settled places, — to supply these

Panorama of Main Street. 85
engines with water, in case of fire ; there is now a large one on
Main Street, near the Erie Street crossing, and another in front
of the High School on Niagara Square ; the water was trans
ported to them by water carts.
At the upper side of Church Street, near Main Street, some of
our enterprising citizens erected a large Sun Dial to compete and
compare with the time-honored clock of the First Church. The
demise of which clock is a much felt loss to the habitness of
Main Street.
About the period of which I am writing our good-intentioned
citizens projected a handsome monument to Commodore Oliver
Hazard Perry, to commemorate his splendid victory at the battle
of Lake Erie, near Put-in-Bay, September loth, 18 13. A sub
scription for it was started ; part of the money subscribed ;
architect's plans were drawn (a picture of which can now be
found in the Buffalo Historical Rooms), but the project failed.
It was to have occupied the place of the engine house in Church
Street. It is not too late now to carry forward the plan.
From the south corner of South Division Street to Swan
Street was and is the " Ellicott Square," built on leased land
which belonged to the Ellicott heirs, which leasehold is to expire
sometime about 1892, when it is to be hoped we shall have
another " Ellicott Square," worthy the name and its splendid
location. In this old block, near the upper corner, was the home
of the Buffalo Patriot and where the first numbers of the
Commercial Advertiser were issued. The north corner of the
block was occupied by the U. S. branch post-office ; and Judge
Samuel Russell, wearing his white top boots and knee breeches
was postmaster ; and George Walker and Cyrus P. Lee (the late
well-known Secretary of the Erie County Savings Bank, and
who was projector of that institution) were delivery clerks. The
stores along the line of the block were variously occupied by
Irad Brickett, auctioneer; Bacon & Long; Piddington &
Humphrey, " merchant tailors ; " Cutler, Stearns & White, cabinet
makers ; John Griffith, hatter ; George Hubbard, tin store, who
advertized " 40,000 tin rattle boxes for the babies and 100,000

Panorama of Main Street. 87
tin pepper boxes for, grown-up children ; " Sexton, Wells & Co.,
grocers. Jason Sexton, of this firm, was in late years our good
Samaritan, devoting most of his time in looking after the poor.
On the Swan Street corner Birdseye Wilcox had his looking
glass store, where I can even now see him as he grits his teeth
in the doorway.
Next below the churches on the west side of Main Street was
then newly built the building now occupied by the National
Savings Bank, which was built for the old " Safety Fund " Bank
of Buffalo, of which Hiram Pratt, then our Mayor, was its
president. Orlando Allen, father of Wm. K. and Henry Allen,
was vice-president, and John R. Lee its cashier. The bank
building was then thought to be a gem of architecture. In the
front basement underneath the bank, Arthur and John McArthur
first commenced their confectionery establishment. Soon they
added the new attraction of those days, ice cream, served in
long-stemmed wine glasses at six-pence each ; the patrons were
strenuous to have the ice cream heaped up on the top of the
glasses, which they took great care to trim off delicately so as not
to lose a drop. The firm's business grew in magnitude until
they became quite famous for their ice cream, and as caterers for
our fashionable parties, and for a number of years had almost
the exclusive monopoly of it, acquiring considerable wealth.
In the directors' room of this bank I saw one morning in 1838,
sitting in a chair, the body of Peter R. Bristol with the top of
his head blown off" and hanging over his face. He was a clerk
in the bank, a respected member of a well-known family ; a case
of disappointed love, it was said. The building is, however, a
good deal changed since the thirties ; it was built on the ground
previously occupied by a great, ugly, unsightly wooden structure,
with a long flight of unpainted stairs reaching down outside to
the acute angle of the Erie Street corner, hateful to every one's
sight and in everybody's way. Up these stairs Bradley & Miller
had their paint shop, and underneath Wm. Kaene kept a grocery.
Next south of the bank building were five two-story brick stores
from 232 to 240 (old numbers.) The occupants were Gurdon

88 Recollections of Buffalo.
C Coit, Isaac F. Maltby, John Lay (father of Lay of torpedo
fame), George Burt and Hempsted & Matson, all dry goods
stores; (in 1834 George Burt, who occupied number 234, gave
place to Martin H. Birge, who still keeps store on the next block
south.) The second stories of these dry goods stores were
lawyers offices. Over number 240 was Stephen G. Austin's
office ; over number 238 Joseph G. Norton had his office ; Henry
Masten had an office there also ; number 236 was owned by
Thomas T. Sherwood, who had his law office there with his
partner William H. Greene ; over number 232 was the office of
Tillinghast & Lord. Later on in the thirties some of these
stores were occupied by J. C Lupton, Storrs & Holmes, and
others. 230, 232, 234 and 236, old numbers, were the present
siteof the "White Building." Next below these stores, enumerated
above, at numbers 230 and 230^, in a blue stone front, nice-
looking building, B. Rathbun had two stores, one for staple and
the other for fancy dry goods, over which was the city council
chamber. The remainder of the block were frame stores occu
pied by Ruxton & Allen, Badgley & Farnham, Theodore Butler,
after Butler's removal by O. P. Ramsdell & Co. ; which firm i« still
in trade, covering a period of oyer fifty years. On the corner,
then number 222, was " Thad's, Weed & Co.," at " G. & T.
Weeds" "Old Hardware Store." This store occupying three
different structures has been known as " Weeds hardware store "
about seventy years.
On the west side, south corner of Swan Street, was a long
brick block of half a dozen stores, called the " Central Buildings."
At the corner, number 220, was the wholesale drug house of
Hull & Bach and their successors Coleman, Reynolds & Co.,
afterwards C. H. & J. H. Coleman ; at number 218 Staats & Dana,
the popular leading dry goods store for fashion of those days.
Mr. Dana, a handsome, genial gentleman, was, or is, the elder
brother of Charles A. Dana, of the New York Sun, who was a
clerk in his brother's store ; an elder brother of the writer of
this panorama was also a clerk in this house at the same time.
Then followed down the street, in rotation, John H. Bostwick &

go Recollections of Buffalo.
Co., Mount, Faulkner & Co., and Goodrich & Stebbins, all
fashionable dry goods stores. Next came Lucius H. Pratt &
Co., wholesale grocers; James G. & John H. Dickie, grocers;
(this grocery store of the Dickies was a rendezvous for the
political supporters of the Loco-Foco party and was popularly
known as " Little Tammany." There were numbered among its
frequenters : The junta or sachems: Major J. G. Dickie, Grand
master; John T. Hudson, Phillip Dorsheimer, Dyre Tillinghast;
Daniel G. Marcy, commonly called "Governor;" Morgan L.
Faulkner; Col. Guy H. Goodrich, A. Q. Stebbins, and others, with
George B. Green, of Aurora, when he was in town. Both Dickie
and Dorsheimer subsequently became post-master as rewards for
their noble sacrifices for the party. Steele & Peck, book store ;
William Ketchum, hatter ; (^Steele and Ketchum later on ran as
opposition candidates for Mayor one year. Ketchum caught the
coveted honor. He was a Whig in politics ; Oliver G. Steele a
Loco-Foco, or Democrat.) Next came the jewelry store of A.
Lazelere & Co., the same stand now occupied by Dickinson ;
Poole & Cheeseman, crockery. (They had as a sign at the door an
excellent advertisement, a very large handsomely decorated delf
pitcher which would hold a forty gallon barrel of liquid, and
beside it, one, which would hold twenty gallons.) Next came
Samuel N. Callender, and Dole & Howard, both dry goods
stores ; the latter establishment being the progenitor of the firm
of Flint & Kent of to-day, (nearly opposite the original stand of
over fifty years ago.) The next two stores were Leon &
Sebastian Chappotin, and Grosvenor & Williams, wholesale
grocers. Next below came the newly erected granite buildings
still extant. The basement underneath this entire block then
was an elaborately decorated restaurant and saloon called the
Pantheon. Phillip Dorsheimer & Co. and Kimball & Gallup
occupied two of these stores in the thirties ; the other stores
were variously occupied as dry goods and boot and shoe houses.
In the forties one of these stores was occupied by Morse &
Mulligan (David R. Morse and Eugene MuUigan) as a dry goods
store. Then came the " Black Store " of Erastus Sparrow &

Panorama of Main Street. 91
Co., who dealt largely with the Indians through the influence
of his partner or assistant. Griffin, who was about half Indian
from his intercourse and association with them. The corner of
Seneca Street in this block was the fashionable clothing store
of Efner & Kennett; the latter still continues in the same
business further up-town.
The Square on the east side, between Swan and Seneca Streets,
was quite a full block ; which showed much activity, being in the
centre of business. At the Swan Street corner was the brick store,
always painted white, of Stocking & Dart, hatters and furriers,
the senior partner, known as Deacon Stocking, was the grand
father of Judge George A. Lewis, of the Municipal Court ; Jo
seph Dart was the inventor of the great Grain Elevators. Pro
gressing down the street in the same block, we find A. Studwell
& Co., boots and shoes ; J. V. Ayers, variety store ; Wilgus &
Burton, painters and decorators ; the Misses Kimberly, fashion
able milliners ; Reynolds & Higgins, tailors, and Coots & Bruce,
tailors ; Hooker & Mitchell, the former is now a banker in Rome
Italy; Orin & Lucien Terry, leather dealers; John M. Hutchin
son was in their establishment ; Hayes & Bristol, druggists ; A.
W. Wilgus, book store; William H. Glenny, the founder of the
great crockery house, was a clerk in this book store, the Glenny
store now occupies the same ground ; James Henry, grocer ;
" The Farmer's Hotel," then a well-known institution over which
Manning and Squire S. Case were the landlords, and later on Phil
lip Dorsheimer was " Mine Host." In those days the bell on its
top was rung by a rope, which hung down out side by the " bar
room " door. It was the general call for meals to the surround
ing neighborhood ; it served the purpose of a time-keeper ; the
possessors of watches were the exception then ; the man who
owned a gold watch must be an aristocrat. The Yankee wooden
clock had but recently come into vogue. The odoriferous and
appetizing flavor of the beefsteak and onions which incensed the
nostrils of the neighborhood of the " Farmers' Hotel " lingers
o'er me still." Next below the " Farmers " was Cyrus Athearn's
Tobacco Factory and Store. He was the predecessor of his

92 Recollections of Buffalo.
nephew, James Adams in that business. Adjoining him was
Aaron Rumsey's hide and leather store. Next came Newbould
& Ostrom, hardware; then the Banking House of Henry R. Sey
mour & Co., George B. Gleason was the Co. ; on the corner of
Seneca Street was the white brick hotel known as the " Buffalo
House; " quite a favorite house; an early proprietor was Ralph
Pomeroy ; subsequently A. C. Powell. Over its dining room, reach
ing down Seneca Street, was a famous ball room, where Young
America " tripped the light fantastic toe ; " which they were
taught by Ainsworth, the master of the art of dancing. Wh'en
the " Buffalo House " was abandoned as a hotel, the Main Street
corner was occupied by Ferris & Eaton, as a tailoring establish
ment ; the rear, or dining room, on Seneca Street, was converted
into a saloon and restaurant, which was known as " Perry's Cof
fee House," a favorite place of resort for the young men about
town. At the south-eastern corner of Seneca and Main Streets, was
a brick building occupied by Benjamin Fitch as an auction store.
Above the store Benjamin B. Stark kept a good school, where the
writer was taught the use of rules, the '' rule of three direct,"
and the ruler indirect, and who would linger at Fitch's corner
window to stare at and covet a wonderful hundred bladed knife
displayed there. Fitch, who always remained a bachelor, was
generally known by the sobriquet of " Betsy.'' He seemed to be
continually plying his nasal proboscis with " Athearns " Maccaboy
Snuff from the pocket of his buff" marseilles wainscoat, where it
was deposited in bulk. He was an enterprising merchant and
subsequently did a large business for those times under the firm
name of Fitch, Marvin & Co. In his later days, after retirement
to New York, he evinced his early love for Buffalo, (where he
founded his fortune,) by liberally endowing the " Fitch Creche "
and the " Fitch Institute," a worthy example, which might well
be followed by some of his contemporaries, other wealthy men,
who have acquired their fortunes here. The auction store was
destroyed in the great fire which occurred in the winter of 1832-3
and was rebuilt for the firm of Robert Hollister & Co., and painted

Panorama of Main Street. 93
in checkers like the Laverack & Co.'s store of the present day,
who are their successors. The HoUisters were a very well-known,
active and progressive family, who at an early day in their gen
eration, established a series of " checkered stores " from Utica,
N. Y., to the interior of Ohio. There were a number of brothers,
and by spreading themselves over the then new western country,
and this unique mode of advertising, by painting their stores in
varied colored checkers, they became widely known through the
west ; so well known that it was said : " The HoUisters had a
business house behind every stump in the west." Their enter
prises were not confined to trading in their stores, but they took
up other business pursuits. They did much business in pot and
pearl ashes, which was a prolific source of profit in a timbered,
new country. They traded with the contractors on the Ohio
canals ; they built the first two Ericsson Propellers that trafficked
on the Lakes ; the " Hercules " and " Sampson," which were
successes. In February, 1 847, wheat was being sold in Chicago
and other ports on Lake Michigan at from forty-five to fifty cents
per bushel ; the steam-ship " Sarah Sands " arrived in New York
an unexpected visitor on the 7th day of February, with exciting
reports of the Irish famine. The HoUisters at once equipped a
special envoy, (William Laverack), with instructions to spare no
expense of horse flesh, outstrip the mails, and purchase all the
wheat in those Lake ports, which he did, of which fact the writer
was informed at the time by Mr. Laverack. During the month
of March wheat advanced at those ports to one dollar and fifty
cents per bushel, and flour which had been selling at two dollars
and seventy-five cents aud three dollars per barrel, advanced to
eight dollars. The HoUisters also established the " Hollister
Bank," (which went down in the crash of '57.)
Robert Hollister & Co., moved later to Washington Street,
taking down their old checkered store, and on its site built the
handsome brown free-stone building, now occupied by the " Le
high Valley Rail Road and Coal Company Offices." Robert
Hollister also built for his residence the handsome dwelling No.
680 Main Street, subsequently sold to Henry Kip, President of

94 Recollections of Buffalo.
the United States Express Company. After Mr. Kip's decease,
it was converted into an apartment house called the " Holland."
Next south of the Hollister store was Clapp & Humason,
boots and shoes store ; C. Hequembourg & Co., jewelers ; Tweedy
& Smith, hatters ; William B. Hayden, books and stationery ;
Stillman & Ransom, Hatters ; E. A. Lewis, tin plate and sheet-
iron store ; Mr. Lewis was the predecessor of Pratt & Letch-
worth ; Billings, Gowdy & Terry, dry goods ; Pearly A. Childs
and Isaac Warriner, furniture and chairs ; Meyer & McClanan,
jewelers ; Meyer was the father of General Meyer, ( " Old Proba
bilities ;") Gustavus Bassett and Theodore & Morris Butler, books ;
Richard J. Sherman, dry goods, the original predecessor of Barnes,
Hengerer & Co., fifty years ago ; and Marcy & Masten, dry goods
jobbers. The foregoing stores in this block were all of brick,
then came frame buildings ; Daniel Kenny, tailor ; Miss Cutler,
millinery ; Joseph Haberstro, gunsmith ; Case & Howard, leather ;
and Philander W. Sawin, tailor. At the corner, from Sawin's
store to Crow Street, the corner opposite the old " Mansion,"
was a handsome flower garden belonging to Mr. LeCouteulx.
From Seneca Street down to the Terrace on the west side, was
a busy block ; it was nearly all destroyed by the fire of '33 ; it
was known and distinguished as " Cheapside." After it was re
built it was re-occupied, at the corner No. 180, old number, by
William Williams & Co., a prosperous drug, dye stuffs and gro
cery house, which is still continued by Powell & Plimpton ; " The
Manufacturers' and Traders' Bank " now occupies the old corner.
Next south of it was Coit, Clark & Merrill, a wholesale dry goods
house ; then came Jacob Seibold, a worthy German grocer ; when
the crash of '37 came, the mercantile houses on Main Street, tumb
ling down in rapid succession, almost literally like a " row of
bricks." One of Seibold's neighbors, (George Brown), accosted
him one day and said :
" Jake, have you failed ? "
" Wat's dat ? "
" Have you broke down ? bust up ? shut up shop ? "
"Naw! Naw!"

Panorama of Main Street. 95
" Well you will, we are all going to fail."
Said Seibold, " I don't owe nobody noting."
" Makes no difference, we are all going to fail."
"Veil, if dots so, I must go and spoke mit mine frau, about
dis business."
Next to Seibold was Hollister & Curtis, wholesale dry goods ;
the Brown, above mentioned, subsequently took Mr. Curtis' in
terest; they did not fail. Next south of them Moorhead, Adams
& Hosmer, in a five story, blue, polished stone front, " Arcade
Store," a busy concern, and an odd triumvirate : Irish, Scotch
and American. Moorhead was a queer character, full of odd and
quizzical sayings ; his partner, Hosmer, whose baptismal name was
Sidney, he would always address as, " Now, Sad-ney."
At the time the firm was building their beautiful store, which
was a matter of considerable interest in the then small city, Hol
lister & Curtis were building theirs' next door. They had got
ten up to the fourth story and Moorhead was going on with his
fifth, when some one asked him : " How high he intended build
ing his store ; if that was the way he expected to get to heaven ?"
" I don't know," said Moorhead, " but I'm going to build it one
story higher than Bill Hollister, any way, and get a good start.''
Next came Patterson Brothers, hardware ; and Gardner & Patter
son, crockery ; Maynard & Flagg, stoves and tin ware ; A. & A.
Raynor, hardware ; Sutherland & Jones, fashionable tailors ;
Brown, Bucklahd & Co., bankers ; then a recess stone front build
ing occupied by Johnson, Hodge & Co., bankers. Adjoining
the Banking House, in the same stone building, was the " Com
mercial Bank," one of the old " Safety Fund " banks ; it did not
save it from failure however ; Israel T. Hatch, was its President,
and Hamlet Scrantom, Cashier.
Over this bank were the law offices of Smith & Warren, (Hen
ry K. Smith and Edward S. Warren.) In all the remaining rooms
of the second and third floors, two of our leading representative
and stylish young men, Russell S. TJrown and John W. Buck-
land, established themselves in bachelor's apartments, with their
. servants, steward, butler, etc., and lived in grand style, a circum-

96 Recollections of Buffalo.
stance so unusual at that time, that I here mention it. When
the elegant furniture for the rooms was unpacked upon the
sidewalk there was a considerable gathering of interested neigh
bors, expressing their wonder at the reckless extravagance of the
young gentlemen. Why? "It must have cost as much as six
thousand dollars ! " They were of the firm of Brown, Buckland
& Co., Bankers ; Brown had the reputation of being a wonder
fully good and shrewd financier ; he was also known as the best
dressed young man here, indeed his apparel was so elegant and
immaculate as to acquire for him the sobriquet of " Dandy Brown."
He was also of the firm of Starkweather & Brown, which firm
held the title to considerable real estate, including a number of
stores on Main Street. At Mr. Brown's death the tenants in res
pect for him, closed their stores and attended his funeral. Mr.
Buckland, an Englishman by birth, an elegant looking man, was
a great lover of dogs; it was not uncommon to see him attend
ed by two large dogs, one a St. Bernard and the other a New^-
foundland. Next to the bank were the old buildings known as the " Ex
change Buildings," which underwent considerable change in their
time ; the upper stories were used as the " Buffalo Museum,"
the walls of which were very much decorated with water and
land and animals, which were never on the earth, nor the water
under the earth. The lower main floors were occupied by Geo.
W. Vantine, hatter and furrier ; Hempsted & Keeler, dry goods ;
followedby Daniel M.Hodges; a French wine store, "Blancan's;"
Andrew A. Hall, hatter; Storrs & Parmalee, grocers. Next be
low, in a white frame store, was the shop of N. & V. Randall.
The Randalls were at the head of the N. Y. State Militia in this
western part of the State : Major General Nelson Randall of the
8th Division and Brigadier General Volney Randall of the local
brigade. General Randall was the predecessor of Major General
Rufus L. Howard, as commander of the 8th Division, Militia of
the State of New York. For a long number of years. General
Nelson Randall acted as Grand Marshal of all the Fourth of July
and other parades, succeeding to those honors after Dr. Ebenezer

Panorama of Main Street. 97
Johnson and General Lyman Rathbun, both of whom had usu
ally been chosen as marshal on all public occasions. All three
of these gentlemen were remarkably handsome men and well
poised horsemen. Next below the Randall shop was a large, ug
ly frame building, which stood a little askew and gable end to
the street, where R. Hargreave Lee had his second store ; it had
an attractive look when you were hungry. I can see now, just
where stood a box of imported pine apple cheese and a keg of
white grapes from Malaga, for which my mouth watered.
On the corner of the Terrace was an ugly, large stone building
which earlier than the thirties had been called, " The Stone Tavern."
On its ground floor which had been the basement, was the Book
and Job Office of Charles and James Faxori. Charles Faxon's
son, Henry Faxon, was the author of the poem, " Beautiful Snow."
The corner office was occupied by Hiram and Harry Waring, as
a broker's and lottery office ; public lotteries were then consid
ered legitimate and respectable. Their great, attractive, rubricat
ed placards, on either side of the door, were very seductive to the
would be possessors of lucky tickets. In the corner office above
the brokers, Doctors Trowbridge & White were always ready to
use scalpel, calomel or lancet.
During those days of the thirties from the aforesaid " Ex
change Buildings," down to and around the Terrace to Pearl
Street, all the buildings were removed to make room for
the brick buildings, which now are there, and which were
built on land leased by Bennett & Williams of Johnathan
Sidway, on a fifty year lease. But before its expiration, the
property reverted to the Sidway family : the buildings were rap
idly occupied. Where stood the " Randall Shop," was taken by
the City Bank, John B. Macy, President, and O. Ballard, Cashier.
Macy was an energetic business man of the Dock firm of Smith
& Macy, both men of strong characteristics ; Isaac S. Smith had
once been a candidate for Governor of this State. Macy when
he came shouldering his way up the steep hill at the Terrace
from his place of business on the dock, had the appearance of
some great leviathan of the deep pursuing his prey and out of

98 Recollections of Buffalo.
his element. Macy was drowned by the destruction of the steam
boat Lady Elgin, which was burned on Lake Michigan. He was
a powerfully built, large man; he jumped from the deck of the
steamer into a small boat loaded with escaping passengers swamp
ing it and drowning them and himself Below the Bank, were
Dexter & Masten, dry goods ; Tommy Smith, grocer ; Marvin
Bennett & Co., and Calvin Nichols & Co.,. dry goods; and on
the corner, William Kingsley & Co., clothing ; the first introduc
tion of an exclusively ready made clothing establishment here,
now grown into extensive proportions. On the Terrace, the shops
were filled with various respectable kinds of business. The first
office next to Main Street was that of George C. White, Banker;
subsequently he established White's Bank. Near Pearl Street,
was a restaurant and lodging house, called the " Western Sans
Souci," kept by one Jim Meeks, a well-known pugilist and teach
er of the " Art of Self Defence." He was the captain and leader
of a company of mounted masked " Fantastics '' who paraded
on public days for amusement and fun, pleasantly tolerated by
the authorities and citizens. Their uniforms or disguises were
grotesque, unique, comical. On the Terrace Boulevard, near by
Main Street, was the Market House; the first municipal building
of any importance erected in the city. It was an elongated, cru
ciform structure, with a square belfry of moderate height, on top
of its two stories and high basement ; in it was a great clanging
bell, which harshly sounded all the fire alarms, " a custom more
honour'd in the breech than the observance." The basement
was devoted to stalls for the sale of fruit, vegetables and fish ;
the first floor to stalls for butchers' meat. The lessees of the stalls
bore names singularly appropriate to their business ; there were
among them as I remember :
Booram and Shepard, of whom you could buy sheep or mutton ;
there were John, Henry and Tom Lamb, who sold the best quar
ters of spring lamb for fifty cents, and South Down mutton at
eight cents per pound; Metcalfe & Kalbflesh, whose fillets of
veal and cutlets were at all times welcome and who gave their
customers the sweet breads for the asking ; they never would

MARKET HOUSE.

100 Recollections of Buffalo.
offer them for they were not considered wholesome or palatable.
There were Alberger, Oxbelly and Bullymore, who always sold
the best cuts from steers, never an old cow or bull ; and Charley
Cook could cleave it up ; while the Cheneys, Hoags and Fischer,
sold the pike, perch, mullett, suckers, bass, trout and Albany
beef (sturgeon.)
The second floor was for the city officers and council
chamber of the " Honorable Body" of ten Aldermen, two from
each of the five wards, who elected the Mayor ; who presided
over them, and gave the casting votes.
The Mayors, Councilmen, and the other city officers for a long
number of years from 1832, when Buffalo was incorporated a
city, were entirely American born and quite generally our best
and most respected citizens. In 1839 our time-honored citizen
of German birth, Doctor Frederick Dellenbaugh, was elected an
Alderman of the fourth ward. In 1843 our worthy friend, the
late Patrick Smith, of Irish birth, was elected an Alderman of
the first ward and served us with an honorable record.
During the first twenty-one years of our corporate city
government with nineteen city officers but five of foreign birth
held office, viz : two Germans, two Irishmen and one Scotchman ;
while in 1876, our National Centennial year, when we took
possession of our grand new City Hall, which was occupied by
our then thirty-eight city officers, nineteen were foreigners, or
foreign-born. In comparing the first twenty-one years of our city govern
ment with the succeeding twenty-one years in the first period:
but a fraction of one per cent, of foreigners held office,
while in the last period forty to fifty per cent, were of foreign
birth. I do not include the county offices, nor the fire and
police forces. If these were included the percentage would be
increased against the native Americans. Appropriate to this
subject : One day in conversation with a prominent German
citizen (Solomon Scheu) on an approaching municipal election,
he said, apparently in earnest :

Panorama of Main Street. ioi
" I would deplore the election of a German as Burgo
meister of Buffalo."
" Why so ? You are a German, and I think we could look
further and fare worse than you."
" Oh ! " said Mr. Scheu, " Once there, you will always have to
have them."
" What would become of us Americans then ? "
" Those who didn't like it, ' you know,' better emigrate to
Germany." Another little anecdote appropriate here, was told me recently.
Meeting a party who had held one or two quite important city
offices, and desiring another which was to come by appointment
from our German Mayor, and to which he subsequently appointed
a German, I suggested the fact of our political subjugation by
the foreign element, ingrafted among us, principally Irish and
Germans. He replied by saying : When I was chairman of our
Democratic city committee of seven we got together one day to
endeavor to make up a slate for city officers to support at the
coming election. (The committee was composed of three
Irishmen, three Germans and himself; he, I think, was Irish or
Scotch by birth.) Being chairman, the other members proposed
names for the various offices, until there was but one office to be
filled, when Patrick H  , a hack-driver by occupation, pro
posed the name of a well-known Irishman. The chairman
looking over and scanning the list and realizing the outrageous
ihjustice of practically disfranchising the native Americans (not
Indians), said : " See here Pat ! What about the Yanks ? " to
which Pat replied, " Ough I to hell with the Yanks ! "
This was not the first council chamber ; previous to the
building of the Market House they held their meetings in a
room over Rathbun's fancy dry goods store, nunjber 230 Main
Street (old number.) The entrance to it was between two stone
piers, which led up-stairs ; it was but two and one-half feet wide ;
the portly forms of Mayor Johnson and City Clerk Dyre
Tillinghast, had to turn edgewise to squeeze their way through
and up. " It was such a getting up-stairs " for the " City Fathers."

102 Recollections of Buffalo.
The noisy bell on the Market House alluded to, was the one
which sounded the alarm one night to warn out our native troops
to defend us against an anticipated attack of British veterans,
who were said to be in the vicinity of Black Rock, marching on
Buffalo, during the Patriot War in the winter of 1837-8.
The corner below the Market, where stands " Spaulding's
Exchange," was familiarly known as " Martin Daly's Corner,"
where Daly had a grocery ; from thence down towards the Canal
bridge to " Nigger Alley " were some inferior shops. (There
was no Lloyd Street in the early thirties ; ) " Nigger Alley "
ran down-hill through the block north-westerly from Main
Street to a level with the water of the undocked canal and
up again and out at Commercial Street a short distance
above the old " National Hotel " on the corner of Commercial
Street and the canal, which was the passenger station or
dock for the " Line Boat " passengers, as the opposite corner
junction of Pearl Street was the " Canal Packet " station.
Between the "National" and Daly's corner on Commercial
Street was " D. Cross' Hotel," a long two-story white frame
building, which gave place in 1836 to the " Birkhead Build
ings," which were occupied by wholesale grocers, then con
sidered first-class buildings ; they are there to-day but much
deteriorated. Opposite the Market was and is the " Mansion." At that time
it had large veranda's on its Main Street front for each of its
then three stories ; this site has been occupied as a tavern or
hotel for over eighty years. It was first known as Landon's
tavern in 1808. The first Court of Niagara County (which then
included Erie County) was held there in June of that year, when
Judge Augustus Porter presided. Subsequently Joseph Landon
continued the tavern as the " Mansion," followed by Benjamin
Caryl and afterwards by Erastus Hathaway, Phineas Barton,
Phillip Dorsheimer, and others.
Below the " Mansion," east side of Main Street down town,
the stores were occupied by Hart & Lay, druggists ; Coots &
Bruce, tailors ; Benjamin Campbell, clothing merchant ; Patrick

Panorama of Main Street. 103
Milton, grocer; Cameron & McKay, carpet dealers and uphol
sterers; Morgan & Paddleford, dry goods (Morgan was the
father of Darwin E. Morgan, the well-known carpet dealer of
to-day on Main Street ;) Parmalee & Hadley, stoves and hardware
merchants ; Pugeot Brothers, brass workers. In the upper
stories of some of these stores was White & Smith's paint shop.
(Henry G. White is faithfully pursuing his business after fifty
years ; he knows much about Buffalo and those who have lived
here during that time and imparts it to others in a genial way.
At the corner of Quay Street and the canal stands the Dudley
Block nearly as it did fifty years ago ; it is on the site of one of
the early taverns kept by the " Harris " family. This finishes
Main Street down as far as the canal bridge. From the old
stone tavern at the upper corner of the Terrace to the early
bridge over the canal, the grade of Main Street was very steep.
It was the jumping off place from up-town to the " Flats " below.
This declivity was a grand place in winter for our boy coasters.
Below the canal bridge, on the west side of Main Street, where
stands the old Marine Bank building, was " Madison's Temperance
House," a large wooden structure ; on the south corner of
Hanover Street was George W. Allen's clothing store ; further
down on that block at number 84 (old number) Sextus Shearer
had a hardward store ; (he built in 1835 the house now owned
by Mrs. Geo. B. Gates, corner of Delaware Avenue and Allen
Streets, which latter street was then " no thoroughfare.")
These were about all the buildings on the west side of Main
Street until you come to the " Steamboat Hotel " below Dayton
Street. This building was of rough-cast stone, with a cupola
belfry. In one of the lower stories James McKnight had a
store. He was famous for giving you a pleasant greeting on
meeting you : always " Good Morning," " A fine morning, Mr.
Blank," no matter how disagreeable or fierce the weather might
be. He was the father of Theodore W. "McKnight of this city.
The only other building on the west side of Main Street that I
recall, of the early part of the decade, was the old red warehouse

104 Recollections of Buffalo.
at the foot of the street, the ship-chandlers shop of Munger &
"Willard, which cornered on the dock.
On the east side of Main Street, below the canal, the first
corner, where is the Bush & Howard Block, was vacant as I
now remember ; on the next corner below, Scott Street, was the
" Travelers' Home," or " Huff's Hotel," a wooden building of
considerable dimensions, kept by H. D. & W. W. Huff". During
the great traveling era on the canal and lakes in the thirties, and
later, this tavern was usually crammed with guests. The trunks
and baggage were piled in front of the house daily, " Mountains
high;" literally and without exaggeration, the writer has
frequently seen in front of that hotel a pile of trunks ten to
fifteen feet high, thirty feet long and from three to four trunks
wide. Dick Huff was famous as an expert carver in those days.
He needed to be, as he did most of the carving for the
numerous guests of the house. At a public ball one night when
all the guests were seated at supper, I held the watch while he
carved a twelve-pound turkey; he placed the fork in the breast
bone and completely carved it in precisely one minute, leaving
the keel bone on his fork !
After this hotel came the Webster Block, built in 1835 ; seven
teen stores, which were very soon fully occupied by wholesale
jobbing houses, dealing in dry goods, groceries, hardware and
other commodities; among them were Hervey McCune & Co.,
William Fiske, Charles A. Milliken, Thompson Brothers, S. W.
Hawes & Co., E. Stanton Gaw, Austin Pinney, Sidney & Clarence
Shepard, and others.
On the south-east corner of Perry Street one of the family of
Harris had a tavern, and below it was " Kelsey's Tavern." There
was buiit during the decade, at the corner of Ohio Street, to ac
commodate travelers by Lake, the very large " Commercial Ho
tel ;" it was destroyed to make way for the Lackawanna Rail
Road. On the corner of Ohio Street and the Dock was the line
of brick stores which still encumber the ground.
To retreat to the " Canal Bridge," from there down to the dock
at the foot of Main Street, on the west side, the vacant spaces

Panorama of Main Street. 105
were filled up during the decade, or soon after, with the stores
which are nearly all there to-day. I remember some of the firms
that occupied them : Henry & Edward Root ; James A. Cowing
& Co. ; Sidney Shepard & Co. ; Yaw, Palmer & Co. ; Henry
Hager & Co. ; Samuel D. Flagg; Walbridge, Hayden & Co., and
Tannahill & Clark, all or nearly so, wholesale grocers ; George
Palmer & Co., leather manufacturers ; (the late Noah H. Gardner
and Jabez B. Bull, were Palmer's partners ;) Grosvenor Clark &
Co., dry goods ; Horace Hunt, Walter S. Hunn, and other con
cerns of lesser note. On east side of Main Street below Perry
Street and the Harris Tavern^ on the corner, were and now are two
grey stone front stores, which were used as the " City Hotel."
Below this were built several brick stores; among their occupants
was William Tell Jones, wholesale wine dealer, memorably a very
handsome and manly man, noted for his physical strenth, es
pecially in his jaws. He could take an ordinary hard wood
whiskey barrel, by a grip of his teeth on the chimes and throw
it over his head ! Luman A. Phelps, a grocer and dealer in spir
its, was an occupant of one of those stores.
Then we come to the " Dock," at the foot of Main Street, on
Buffalo Creek, as if it were the ultima thule I On the left angle
stretched away southward, " Long Wharf," and at right angles
northward, " Central Wharf," to " Prime " and " Commercial
Slips," and Commercial Street, beyond which the continuation
of the " Dock " was denominated " Commercial Wharf"
Near the foot of Lloyd Street and Central Wharf, was the old
extensive Ship Chandlery establishment of Atwater & Williams
(Henry C Atwater and Gibson T. Williams) originally established
by Kimberly & Waters (John L. Kimberly and Sheldon
Thompson) and succeeded by Waters & Atwater ; H. C Atwater
& Co.; Atwater & Williams; Williams, Howard & Co., (General
Rufus L. Howard) ; Howard, Newman & Co., (George L.
Newman); Newman, Rogers & Co.; Newman & Scoville ;
Newman, Vosburg & Co. ; Vosburg, Baker & Co. ; and finally
Howard H. Baker, now in the Sidway Block, fronting the Terrace.
This seventy year old conern has founded the fortunes of several
of its various members.

io6 Recollections of Buffalo.
The " Dock " at the foot of Main Street was not, in the old
days, what it appears to us now. There were no cumbrous sheds,
outlandish structures, nor huge elevators to obstruct the beau
coup d'czil or shut out the buena vista beyond. As you approached
the Creek from the summit of the hill, at the upper corner of the
Terrace, you at that time looked down the sharply descending
grade of Main Street, over and beyond the " Dock " and Creek,
upon light green and bright grass ; the wild new second growth
shrubbery, willows and berry bearing bushes, that seemed to
grow luxuriantly in that mellow atmosphere, constantly refreshed
by the moisture distilled in it, front the large body of water in
the bay, in near proximity ; beautiful blue and sparkling water,
which gladdened the eyes of the pedestrians and dwellers of Main
Street, like looking at pictured landscapes, which should be in
delible there, but since has become obstructed by unsightly ob-
fects. Even the once clear, refreshing atmosphere has become
dull, dense, permeated with smoke and heavy ; the green fields
and blue water screened and shaded from sight and memory dear,
a place of beauty, a joy forever, gone !
That place relegated to the operations of the thundering loco
motive and lumbering, rumbling freight cars, have assumed the
prerogative of eminent domain, quite forgetting and over-riding
marine rights and views. There was a palliating compensation,
when that delightful outlook was only at times or temporarily
obstructed by steamboats at the landing, and the wharf was crowd
ed with incoming and outgoing freight, products of the world:
waiting its distribution to home or foreign points ; or when pyra
mids of trunks and other baggage of travelers appeared on that
" Dock " it gave, with the surging, puffing steamer and the mov
ing throng of people, such an appearance of activity and life to
the locality that all sentimental thoughts in the observers were
diverted. Where are those busy wharves and marts of trade? that in
those old days of the thirties, seemed to attract and draw all the
sinews, brains and enterprize of the young city ! All changed.
One generation finished that business episode in Buffalo's local

Panorama of Main Street. 107
history. The frequent processions which now-a-days are wend
ing their way up Delaware Avenue, are disposing of the last lin
gering actors of that era.
The following little sketch apropos of the foregoing, was writ
ten by the writer of this, for the "Express" a few years since,
when " Central Wharf" and its vicinity was being razed, and re
modeled for the " Lackawana Rail Road " purposes :
" ON THE DOCK " AS IT WAS.
Editor Sunday Express : — Without the intention of trespassing
upon the prerogative of your " Rambling Old Resident," thoughts
and subjects sometimes occur to me in my ramblings about town
which I would like to suggest to him (if I knew him) and which
I wish he would " write up."
Going down Main Street the other day until I reached " steam-
tug port," at its foot, (alluding to the frequent congregation of a
flock of little spuyten tuyful steam tugs which gather and hover
about the foot of Main Street, screeching, whistling and blowing
clouds of smoke into the windows of the offices making day hid
eous to the dwellers therein, while crouching to snap at the first
applicant that approaches for a tow line), I was amazed while con
templating the vestiges of creation there. Was I another Rip
Van Winkle ? or had there been a Lisbonian earthquake there
which had swallowed up all the people and buildings ? This used
to be called " ON THE DOCK,"
— but where are all the warehouses, the offices, and balconies of
Central Wharf? Where are all those bright, busy members of
those thrifty and celebrated firms that I remember of old ? I rec-
' ollect these old firms : Gelston & Evans ; Pratt, Taylor & Co. ;
Sheldon Thompson & Co. ; Joy & Webster ; Norton, Carlisle &
Co. ; Townsend, Coit & Co. ; Barker & Holt ; Holt, Palmer &
Co. ; Daw & DeLong ; Smith & Macy ; Treat & Carter ; Kinne,
Peabody & Sawyer ; Munger & Willard ; A. R. Cobb & Co. ;
Kinne, Davis & Co.; Kimberly, Pease & Co.; Azel Hooker;
Ward & Brace ; Mahlon Kingman & Co. ; Sizer, Brown & Co.

io8 Recollections of Buffalo.
I remember these and others, with their hosts of energetic,
gentlemanly clerks, embryo principals, who comprised most of
the list of forwarding and commission merchants, who ranged
our docks when this was an infant city. Put their names in
print once more, that our " old settlers " may see them and our
new commercial men can learn who were their predecessors.
Why would it not be a good idea to procure the names of all
the old dock merchants, commencing with Porter, Barton & Co.,
have them engraved or lithographed from bona fide signatures
that can now, I think, be procured, and have them framed and
placed on the walls of the Merchants' Exchange? It would do
us " old 'uns " good to revive that old dock and meet those
cheery, pleasant faces that were earnestly hurrying to and fro
receiving and dispatching cargoes by lake and canal, all so busy
from early dawn to dewy eve. There was more work for those
busy men to do when there were no manifold letter-books, type
writers, telegraphs, telephones, elevators and railroads, during
the decades of the thirties and forties, than nowadays, when the
later Central Wharf men, had easy times in their comfortable
offices or lolling on 'change, trading cargoes of grain, with time
for discussing politics, blended with a little piquant gossip,
sauntering on the balconies, occasionally sending a messenger
with a telegram or giving an order on some giant elevator for a
boat-load of .wheat, telephoning up-town to wife to place an extra
plate (I beg pardon, " cover ") for a friend to dinner.
I can only find three names in the foregoing list of merchants
who are still with us, and they must be the veritable fathers of
the dock, who have remained to bury it in the dead past and see
the descendants of those time-honored fathers swarm to our new
hive up-town. Those three are John Pease, Ja.mes C. Evans,
and Henry M. Kinne. Who would suspect the sprightly,
active Kinne of being the patriarch of the dock ? Since dead !
I should not omit a somewhat later generation of venturesome,
active, jolly men; who made the dock and Central Wharf glorious
for grand transactions, and an occasional coup d'etat, in millions
of bushels of wheat and corn. It is not looking back very far

Panorama of Main Street. 109
to call to mind the faces and forms of some of those merchants —
they are not quite all gone. I'll name a few of them : Sam.
Hawes, Sam. Purdy, Sam. Holley, Sam. Suydam ; that jolly
Scotchman, big Jim Murray; Emanuel Ruden, Chariey Hall,
Philo Durfee, the Walbridges of Walbridge's steamboat line ;
the HoUisters, who placed the first Ericsson propellers on the
lakes, called the Hercules and Samson; Niles & Wheeler,
Hazard, Monteith & Sherman ; Fish & Lathrop, Fred. Guiteau,
who was not native, but almost to the manner born ; Carlos
Cobb, George S. Hazard & Co., Rounds & Ranney, Hayes &
Johnson, Reynolds & Deshler, Cutter & Nims, Sherwood &
Vought, Samuel K. Worthington & Co., Holley & Johnson,
Chester Hitchcock, and John B. Griffin & Co. We must not
forget Hugh & John Allen, Clark, Guthrie & Sturgis, nor Chas.
Ensign. There was at that time a curious concatenation of euphonical
names of business men in the near neighborhood of the foot of
Main Street, noteworthy as the numerous " Sam's " above
recorded, viz : There was John Law, the grocer next to Martin
Daly's, where stands Spaulding's Exchange ; Henry Daw, the
genial senior partner of Daw & De Long ; E. Stanton Gaw, the
wholesale dry goods man in the " Webster " Block ; Ambrose P.
Yaw, the wholesale grocer opposite the Webster Block ; and
John F Shaw, a grocer on Commercial Wharf
Commercial Street was quite an important one in the thirties;
the brick block now standing at the corner of Water Street was
then occupied by firms doing a heavy wholesale trade ; I remem
ber among them Kinne, Peabody & Co., (the father of William
H. Peabody), Taylor, Lee & Co., and Hough & Sawyer, (the fath
er of George P. Sawyer) ; Thomas Blossom and the Baron, Luden
de Bee. In the next brick building was the store of A. D. A.
Miller, the senior of Miller, Greiner & Co., of to-day.
I met on my travels, not long since, an English gentleman, a
former resident here, quite a stranger now, who enquired of me
in his bluff" hearty manner : " How is such and such a one ? " to
which I was compelled in each instance to reply, " He's dead ! "

no Recollections of Buffalo.
And this called forth from him the repeated, surprised ejacu
lation, in his emphatic burly English way: " God bless my soul,
is he dead ! " I thought he was calling the roll of the cemetery,
and answering for himself, Adsuni !
It is, however, not my purpose to arrange a funeral procession
in jotting down these pencilings by the way; it is only to recall
the forerunners, and the pleasant times on those old docks which
are gone from us forever, but which phcenix-like have risen in
the new era of the Board of Trade and Merchants' Exchange.

GA-O-WO

CHAPTER V.
IROQUOIS !
The Seneca tribe of Indians, traditionally the most savage of
the " Six Nations " of the historic Iroquois, held that portion of
their " reservation " which they mostly chose to occupy, on the
south-eastern confines of the city.
Early in the thirties and previously, if their character had
been what their ancient reputation had taught us to believe, the
people of Buffalo might have thought themselves to be, living
under a " reign of terror," -from the Ursa Major which lived
next door. For while the people of the infant city were peace
fully pursuing their usual vocations, unconscious of harm from
an approaching earthquake, its rumblings or growls might at any
moment be heard in their midst.
It was no uncommon sight during the middle hours of any
fair day to see ranging or loitering on our streets as many native
American Indians : chiefs, warriors, squaws and papooses as
" Yengeese," * as the natives would persist in calling our citizens
or strangers among us. The reader can readily imagine our
defenceless condition and danger from such a source in those
early days ; if the warriors of the tribe and their allies should
have pounced down upon us very early, some fine morning, and

*The Indians had for a century previous called the English-speaking people
" Yengeese," to distinguish them from the French. Hence came tne sobriquet of
" Yankee."

112 Recollections of Buffalo.
in their war paint, raided the town, sacked and burned it! But
this was not thought of nor heeded by us, or the Indians.
They were not bugbears nor phantoms to be feared, even by
the white children. The traders and shopkeepers cultivated
their good will; most of them could be captured with a jug of
" fire water," (rum.) Our children amused themselves freely with
them and were delighted to obtain their miniature bark canoes,
snow shoes, snow snakes, and bows and arrows.
The Indians enjoyed congregating in groups in some sunny
spot about the town. The greensward of the Terrace Hills in
sunny spring days or during the autumn, was a favorite resort,
where the older men and warriors of the tribe loved to linger and
talk over their early wanderings. They would lounge on the
steps of the " Old First Church," where they could look at our
young men playing wicket ball in front of the church ; (no fences
there then), and this was a favorite ball ground. They would
gather along the curb-stones, (where there were any), in front of
the shops, and notwithstanding their reputation for reticence,
among the sages and warriors, except for an occasional "Ugh! "
the larger number seemed mighty fond of airing their jargon, with
an interjectional remark from a silvery tongued squaw. Now and
then you would see an old chief or eagle eyed warrior, with his
" far away look," in whom it would seem an effort to smile, it ap
peared to be natural to him to look sober and dignified ; but
the ordinary Indian had an easy, good natured way with him,
though rather dull. I do not remember ever hearing a man of
them guilty of a free and hearty laugh and I have known many
in my youth.
The men, nearly all of them, were remarkable for their erect
bearing and stately walk ; not as with many white men, crook-
backed, stoop-shouldered, many walking as if their stomachs
were weak^and I presume they were — but the Indians performed
no manual labor. In walking, the Indians did " toe in," as the
American young man does to-day, to imitate the English dude,
so as to appear " quite English you knazv."

MOON-DAY POW-WOW,

114 Recollections of Buffalo.
The deterioration or degeneracy of these Indian tribes, must,
as I think, have been due in great measure to a too free inter
course with the white people. They were tamed and petted as
you would th^ wolf whelp. They had the natural greed for gain ;
would bargain with a considerable degree of shrewdness. As
temptations became more numerous they would barter their ar
ticles of use or ornament to obtain the tempting goods they fan
cied. They would barter their honor or virtue to satisfy their
covetous desire for gew-gaws, gay ornaments of display, or that
devil of all the world, (rum, " fire water.") The females, like all
the sex, from those recorded in the Pentateuch to our latest Paris
ian bulletin, the savage, the civilized, the heathen and christian ;
all colors and races, the illiterate and learned, the noble and ser
vile, all, all love to adorn themselves. It is the instinct of the
sex to attract and please the masculine branch of humanity. Does
it not show effeminacy in man to desire to ornament himself?
Many of the merchants and business men of the town could
talk quite freely with the Indians in their own dialect. The words
and phrases of the Indian dialect were all gained, taught, learned
through the ear by the native sound ; you caught the names of
men and things in Kintergarten fashion or object mode of expres
sion and sign language, without regard to correct orthography,
¦orthoepy or syntax. Books of the Indian languages did not ex
ist, or if they did they were rare and unobtainable. The Indians,
particularly the squaws, in their utterances, seemed not to move
their jaws, their ejaculations and talk came from the chest or was
gutteral. For example : if you wished to get rid of a drunken
Indian, you said to him "jaog-go," at which he would no doubt
utter ugh !
Among the questions asked an applicant for a clerkship in a
store or shop, at that time, or fifty years ago, was : " Can you talk
with the Indians ? " Some of our traders who were quite famil
iar with them, their talk and ways, did a thriving trade with them ;
bartering tobacco, rum, *Mackinaw three and a half point blan-
* Mackinaw blankets were those manufactured for the government to supply the
Indians of the Northwest, when they assembled at Mackinaw to receive their annui
ties. They were commonly used by most of the Northern Indians. The points were
three, black points, and a half one, woven in the corner of each blanket, indicating
the weight and size.

Iroquois. 115
kets, broadcloth, (staesh,) for their smoke-tanned deer skins, furs,
bows and arrows, axe helves, baskets, mococks of maple sugar,
mocasins, and varieties of the squaws' handiwork.
When their government " annuities " were paid them, their
money had to pay up the scores of the year past, which the trader
had trusted the Indian or his squaw ; this confidence in their
word of honor, was seldom misplaced by the trader.
The embroideries and ornaments made by the squaws, and
which they offered for barter for goods for wear and for the mak
ing of new work, were oftentimes ingeniously wrought, in origi
nal designs, very pretty and artistic patterns ; they included smoke
tanned buck and fawn skin moccasins for men, women and chil
dren, shapely made and comfortable to wear ; and they were very
generally worn by our people here, in the thirties. They were
worked with various bright colored porcupine quills and beads
ornamenting them ; numerous other articles of their handiwork
they produced : satchels, bags, wallets, purses, belts, cushions,
buckskin leggins, mittens and gloves, and the like.
For this ingenious work there was considerable demand by the
squaws for scarlet broadcloth, red silk and ribbons, and import
ed beads of all colors, of which red, white and blue were the fa
vorites. The Seneca girls and young squaws were by no means unattrac
tive in person or manners. They were usually neat, clean, and pic
turesque in their costumes, which were half savage, half civilized.
The young girls of the tribe were really very pretty, with their
shining purple black hair, of which they always had plenty, and
it looked soft and glossy from the profuse quantities of pomatum
with which they dressed it ; their rich, rosy, copper-hued com
plexions, in which, when spoken to abruptly by some of us, you
would plainly detect the maiden blushes spreading over their
cheeks and foreheads, sometimes with tinges of pink and white
blood, suspicions of a not very remote Anglo Saxon ancestor.
Not much could be said of their forms, according to the made up
artistic model of to-day ; though there was never an angular or
bony one among them, there was that supple swaying of grace-

II 6 Recollections of Buffalo.
ful ease, which untrammeled nature is wont to give to animal or
vegetable life ; they did not shew those forced good forms which the
tailor dressed American girl now exhibits ; no pads, no stays, no
palpitators, no bustles, no French heels, cramped, pinched nor tor
tured those Wanita's, Wild Rose's or Wat-a-wah's :
" Wild roved the Indian girl.
Bright Alvaretta,
Where sweep the waters
Of the blue Juniata."

Genesee and Susquehanna ;
Or the Tick-e-ack-gou-ga-haunda !
Their pretty little feet encased in pliant moccasins, handsomely
embroidered with the quills of the "fretful porcupine;" well
formed ankles, covered with loose cloth pantalets or leggins, gave
them an easy, graceful step, with that peculiar turn of the foot
called " toeing in," which in the white girl would be called " pigeon
toed," but brought about in the Indian child by the cramped
position of the legs and feet in the basket or cradle.
They did not shew that nervous excitability in action and move
ment, of their white sisters ; more of a gliding, undulating motion,
rather the phlegmatic in temperament.
YOUNG SQUAW COSTUME.
Their dress, when arrayed in their best garments in town, was
first, over whatever might have been the garment representing
the chemise and other underwear; usually a short under gown, or
jacket, of Turkey red, oiled calico, a class of goods they all were
fond of This gown, or jacket, was open in front like a coat or
waistcoat, but lapped over and was fastened in front with a half
dozen or more silver rings, with a cross bar like a buckle; leggins
or pantalets, of fine, blue cloth, bordered with the listing woven
with the cloth ; above the listing were circular lines of silver
rings, with the cross bar ; as many lines of these bright rings as
the taste and wealth of the wearer would permit, and also em
broidered with fancy colored quills and beads. They wore a

SENECA INDIAN AND SQUAW.

ii8 Recollections of Buffalo.
short petticoat, called ga-ka-ah, usually rather close-fitting, as if
made from the least quantity of fine broadcloth possible ; their
fortunes being extremely limited, 'twas not to fit the fashion but
their wistaw, (money.) They were very fond of fine, listed blue
broadcloths, (which, at that time, were all imported from the west
of England,) as their white cousins were of silks. This skirt was
simply made by folding one of the listed edges five or six inches
above the other like folding a blanket so both the stripes would
show. These lists were of variegated colors, different from the
blue of the cloth, then belting it around the waist under the mid
dle fold; thus these listed edges served as borders to, and around
the bottom of the skirt ; above both of these lists it was adorned
with embroidery, silver ornaments or both. In some instances
the daughter of a Chief might have one so elabarately decorated
that you might fancy her an Oriental Princess. These embroid
ered decorations were almost always the colored porcupine quills,
and beads. Over the thus far dressed maiden, she wore a square
of dark blue very broadcloth, used in lieu of the almost univer
sal, (among the Indians, bucks and squaws,) Makinaw three and
a half point blanket. These broadcloth, or woolen blankets, they
handled with native grace quite equal to the white lady with her
cashmere shawl ; nor was she aversS occasionally to raising it,
and so re-enfolding it upon her person as to show in the process,
the pretty ornamentation of the jacket, ga-ka-ha and leggins.
The head gear was a black beaver or silk hat, the same as worn
by the white gentlemen when in full dress on the street, often a
" Leary," the then-fashionable New York hatter. In place of the
ordinary hat band, or over it, was a band of silver two inches
broad, filagree or perforated work, the upper edge of the band
being ratched, or like the upper edge of the conventional crown.
When not having this silver band, a wide, pea green or sky blue
ribbon was substituted. Sometimes, a belle more precious of her
complexion than her sister belles, wore tied round the hat, a green
berage veil ; perhaps this was in imitation of the white ladies,
wearing the hat and green veil when riding on horseback in
rough or sunny weather ; a wide, silver necklace, or rather band,

Iroquois. 119
was worn about the neck, with pendants which dangled over the
bust, with one to four or five silver hoops or disks, pendant from
the ears. This completed the costume of the Seneca bel'e of the
" upper ten," with a moderated gradation, as might be their world
ly condition in shekels.
The squaws, young and old, often carried by a band round the
forehead, a basket similar in size and shape to a peach basket,
or rather more like a pannier with one side flat, resting against
the back. This basket was of much use ; was more or less dec
orated with knots of bright ribbons. The forehead band
was of red staesh (cloth ; a favorite goods with all the squaws,)
or woven in colors of moose hair, bright with embroidery, in
which white and blue beads predominated, giving a pretty effect
to the red band, these bands or straps were called o-a-ta-ose-ka
or burden strap ; they were an inch or an inch and one-half broad.
This basket was the receptacle for the requisite articles of their
toilets and light parcels ; and they utilized it also for bringing to
market wild strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, wintergreen
and huckleberries ; wintergreen leaves tastefully tied with the
tender green and red sprouts of the same ; bunches of wild flow
ers, pond lilies and sweet flag. The old squaws would bring the
various green herbs, catnip, summer savory, sorrel, water cresses,
leeks, horseradish, sassafras root, and cow-slips. [They would
sometimes bring in from the south-easterly part of the Reserva
tion, bottles of oil, which our mothers called " Seneca Oil," which
was a cure-all, for all the cuts, bruises, and aches and pains under
the canopy — especially for rheumatism. This oil was obtained
by the Indians in the winter, by absorbing it in their blankets
from the crust of the ice, where it had oozed out from the banks
of the streams, more particularly on French Creek, and Oil Creek
in Pennsylvania. Little did " Lo," or his white brethren, know
the commercial value of that same oil (Petroleum) at that time.]
The mothers would also carry their babies in those baskets, as
they also carried them in a gaping portion of their blankets on
the back of their necks between their shoulders.

120 Recollections of Buffalo.
The customary manner of young mothers of caring for their
babies or pappooses, was this : a flat board, covered with a half-
round basket work of the dried inner bark of a tree, (the hem
lock or perhaps the pine,) from the neck to the ankles all wad
ded within, large enough easily to slip the pappoose into its wad
ded interior; a slight, half round platform, for the feet, when the
¦child is old enough. Over all, were two, three or four hoop
bands or fenders, one directly in front of the child's forehead, for
protection from injury; the head end of the board, or cradle,
was rounded, and sometimes a hood of wicker work extending
to the hoop forehead band or fender ; this was also lined with
red flannel and wadded. To complete its construction for use, a
tough, upright, bent hoop rose over the upper end of the board,
removable, to substitute the embroidered forehead band of the
mother. The cradle and wrappings were bright with colors and
decorations, according to the degree of the mother's love. It
was carried with ease by the young squaw, like the baskets here
tofore mentioned, by the band about their foreheads, or round the
neck over the shoulders. While shopping or otherwise employed
they would set the pappoose aside in an inclined upright position.
When halting by the roadside or on the trail, or about the wig
wam, they would hang the pappoose by the hoop of his or her
cage or cradle to the branch of a tree, where it would literally
" Rock a bye baby,
On the tree top.
When the wind blows.
The cradle will rock."
To see and hear a bevy of those young squaws or Indian maid
ens, in the shops or on the walks, talking their Indian dialect in
liquid, silvery tones, with their rippling, gurgling laughter, was
an interesting sight and pleasant music to the ear.
The old squaws, as age environed them, gradually forgot or neg
lected their nobility of dress, or like civilized matrons, parted
with their material jewels and gew-gaws to their jewels of daugh
ters ; they substituted the ordinary Mackinaw blanket for their
embroidered broadcloth ; their hats became ancient like them-

Iroquois. 121
selves. They liked, however, to cling to their silver brooches
and ear drops ; but alas ! for their ears which in youth were small,
pretty and well formed, the practice of wearing these numerous,
heavy pendents had torn down and slit the cartilages, destroying
all semblance of their early form and beauty, adding another fea
ture to the growing ugliness of increasing age of the squaw ;
she grew gross, and awkward, waddled in her gait; her counte
nance grew hideous, swarthy and rusty. This change resembled
iri more civilized life, the old women of another race of tribes,
nomadic, like the Indians, of whom it is said : the North Amer
ican tribes are decendants of one of theirs lost !
The costumes of the men were deer skin leggins, moccasins, a
buckskin overshirt or jacket, and the blanket, sometimes worn
like a coat, belted in by a red sash ; perhaps an Indian dressed
fur cap without visor, or a knitted toque, or feathers tied in the
scalp locks. A young Indian, a brave or chief, would improve
upon this dress by wearing belts of wampun or strings of shells
or beads wrought into the belts, or the use of silver ornaments,
snake rattles, wolf and bears' teeth, and other weird articles at
tached to their clothing, their moccasins, or the fringe of their
buckskin leggins, creating musical sounds as they walked or
loped, Indian-like, and which sounds warned you of their com
ing, without guile or with peaceful intention ; nearly all wore the
tomahawk in their belts. The scalping knife was commonly
worn in a leather sheath on the left side as was the tomahawk on
the right, but both were mostly used for peaceful purposes. But
they were rapidly assimilating to the ordinary dress of their white
neighbors. We seemed here to be in an Indian atmosphere. Many of the
Indians were known to our well-known residents ; they were
saluted on the streets, instead of " how de do," or " good morn
ing " it was " togus " or " skaeno." The names of the chiefs or
leading men among them, were as familiar to us as were those
of Walden, Allen, Chapin, Pratt, Wells, Townsend, Porter, Bird,
or Wilkeson. There was Red Jacket, Young King, Con-joc-ety,
Seneca White, Steeprock, Captain Isaacs, Two Guns, Old Smoke,

122 Recollections of Buffalo.
Kenedy, Tommy Jimmy, The Jamisons, and Farmer, with his
erect and stately walk and eagle eye, long blue surtout coat,
red sash and red turban ; (the reader will not confound this man
with " Farmer's Brother," a celebrated Chief of the Senecas, who
died in 1815;) and a number of other chiefs and warriors.
Farmer lived in his lodge on Farmer's Point, a bend of Buf
falo Creek, now used for business purposes.
The people would go out to the Indian Church for a Sunday
drive or to Sulphur Springs and Jackberry Town to see their
games, or the burning of the white dog, or a war dance, when
the Indians had on their war paint for the occasion.
The young braves, when they came into town with their long
hickory bows and quiver of arrows, would amuse our young
men and maidens, shooting at " pennies " (the old-fashioned large
cent), which were stuck up edgewise, half into the ground, at
fifty or one hundred feet distant from the marksman. If they
hit the penny, forcing it out of the ground, which they usually
did, they put them in their wallets which hung by their sides,
much like a game bag, as their captures ; and with the utmost
sangfroid, as an old warrior would hang the scalp of his victim
to his waist belt. These young braves did much mischief among
the bushy-tailed black and gray squirrels, in the north woods
above the town, with their bows and arrows, as also in the great
pigeon roost to the south of us and west of the reservation.
In those days we were in autumn looking to the approach of
" Indian Summer," which was due in this region the last half of
October or first half of November ; when we had that dreamy,
hazy, yellow atmosphere, the sun setting each day like a ball of
fire seen through the haze, the forest trees and foliage which was
very affluent about here, were in their greatest glory, dressed in
the gorgeous hues of the rainbow, the brightest colors of all the
year. Among the most noted of our traders with the Indians was
one Griffin, a partner or assistant with Erastus Sparrow & Co.,
who did business in the brick store painted black next to the
corner of Seneca Street, where the Bank of Buffalo building now

Iroquois. 123
stands. He was so well known and popular with the Indians
that the tribe made it the place of rendezvous at the times of the
payment of annuities. The quantities of cloth and blankets he
sold at those times appeared fabulous. It would be a very
" scalawag " Indian to whom he would answer tan-ta-gig-egac
(no trust) when one asked him ese-gig-e-gac-e? (you trust me? )
He had traded with the Indians and associated with them so
much, and was so familiar with their dialect, that, different from
the rule of the leopard, he had begun to change his spots or
complexion, getting to be quite red or copper colored ! His
popularity was so great among them that they never refused to
give him all the wives he coveted, without the form of a marriage
ceremony, nor did it matter whether the coveted squaw was a
maid, widow or some other fellow's squaw. He or they cared
little for that. The shop-keepers about the town sought to
ingratiate themselves with the Indians, to wean away their trade
from Griffin, by courteous attention and frequent presents of
trinkets to the squaws, and nigger head tobacco and jugs of fire
water (rum) to the men ; and partially succeeded, but Griffin
held the fort for a long time.
The curse of the Indian was rum ; it overcame him much
sooner than the white man. When the writer was a boy he
often saw upon our streets a well-known Indian, " Captain
Isaacs,'' in bad condition from too much imbibition of said rum.
On one occasion he was surrounded by a gang of unruly urchins
taunting him, until his maudlin endurance changed to angry
bravado : bracing himself up, he struck his manly breast and
said in stentorian tones : " Me Captain Isaacs ! Big Indian
Me ! " which of course created a shout with the boys.
NATHANIEL T. STRONG.
It is evidently the nature of savages when civilized, educated
and cultivated by intercourse with refined people, to retrograde,
to deteriorate from their acquired or improved condition. In
my youthful days I formed a sort of romantic attachment to a
young Indian boy, several years older than myself At that

124 Recollections of Buffalo.
time I was trying to acquire the Indian language or rather the
Seneca dialect by oral process. This boy endeavored in a
cursory manner to impart it to me ; which, with my frequent
trading with the Indians, I got to know quite a good deal of it ;
sufficient at any rate to carry on a trade conversation quite
freely. He, " Nat," must have attracted the attention of
influential whites, interested in the amelioration of the Indians,
or his relatives were better off" than the generality of the tribe,
for the boy was educated, sent to Yale College, graduated from
there and returned to Buffalo to read law. If I remember
correctly he did so in the office of Fillmore & Hall or Hall &
Bowen. He had developed into full manhood and had the
manners and polish of a gentleman, dressed in the usual style
of the period : Black coat, black satin vest, chin collar, with
black Italian cravat, patent leather dress boots and regulation
hat, his personal appearance was like a very dark, smooth-faced
Italian or Spaniard, a little too rotund, or perhaps a gentleman
from Hindostan. He was an hereditary chieftan of his tribe.
He called upon me and we soon became quite chummy again.
We occasionally of an evening, visited a cafe or wine cellar.
With his other accomplishments he had learned to discuss the
relative merits of the various brands of wines, could detect the
¦ appearance of furriness on the " Chateau Margaux,'' whether
the temperature of the champagne was near to frappe, too dry,
or too thin, or if the precious " Liebfraumilch " was genuine, or
too picklish, was critical in selecting his charm of kanaster, or
the Noreager's were too rank ; and was quick at detecting the
impurities in the leaf brought from the Queen Isle of the
Antilles. He would order his woodcock or bottle with all the
nonchalence of a New York or London swell.
Well, note the contrast. By degrees our intimacy subsided :
now and then, at intervals which became less and less frequent, I
would see him and detect in his breath the odor of rum or
brandy ; then, a seedy look about his habiliments ; a growing
bagginess about the knees of his black doeskin trousers ; his dark,
smooth face had assumed a more swarthy hue ; his city hat had

Iroquois. 125
lost its lustre and grown a trifle rusty, and he wore it more a la
Indian. The last time I saw him to meet him face to face and
talk with him, there was a decided change, his dress had taken
on a semi-Indian tone, his face looked bloated, sodden. He was
not then under the immediate influence of rum, but his senses
seemed misty, cloudy ; there was the wild, roving, "far-away look "
out of the windows of his soul, native to the Indian. Part of
his tribe had been removed about this time to a reservation in
Cattaraugus County. He dropped out of our city life ; he dis
appeared from me. Long afterwards I heard of him as being on
that reservation, but he and his habits had degenerated back to
the typical Indian of the time; living Indian fashion, wearing
the blanket, smoking the common clay or Indian pipe, using cut
" nigger-head " tobacco instead of the fragrant " Havana " of the
earlier days. He died about 1883 or 1884. His portrait hangs
conspicuously in one of the rooms of the Buffalo Historical
Society. His name was Nathaniel T. Strong.
To confirm this tendency or inclination in the character of
the savage to retrograde, deteriorate, or fall away from his
highest point of cultivated civilization, I will relate an instance
told me by a friend, an officer in the United States Army, who had
been stationed at several outposts among the western Indians.
At one post, where the Arapahoes were numerous, two bright
little Indian children of that tribe, were much noticed. The
Indian commissioners, guardians and experimentalists took these
girls by consent of their parents and the tribe, sent them to
Philadelphia to school, clothed them in the ordinary dress of the
white school girl, entirely separating them from their tribe.
From the preparatory school they were promoted to a well-
known first-class " Young Ladies' Academy," and taught the
higher branches of female education. They were instructed in
other accomplishments : music, drawing and dancing ; they were
furnished with fine wardrobes, silk dresses and the like, and in
every, way respected as parlour boarders. They were much
admired for their brunette beauty, pleasing address and naivete.
Through some change in their guardianship or patronage, they

126 Recollections of Buffalo.
were returned back to their native tribe, then in the vicinity of a
large Military Barracks or Fort. At first they bore themselves
as well-bred young ladies ; were visited by the officers and
gentlemen about the Post. There was talk of their being
married to some of the officers. But, in time, in associating
with their tribe, their silks and finery dwindling away; their
companions becoming more and more of the vulgar sort, they
finally became the associates of the enlisted men of the barracks,
until they assimilated with the common Indians of the tribes ;
wearing the semi-nude covering of the western squaws, until at
last they reached the lowest rungs of the ladder of life, becoming
outcasts of their own tribe, sans beauty, sans clothing, cleanliness,
virtue, sans everything. Can the reader imagine a more pitiable,
miserable condition for two, once enlightened human beings ?
Why attempt to civilize the Indians, or ameliorate their
supposed condition ? Only teach them with the strong hand of
power to fear our superior race and let them alone in their rapid
decay, until like the Bison of the western prairies cotemporaneous
with them, they are obliterated from the earth, as one of the
ancient, traditional races of men.

CHAPTER VI.
STAGES.
An important branch of business during the decade of the
thirties, and before railroads came into use, was the running of
stage lines on the principal routes of travel. It was a profitable
business ; particularly when subsidized by the government for
transporting the United States Mails.
Deviating thus early from the subject of this article, I
wish to insert here a few words in regard to the mails and our
local interest in the establishment of our cheap postage system.
The present universal system of cheap postage, originated
. with, was advocated by, and inaugurated in Great Britain in the
¦ decade of the thirties, through the instrumentality of Rowland
Hill. Through his perseverance with the House of Commons,
by showing the defects in the old system, and the many ad
vantages of the new.
It is related of Mr. Hill, that in the pursuance of his investi
gations, and efforts to gain practical information, as to the
working of mail carriage and their deliveries, he one day in
following a postman, saw him stop at a small ordinary dwelling
and hand the woman at the door a letter, and waited to collect
the change, the customary shilling (about twenty-five cents.)
After a time, the woman who had been engaged in a feigned,
stupid manner, closely examining the exterior of the letter, as if
she could by that process discover what was written within,
handed it back to the postman, shaking her head and muttering
something about no money.
As soon as the postman left her, Mr. Hill approached the
woman and said :
" Why did you refuse the letter ? "
" Oh, we are not able to pay the postage."

128 Recollections of Buffalo.
" Will you allow me to follow him and get it from him ? I
will pay the postage."
" Oh ! No ! there is nothing in the letter."
" How do you know that ? "
" Why the letter is from my brother; he does not write inside
but puts little marks and signs on the outside which we under
stand." A rather ingenious method of obtaining cheap mail service.
The next improvement, first advocated by Rowland Hill was
the postage stamp system which was adopted in 1840. Some
years afterward the successful efforts of Mr. Hill was rewarded
by having knighthood conferred upon him by the Queen.
Shortly after the adoption of the cheap postage system in
England, Edward Everett strongly advocated it in the American
Congress. The greater facilities for transporting the mails by the intro
duction of steam power, seemed to demand a reduction in
postage, from what it had been for a century previous. It was also
the opinion of thinking men, that by such a reform, it would
so augment the quantity of mail matter, as soon to be able to
maintain its own expense, while at the same time it would be
a collaborator in educating the people.
Our much esteemed townsman, the late Honorable Nathan K.
Hall, when he was in Congress from this district advocated and
urged the lowest rates for postage, not only on letters but for
printed matter for the dissemination of all useful knowledge
among the people. And during his administration of the office
of Post-Master General, it was through his efforts placed at
three cents per half ounce for letters, for any distance under three
thousand miles ; printed matter sent through the mails was also
reduced. Subsequently the rates were still further reduced.
To resume the purpose of this article. The old stage coach
system required the aid of men of good business qualifications,
energy and executive ability ; and combinations of such men,
coupled with money to manage and maintain the regular
established lines, and institute new ones as the ever-increasing
business demanded.

Stages. 129
Buffalo was a central and important point, a sort of " half-way
house " between the east and the west, and diverging points to
the south-west and Canada, for transferring and reshipping
passengers and the mails, either way, by the various lines of stages
that had their termini here. The names of some of these com
panies and lines as I recall them, were : The " Pilot Line ;" " The
Swiftsure ;" " Telegraph Line ;" the " Ohio Stage Company ;"
" Neil Moore & Co., of Columbus, Ohio," and " Chrysler's;" and
" Forsyth's " stages in Canada. There were at that time exten
sions of those Canadian lines as Brundage's Line from Drum-
mondville and the Falls to St. Davids, Queenston, the old Shire
town of Niagara, and St. Catherines ; and E. W. Stephenson's
stages from there to Hamilton and onward ; and the various more
important lines connecting east and west with the lines mentioned
above. Among the earliest of the men who controlled these lines here,
were : Sylvanus Marvin, who, I believe, was the first proprietor
that was instrumental in aiding and securing the establishment
of a through connecting line to Albany. Mr. Marvin was a
brother-in-law of the late Judge Walden; after Mr. Marvin, came
Chauncey C. Coe, who was followed by his brother.
' Bela D. Coe, an educated gentleman of quiet, unostentatious, un
demonstrative manner, but of rare tact and ability for business, and
the organization and controlling of men.
Edward L. Stevenson, the general superintendent, ex
ecutive officer and book-keeper, which position he held for
a long series of years, and by which he became known to
a great number of people; Mr. Stevenson is one of the re
markable characters of Buffalo ; now an octogenarian, he
has been a resident of Buffalo since 1823; his stage, livery
and private estate offices have all this time, sixty-seven years,
been within three hundred feet of his present location, 394 Main
Street. A man somewhat reticent in manner, with strong execu
tive qualities, singularly successful and remarkably methodical
and correct in his business transactions. He has built up an am
ple fortune, by a steady, practical, consistent mode of life ; never

130 Recollections of Buffalo.
living beyond his income, but always living well ; temperate,
steady, reliable, his word as good as his bond, which few men
ever obtained, for debt has always been his bete noir ; an unob
trusive giver, always for some proper purpose. But, I am not
wishing to write his obituary, only intending to notice his traits
of character en-passant.
Benjamin Rathbun, whose latent ambition seemed to be, to do
the best for the traveling public in the most satisfactory manner;
and he succeeded in a quiet, effective way " like the power
behind the throne."
Silas Hemmingway was for a long time a successful and well
known stage propietor. *
There were other proprietors of the shorter lines reaching out
into the country in various directions ; among them, William Pen-
field ; Albert Hosmer, of Avon Springs ; Danforth, and Ottley &
Co., but of these I knew but little.
I recall also, the names of other stage proprietors at that time
familiarly known to the public, who lived in the towns along the
lines traversed by the stages, such as : Thorp and Sprague, at
Stanwix Hall, Albany and at Schenectady ; Faxon and Butterfield,
of Utica ; Colonel Phillips, of Syracuse ; Isaac Sherwood, of
Skaneateles ; Colonel John M. Sherwood, of Auburn ; S.
Greenleaf & Co., of Canandaigua ; John Gregg and Alexander
(Lord) Duncan, of Canandaigua, were stockholders, as were John
Magee, of Bath; Arnot, of Elmira, and Asa Nowlan, of Avon
Springs. The hotel proprietors at the important points were
interested as stage proprietors, particularly Comstock of the
United States Hotel at Avon.
This Hotel was famous for years for its good breakfasts, with
most bountiful supplies of broiled chickens, good coffee and Van
Zandt's rich hot corn bread, never equaled ; and as VanZandt
had a secret corner on it and would not " give it away," the art
of making his famous corn bread has never been divulged. As
the guests seemed all to have good appetites after their mile walk
to the Springs, and the supplies of chickens and corn bread un
limited, their consumption was prodigious.

Stages. 131
Blodgett, of the " Stage House " at Pembroke, was also inter
ested in stages, and his house a famous place for trencher men.
As was "Blossom," of the Ontario House, Canandaigua.
There were also Colonel Sam Barton, of Lewiston, Walbridge
and Blynn of Lockport and Rochester, Sprague of Rochester,
Bissell & Humphrey of " The Eagle," Batavia, Rufus S. Reed of
Erie, and Capt. Sartwell and Benjamin Harrington of the
"Franklin House," of Cleveland; the Niel's, D. W. Deshler and
the SuUivants of Columbus and Nathaniel Tallmage of Lancaster,
Ohio. Stage Coaching.
Stage coaching was not at all times a romantic method of travel,
although the fashion of to-day, and a wish for diversion, have
decreed that it is now the correct thing to do, to have a complete
outfit of a Brighton Stage Coach, with all its modernized appoint
ments, blooded horses, and gentlemen owners to manage the
four-in-hand reins and whip and go for a merry time, speeding
through the country. But in the thirties, in the rough seasons
of the year, the roads were a terror to timid passengers, and oc
casionally they became impassable ; deep sloughs (called slues)
were formed, now and then, there were swampy places, where
stage teams became mired ; long stretches of these swampy roads
were bridged over by what are known as " Corduroy Roads."
This was much the kind of roads thro' the " Cattaraugus Woods :"
These roads were formed by cutting down the adjacent timber
along the side of the road, trimming off" the branches without
much attention to the closeness of the trimming or the equality
in size of the logs, and laying them side by side, over the swamps,
cross-wise the road, to settle or bulge, as the caprice of the frost
or moisture might take direction. Those persons who never have
enjoyed driving over miles of this sort of a road, at a snail's pace,
can imagine the delightful sensations of bump, bump, bumping
along or coming whack up against a larger log than usual to a
dead stop, particularly in a dark, stormy, sleet-freezing night
when the only possible means of seeing our way, were the dim
lights of the stage ; the writer has experienced all this.

132 Recollections of Buffalo.
Compare this mode of travel with that of vestibule trains, sit
ting on velvet easy chairs, enjoying a complete dinner and wines,
looking out of large plate glass windows, framing beautiful land
scapes, or reading by the aid of electric lights, while rolling
smoothly at a speed of forty to fifty miles the hour.
The drivers of the stages were many of them men of good rep
utation, and quite well known, I remember the names of a few
who drove for Bela D. Coe and Rathbun; a large tall man was
Harrington, who died recently, living at the time on Chippewa
Street ; Hopkins, a quite entertaining expert of the whip ; Dan
Beverly, Brundage, and a quaint odd character known as " Old
Age," a little, angular bent up chap, funny as could be and witty
enough for a king's jester, and as strong and good natured as a
donkey. The late Isaac T. Hathaway was a general agent for the stages,
more perhaps as a kind of Quartermaster General looking after
the stock and supplies, subsequently he became Superintendent
of the Niagara Falls Rail Road.
The stage proprietors and stockholders were leading citizens
in the communities where they resided, from Albany to Buffalo;
Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati ; Detroit and Chicago ; en
terprising men ; a kind of disconnected chain of live men, mu
tually interested in like objects, and had they combined their
strength, could have formed a potential syndicate; a grand mo
nopoly ; perhaps an oligarchy.
The stage proprietors as their financial means multiplied,
became interested in other enterprises ; were officers of the
local banks, located in their substantial dwellings, usually
on prominent corners of their towns, with the Banking Office in
the rooms most observable. I can count a number of such in
my memory.
After the displacement of the stage lines and decline of that
business, many of those active men, betook themselves to new
pursuits, having an affinity with the old ; the first of which, of
course, were canal lines, steamboats, transportation companys.

Stages. 133
and then rail road interests, express and telegraph companys ;
quite a good number turned capitalists.
The proprietors, superintendents and agents of that system,
were a strong type of men, enterprising and progressive. It
would be a surprise to many of the active men of the present day,
engaged in the transportation of the animate and inanimate, were
they to study up the subject, to find how many of those men
promptly took hold of Rail Road, Steamboat and Express work,
and from thence to Telegraphs as a natural sequence, and how
many of their families of reputation and wealth, have been plant
ed, exist and flourish in those cities and towns all along the lines
of those old stage routes.
The " old staging days," as they were half a century since,
when they are talked of by the " old stagers " always revive their
somnolent memories ; and then the episodes and incidents of
those tinies flash across their twilight brains like the showers of
meteors in November skies.
In conversation recently with a stage coach director of the old
times of the thirties, speaking of the business of the stages at
that time, the latent fire of his sparkling dark eyes shone bril
liantly as he remarked that: Many were the times he had sent
out twelve to fifteen coaches of a morning, and the fares were fif
teen dollars to Albany ; and when the drivers and others would
take such occasion to strike for more wages, they would be paid
off on the spot, and the proprietors, their brothers, uncles and
agents, would mount the boxes at once, and the procession would
move at the crack of the whips, which could be heard all over
the corporation, and away they would go, twelve miles in the
hour, their stage horns crowing like chanticleers !

CHAPTER VII.
Lake Marine Service.
Before my time, in i8l8, after Robert Fulton's adaptation of
steam on the Hudson River, enterprising residents of Buffalo
built for lake navigation the first steamboat ever built to sail on
the inland waters of the continent. It was called the " Walk-in-
the- Water," after an anglicised Indian mode of nomenclature.
Fulton's steamboat, the " Clermont," had established the ultimate
success of steam as a motive power and opened a new era to the
world. Steam on the Hudson was an important event, more so than
the people then knew, and forever to be coupled with the name
of Fulton and that beautiful river called by tourists " The Rhine
of America." And wherefore, this form of constant comparison
which concedes superiority to the Rhine ? Nature has adorned
the " Hudson " with as many pictures of beauty and grandeur,
on its three hundred miles of length, from Sandy Hook to
Glenn's Falls and Lake Horicon ; as its European rival can claim,
from the Island of Batavia, to the Alps, with the single exception
of the Alpine feature. We can match and surpass its beauties.
We can hardly set off the Adirondacks against the Alpine
regions, the mothers of those beautiful rivers the Hudson and
Rhine. The Hudson, it is true, has not the artificial accessories of
casteUated ruins, nor the poetic "vine clad hills," nor the
" Heidelberg tun," though capable of having all these ; but has
her unrivaled Palisades, Crow Nest, St. Anthony's Nose, and
the Catskills.
The God of nature has distributed his blessings and favors
justly ; no nation nor peoples' have far away to look for his
beauties and bounties. Apropos of this : When two gentlemen

Lake Marine Service. 135
friends, Messrs. Optimist and Pessimist, the last of whom was
given to hypercriticism, were passing over Lake Maggiore, one
remarking upon its beauties, the unreasonable one replied, " It's
all very well, but it does not compare to our ' Lake George ! ' "
" Oh, well," says the other, " We are not on Lake George now ;
let us enjoy Lago Maggiore!'
"Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way;"
From the beginning of the present century, up to the period of
the introduction of steam power on the lakes, the restless
youth and young manhood, impatient at delving in the rugged
soil of the New England States and Eastern New York, began
to emigrate to the west, as Western New York was then called,
or to the " Genesee Country," as the Genesee Valley was then
spoken of, until most of the lands of Ontario, Livingston,
Monroe, Genesee, Niagara, Chautauqua and Erie Counties (and
the other counties created from them) were taken up. When
emigrants began to seek for " green fields and pastures new " in
the Western Counties of Pennsylvania, and in Northern Ohio,
on a wide belt of land, known at that time as the " Western
Reserve." And so ever progressing onward to the west.
The methods of travel adopted by these early emigrants and
continued long after the opening of the Erie Canal, and the use
of steam became general on the lakes, was economically
practicable as well as picturesque and unique :
Almost any day from April to October, might have been seen
passing through our highway, westward bound, a single family
rig; often a Caravan of two, three or more, sometimes a doz.n
in line of Pennsylvania Arks (wagons) or " Prairie Schooners,"
so called from their rising stem and stern, with great canvas
covers, sustained by curved top hoops, not unlike a stretched-
over gigantic caleche. Passing over native trails or the national
roads, through the States of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, on
to Indiana, Illinois, and to the farther west the Missouri and
North-West territories and on towards sundown.

136 Recollections of Buffalo.
Each family of emigrants providing their own moving power
and sustenance for man and beast and in those white canvas-
covered, Gypsy, long reach wagons, with broad tire wheels, two,
three or four horses, perhaps a span of horses with a cow on the
lead, a "spike team" (so called); again, with two, three or four
yoke of oxen. These wagons were equipped with furniture,
bedding, cooking utensils (a big iron pot hung underneath the
Avagon), spinning wheel, babies and the family cat, and tied to
the reach, a long rope leading a cow, followed by a shepherd dog
or mastiff", or both. The wagon was also provided with a fifth
wheel fastened strongly to the stern, as necessity required one at
times ; a refutation of the old adage, " as useless as the fifth
wheel of a coach."
This system was a novel and primitive mode of travel. The
people, mostly farmers, thus literally taking up their beds and
walking, and bivouacking Gypsy fashion, where night o'ertook
them, occasionally breaking down on the route or perhaps burying
one of their party by the roadside, but usually reaching their objec
tive point, after tedious weeks of weary travel, to begin life all
over again, clearing up the virgin soil of the west.
When the great Erie Canal was finished and the water of our
vast chain of lakes was married to tide water in the Hudson
River, a new era in the methods of transportation was inaugu
rated. When the new systems and aids of travel were introduced
of course the old were gradually abandoned. The increase of
facilities for travel and the transportation of merchandise,
produce and live sock, gave an impetus to the business; emi
gration to the west increased rapidly.
The reader will not forget that at the commencement of this
western hegira the suppHes of beef, pork, flour, and most neces
saries of life, had to be transported to the immigrants settled
there, thus casting the bread upon the water, which was returned
to us, more than a thousand fold. As a consequence the freight
and passenger traffic multiplied more and more. Steamboats of
greater tonnage, more passenger room, and larger freight
capacity were needed.

Lake Marine Service. 137
Sheiks of the Lakes.
There originated or came to us, a class of men who appeared
to be created for, and alone adapted to the busines of navigating
the lakes. Captains, masters and mates of steamboats and ves
sels, a special race of men, made for that remarkable era ; like
Mrs. Stowe's Topsy, " they were not born, they growed," like the
oaks, hickorys and sycamores of the forest, a clan or tribe of
men, so peculiar in themselves, I think we shall never look upon
their like again ; we might call them the Sheiks of the Lakes. At
this early period the maps and charts of tKe lakes were incom
plete; all the rocks, reefs, shoals, and quicksands, impeding nav
igation were not clearly defined, the islands and short cuts were
not all known ; your short, chop seas, currents and headlands,
with the absence of sufficient sea room and the need of adequate,
approachable harborage, were all obstacles to encounter. Your
navigator had to be possessed of instinct, shrewd judgment and
endurance to overcome all this ; they did it ! They were men oi
hardy natures, stalwarts, brave, courageous ; inured to rough
usage and dangers, skillful in their profession, quick in grasping
an intricate or complicated situation, suddenly thrust upon them,
and fighting their way out of it. Safety in their looks ; capable
of enjoying life in luxurious ease, shrewd in their business tran-
-sactions ; not obtruding, or never forgetting their opportunities
for money gains ; agreeable in conversation when off duty, rough
in an emergency; jovial by nature, bon comrades in association;
good livers or bad livers, as circumstances might place them.
Many of them have turned out and proved to be long livers ;
rough diamonds, they have filled the requisition of their time and
like their class of ships are passing away into the dim past.
These ambitious sailors were not the typical " Jack Tar " of
the ocean service, nor the ordinary master of the merchant ma
rine, a far different type of men. Ocean navigation demands in
nate courage in those who pursue it and are willing to brave its
dangers ; on our great inland seas, with all the dangers of ocean
navigation increased and magnified by the need of sea room and
the heavy chop seas born of boisterous weather. The want of

138 Recollections of Buffalo.
proper charts, the undertaking of such a dare-God livelihood,
gave evidence of either manliness or recklesness ; hardly a sea
son passed without incidents of great self-denying bravery, hard
ihood or great power of endurance being related of those stal
wart men. The encomiums which rained upon them for their
brave behavior, they regarded no more than if they were " thistle
down or feathers." In what I have said I mean for the period of
the decades of the twenties, thirties and forties.
In looking back and seeing their persons pass in review before
my mind's eye they" appear to have been built nearly after one
model : broad-backed, full and deep chested, mostly of middle
height or above, long-winded, sturdy, unexcitable, phlegmatic;
cool when confronting dangers, alive to the occasion ; never
dull, a good deal of iron and steel but no lead in their composi
tion There were men among them of refined tastes and the man
ners of gentlemen, of the Polonius mode of dress, to which was
added an approachable exterior attitude, and when in the humor,
an abundance of bon hommie, as our older citizens will recall ; such
men as Captains D. Howe, Henry Randall, A. D. Perkins,
George W. Floyd.
The peculiar race seemed to be the outcome and amalgama
tion of three nationalities combined ; the shrewd New England
Yankee, the Holland Dutch, and the Norman gentleman. Their
individualities and their commands, became more stamped and
defined as they grew to fit their grooves and the men were more
fitted to them.
The character of the vessels was as remarkable as that of the
men. The first few years after the introduction of steam
boats on our lakes, it was a changing and experimental era ; they
were built on aU sorts of models: round and full-bosomed bows,
flat and square sterns, sharp cut water lines, narrow prows, flat
bottom, deep bottom and deep keels, narrow, with receding and
narrower sterns ; some with lower cabins only, some with upper
and lower cabins both, others with only upper cabins. Horizon
tal and perpendicular engines and walking beams, high pressure
and low pressure ; some with one smoke stack, like the " Cleve-

THE MODERN SIDE-WHEELER.

I40 Recollections of Buffalo.
land," many with two smoke stacks like the " Henry Clay," or
" DeWitt Clinton ; " with three like the " Charles Townsend ; " with
four smoke stacks and two engines, like the puffing and cough
ing high pressure " New York," with its four, short, diamond
shape, busy walking beams. After the introduction of upper
cabins, the models, strength and beauty of the boats constantly
improved, until in the fifties when steamboat travel culminated,
and was superseded by rail travel, they seemed to have reached
the ultimatum of perfection for side wheel " steamboats ; " for
utility, speed, comfort, luxury, ornamentation, they were the won
der of the world; never excelled before nor since, on salt or fresh
water. The modern and more recent Ericsson propeller, and still more
modern screw steamers, built for capacity, utility and economy,
being the goal which modern enterprise and contractors seek,
have produced a class of steamers on lake and sea of greater
speed, larger dimensions and more profitable. But the last pas
senger side wheelers on our lakes, those " Floating Palaces," were
incomparable. Many of my possible readers cannot forget the
" Northern Indiana," Captain Bob Wagstaff, prince of good fel
lows, and its consort the "Southern Michigan," Captain A. D.
Perkins, with his immaculate ruffle shirt bosom ? and genial man
ners. The " Queen of the West " and " Crescent City ; " the
favorite old " Empire," having three or four hundred feet clear
sweep of cabin, with Capjtain Howe in command ; the new " Em
pire State," Captain Morris Hazard ; the " St. Lawrence " and
V Mississippi," and that ne plus ultra of steamboats, the " City of
Buffalo." I do not expect to particularize the merits and good
qualities of all those old side wheel steamboats or their captains;
nearly all of which, both boats and their captains, were each iden
tified with the other, and conjointly, a separate history.
As new and improved steamers were rapidly produced, the de
serving captains rotated from the old to the new, while the worthy
mates or first officers succeeded to the older boats. Many of the
boats were short-lived ; what with calamities of storm and fire
and those boats which were hurriedly built and early relegated to

Lake Marine Service.

141

the junk yard, and others which could not maintain their running
expenses, by reason of their slow sailing capabilities, too much
use of fuel and other defects, were razeed or went out of com
mission ; the changes were many and frequent.
The steamboats and their captains are all so vivid in my mem
ory, I cannot resist recording them here. In several instances
the names of the boats were duplicated and triplicated, as their
earlier namesakes disappeared. Following the list of boats, I will
record a list of their captains as nearly as I remember them. Of
course the captains commanded several boats in succession. The
names of the boats will be given, beginning with the oldest, and
following as they appeared from time to time down to the latest,
as my memory will serve. These vessels ranged from one hun
dred tons to three thousand tons.
The first or pioneer boat, built for lake service, as most Buffa
lonians know, and which belonged to the pristine era of steam
boats, was built at Black Rock, near the head of Squaw
Island, which was then thickly covered by forest trees, in 18 18,
and started on her first trip August 25th of that year, and was
wrecked before my time, was the :
" Walk-in-the- Water."

Pioneer.
Wm. Peacock.
Wm. Penn.
Robert Fulton.
United States.
Ohio (2.)
Experiment.New England.
Barcelona.
Thames (Canadian.)
Michigan (3.)
C. C. Trowbridge.
Paragon, Champion. ,
Columbia.
J. Woolcott,
Fairport.

Enterprize. Charles Townsend.
New York.
De Witt Clinton.
James Monroe.
Pennsylvania. Bunker Hill.
Caroline.Washington (2,)
Constitution, Lexington.
Albion. Patronage.
Defiance. Amelia. Southerner. J. D. Morton.

Superior. Henry Clay.
General Porter.
Commodore Perry, [ihony,
Anthony Wayne or Mad An-
Columbus. Victory. North America.
Adelaide (Canadian.)
Sandusky. Governor Mason.
John Hollister.
Algomah.
Emerald. Islander,Sam. Ward.
Globe.

142

Recollections of Buffalo.

Dover. Ben. Franklin.
Frank Moore.
Adrian. C, L. Gager.
Detroit.
Uncle Sam,
Governor Cass,
Governor Marcy,
Erie, Cincinnatti.Daniel Webster.
Star.
James Madison.
G. P. Griffith.
Milwaukee, Kentucky.
Indiana, Diamond.Chicago.Red Jacket.
Golden Gate.
Nile. Plendrick Hudson.
Baltimore.
Oregon. Boston. Clifton,Atlantic,Keystone State.
A, D, Patchin,
Western World.
Empire State.
St, Lawrence,
Crescent City.

Eclipse.
John Owen.
Havana. Commerce.
Waterloo. Rochester.General Macomb.
General Harrison.
Thomas Jefferson.
(Little) Erie.
Wisconsin.Great Western.
Albany. W. F. P. Taylor.
Ilhnois.
Tecumseh. Pearl.
Julia Palmer.
Canada.Belle.
Arrow. New Orleans.
Saratoga. Garden City.
Louisiana.Minnesota. Empire.Artie.Sultana.Mayflower.Plymouth Rock.
Queen City.
Northern Indiana.
Mississippi.
City of Buffalo.

Wave. Herald.
Astor.
Mishawaka. Union. Chesapeake. Governor Seward.
General Scott.
Oliver Newbury.
Chautauqua. Buffalo.
Niagara (2,)
Troy. Constellation.Cleveland.
Alabama. Ruby.
London.Fashion.St. Clair.
Huron. Pacific.Bay City.
Iowa.Missouri.St. Louis.
America. Ocean. Bahic.
Lady Elgin.
Buckeye State.
Western Metropolis.
Southern Michigan.
Queen of the West.

Two Steamers built for service on Lake Michigan in 1859 with
ocean marine engines, the Detroit and the Milwaukee, one built
in Buffalo and the other in Detroit. The Canadian man of war
Minos ; the United States man of war Michigan ; and the two
first Ericsson propellers built for the lakes, the Hercules and
Sampson, which commenced a new era in steamboat propulsion
and relegated the side wheelers to the past.

Lake Marine Service.

143

Included in the foregoing list of steamboats are the :
Wm. Peacock: which burst her boiler in 183 1 and was
destroyed immediately after leaving this port, scalding to death
some seventeen persons.
The Erie : Captain Titus, burned on Lake Erie in August,
1 84 1, by which over three hundred persons lost their lives
among them a number of well-known Buffalonians.
The Washington : the first of this name was wrecked ; the
second burned and beached two or three miles above the Buffalo
light-house, by which a large number of lives were lost.
The G. P. Griffith: burned and broke in two parts and sank
on Lake Erie ; and many lives were lost.
The Lady Elgin : burned and wrecked on Lake Michigan,
with large loss of life ; among the passengers was a prominent
citizen of Buffalo, John B, Macy, who had been president of the
City Bank.
The Atlantic: foundered in a gale in eighteen fathoms of
water on Lake Erie ; nearly all the passengers were lost.
Among the captains or masters who commanded many of the
foregoing list of Steamboats, whom I can call to mind, were :
Captain Job Fish, first; John Davis, second; Jedediah Rogers,
third, and Captain Sherman, all captains of the " Walk-in-the-
Water."

Wm. T. Miller.
Peter Shainholdts.
O. Shepard.
John Stewart.
Aaron Root.
Sam. Chase.
Chas. L. Gager.
Lester H. Cotton.
David P. Dobbins.
Morris Hazard.
Walter Norton.
Simeon Fox:
Archibald Allen.
Wm. T. Pease.
Jacob Imson.
Gil. Traverse.

Chelsea Blake.
Asa Hart.
Harry Whittaker.
Miles Case.
S. F. Atwood.
A. H. Squier.
Levi Allen.
Ben. Stannard.
Amos Pratt.
D, P, Nickerson,
Chas, Burnett.
Geo. W. Floyd.
C. A. Milliken.
 Powers.
R. Haskell.
W. P. Stone.

John Shook.
Augustus Walker.
Robert Hart.
Oilman Appleby.
John Hebard.
Robert Burnett.
Chas. C. Stanard.
J. T. Homans, U. S, A
Fred, Miller,
James J, McFaddcn,
Adolphus Howe.
J. L. Edmunds.
Charles Folger.
C. Gregory.
Jeremiah C. Oliver.
J. W. Tuttle,

144
D. H. McBride,
W. W. Davenport.
Charles H. Ludlow.
T. J Titus.
A. D. Perkins.
Peter Hotaling.
R, C. Bristol,
Richard Winslow.
I, T, Pheatt.
E, P, Dorr.

Recollections of Buffalo.
G. A. Strong.
Robert Wagstaff,
Asaph S, Bernis.
W. Dickson.
R. Estabrook.
Fred. Wheeler.
Ben. Trowbridge. *
Morris Tyler.
Geo. W. Willoughby.
James M. Averill.
Frank Perew.

Chauncey Vail.
L. A. Pierce.
David Wilkinson.
Thos. Wilkins.
James M. Lundy.
E. Robertson.
Henry Randall.
H. Van Allen.
A. T. Kingman.
John W. Webster.

Many of the captains above recorded commenced their careers
as masters of sail vessels ; it was considered as a promotion to
be appointed to the command of a steamboat. Of those
mentioned, there is but one who did not sail a steamer; but he
deserved to be included among our noble list of stalwart
captains : John W. Webster, who was in command of the " Brig
Neptune." I know, from his own lips, that once during a violent
storm he was struck down by a lightning stroke, from the
effects of which he never fully recovered.
His brig was wrecked in a wild snow storm and terrible gale,
on a bleak, barren shore of Lake Michigan ; the cold was intense,
and he had to make his way several miles to a lonely habitation,
the last mile crawling on his hands, with his feet and legs frozen ;
he suffered amputation of both. If I remember the event
correctly, most of his crew were lost with the vessel. Captain
Webster has been known to mount the rigging of a vessel after
the loss of his legs.
Charles M, Reed, of Erie, Pa., was, during the era of side-
wheel steamers, the most enterprising, boldest steamboat propri
etor on the whole chain of lakes. He built some of the largest
and best boats ; his list of boats would make a large, handsome
fleet; he employed the most reputable, thorough-going men as
his officers. The late James C. Harrison was his general agent
at Buffalo.

Lake Marine Service. 145
I have been told that in the history of the steamer " James
Madison," one of Mr. Reed's boats, the profits one season ex
ceeded the original aggregate cost of the steamer and a surplus
beyond that, of four thousand dollars ; there were several
Captains who commanded this vessel, among them were Captain
Levi Allen, R. C. Bristol and James McFadden.
There was living at that time at Erie, P. S. V. Hamet, a French
gentleman of wealth, and who possessed a lovely daughter, of
whom Captain Bristol became much enamored and which passion
the young lady reciprocated. But to a matrimonial arrangement
between the lovers, father Hamet made his most decided
objection. The boats of the " Reed Line " all touched at Erie on their
passages to and fro. On an occasion of the usual -call of the
" Madison " at the Port of Presque-Isle and while surging at the
pier, steam being up. Captain McFadden in command, a carriage
made its appearance from which came Miss Hamet, Captain
Bristol and another, on board, to inspect the vessel. As soon as
the party had reached the cabin, the lady forgetting to disembark,
the boat slipped from her moorings and continued its passage
The " Madison" was not a fast boat; and another of Mr. Reed's
boats (the "Jefferson") being at the dock, she pursued, and the
" Madison " was overtaken at Conneaut, Mr. Reed himself being
on board.
This abduction or kidnapping case, as it was called, created
much talk all around the region of the lakes. Civil and criminal
suits were instituted against Captain Bristol by Mr. Hamet,
which implicated others, I am not sure but embroiling Mr. Reed
in the controversy. Finally Miss Hamet did not marry Captain
Bristol. To complete these records of the Lake Marine, or approximate
to it, of those old steamboat days, I will 'add the names of the
firms of proprietors, agents, consignors and commission merchants
living here, who were at the same time owners and agents of the
several lines of canal boats on the Erie Canal, which' gave life to

146 Recollections of Buffalo.
this traffic, and were instrumental in and opened the highways
of travel and traffic to the " far west : "
Sheldon, Thompson & Co.
Townsend & Coit, f Troy and Erie Line.
Coit, Kimberly & Co,, -j United States Line.
Kimberly & Pease, (_ " " "
Barker & Holt, f Merchants Line.
Holt, Palmer & Co., < Clinton Line.
Hunter, Palmer & Co., (Washington Line.
Joy & Webster, Buffalo Line.
r Telegraph Line.
r^ , , 0 T-. Commercial Line.
Gelston & Evans, i ry, . . , t ¦
' I i ransportation Lme,
[ Western Line.
Norton, Carlisle & Co.
Mahlon, Kingman & Co., Detroit Line.
{Great Western Line.
Utica and Buffalo Line.
New York and Buffalo Line.
Pratt, Taylor & Co., Eagle Line.
-n • c li 0 r^ f Troy and Ohio Line.
3iice, Saltar & Co., | ^^^ York and Ohio Line.
E. T. Wilson, New York and Ohio Line.
George Davis & Co., National Line.
C Pilot and Traders Line.
Atwater & Ruden, < Erie and Ohio Line.
(_ American Transportation Co.
Edward Norton & Co.
Ward & Brace, Fulton Line.
Kinne, Davis & Co.
A. R. Cobb & Co.
Azel, Hooker & Co.
Niles & Wheeler.
Smith & Macy.
James Murray.
Niles & Kinne.
Samuel F. Purdy.
Philo Durfee.
Russell & Hawes.

Lake Marine Service. 147
At the time Gould & Fiske managed the " Erie Railroad,"
" Jim " Fiske managed a line of handsome Arcade Steamers on
Long Island Sound. Among other improvements and customs
he adopted, was putting all the officers into dark blue uniforms
with gilt buttons and gilt bands around their blue caps. This
fashion "Was not original with Fiske in the Merchant Marine
Service. Colonel W. F. P. Taylor, of the old firm of Pratt,
Taylor & Co. of the Eagle Line, introduced the custom years
before by having the officers of their boats, when on duty, wear
a uniform consisting of a naval cap with silver gilt band and
eagle buttons, blue pea jackets with a white spread eagle woven
in the cloth flaps, and box coats with large white spread eagle
woven in the skirts, and white gilt eagle buttons.
The Prince de Joinville.
In the summer of 1844, it might have been in 1845, 1 saw here
in Buffalo the son of King Louis Phillippe, the Prince de Join
ville. As he passed me leisurely with a nonchalant air, accom
panied by his suite of three friends, I had time, as a merchant
might say, to take an account of stock of him. A jaunty, well
set up Frenchman, quite English however in dress, cast of coun
tenance and walk, evidently in good humor and jovial with his
comrades. He wore a short, drab brown, sack coat, the prevail
ing fashion of those days, his hands stuck in his low coat pock
ets, his right hand holding a crooked neck Niagara cane, wrong
end up, handle in the pocket. He was en route for Fort Mack
inac and Green Bay, on a voyage of discovery to ascertain the
whereabouts of Eleazer Williams, said to be among the Menomi
nee Indians, as a missionary priest, and also to be the lost Prince
of Bourbon, son of the "Widow Capet," whom no one seemed
to care for after Marie Antoinette gave in her adhesion to Dr.
Guillotine. The Prince de Joinville appeard to be enjoying a
pleasure trip; he had taken passage on board the "Columbus,"
commanded by Peter Shainholdts, bound for Green Bay. Shain
holdts was a Frenchman or a Fleming by birth, but had sailed
our inland seas, and knew all about Saginaw Bay, Presque Isle^

148 Recollections of Buffalo.
Michilimackinac, Thunder Bay, Bois Blanc or " Boblow ' as the
sailors called the island, and so on. Was a first-class, safe sailor,
with whom a Prince might be trusted ; a magnetic, demonstrat
ive Frenchman, fuU of enthusiasm and fun, a big fellow and bon
comrade. The Prince and he were soon on intimate terms of
conviviality. Shainholdts was a resident of Buffalo, well-known
and ranked among our best commanders. The Prince on his re
turn wrote a few stanzas of off-hand poetry descriptive of his voy
age; I preserved a copy for a long time but cannot discover it;
my memory does not recall but a line or two, which ran thus :
"Our Capitane Shainholdts, spoke all langue;"
" Indian, Anglais, Dutch, Patois, and Profane."
A Tedious and Perilous Journey.
In December '47 after a tedious, dismal, back-aching journey
from Wisconsin Territory, of nine weary days, I, in a stage load
of nine inside passengers, through prairie mud, (none blacker),
rain, sleet, snow and ruts, in stage coach, Jersey wagon, and ev
ery sort of four-wheeled vehicle; sometimes on three wheels, driv
ing, dragging, or riding on a fence rail, or walking, plodding and
working our passage ; holding up the stage on a slippery side
hill ; we reached the old " Michigan Exchange " at Detroit, late
one evening, weary and worn. Next morning we counted our
selves fortunate when we saw a placard announcing the departure
that evening for Buffalo, of the " Steamboat Michigan," Captain
Stewart ; " for freight or passage apply on board." We were glad
to take the risk of lake passage, very late in the season though
it was, rather than another journey on wheels or fence rails.
When we assembled on board we found the only passengers
were our stage load of nine, with two supernumerary captains, one
with his wife, who herself was an experienced sailor. We were
gratified to find on board, as steward, that well known caterer
and sterling good fellow, Wyncoop, who, together with our cap
tains, either of whom was a "Stonewall " of security and safety
for us ; one of whom, " Old Blake," rivaled our Stewart as " Com
modore of the Lakes " par excellence. The first night on board,.

Lake Marine Service. 149
we had our first gale of wind ; I was a wide awake lad, but " tired
nature's sweet restorer," soon sent me to the welcome arms of its
God Morpheus, who had no sounder worshipper. In the morn
ing when I opened my state room door, imagine my surprise:
instead of the white porcelain and gilt mouldings of the cabin
ofthe evening previous, it was all blackened, scorched and charred
by fire. It seems that after I had gone to my berth and asleep,
the gale came on and the " Michigan " pitched and tossed in the
cross-fire of the seas to such an extent, that the cabin stove, a
wood -burning affair, though wired in place, capsized and set on
fire the carpets, curtains and draperies, which but for the zealous
watchfulness of our friend Wyncoop and the efficient aid of our
three old captains we should all have gone to " Davy Jones' Lock
er.'' The gale continued through the next night and we were
driven into one of the ports on the south shore of Lake Erie.
The third day there was a violent snow gale ; I cannot forget
with what watchful eagerness I studied the stoical countenances
of those three weather wise and weather beaten captains as they
scanned the vessel, watched the portentous clouds, conferring
together on the situation. No anxiety appeared in their faces,
nor was I conscious of a thought of danger, while being protect
ed by these giant mariners. On the morning of the fourth day
there was a heavy and continuous snow storm ; the wind had
subsided, but the feathery flakes of snow still came down. We
all knew that we were in the vicinity of Buffalo light house, but
where was it ? We could not catch a glimpse of any known ob
ject to guide our keel; we could hear the nine o'clock Sunday
school morning bells; an hour or two on we heard them ringing
the good people to church, but no sound or beacon to point the
passage into the harbor. Our captains were at their wits ends,
while toiling with their surmises and struggling with their opin
ions as to their position. They reminded me of the superlative
wisdom of " Jack Bunsby " and " Captain Cuttle." At length
we found our way to the dock, foot of Main Street, and drove up
in a sleigh through two feet of snow, to a late dinner at the
" Mansion," furnished by mine host Dorsheimer.

150 Recollections of Buffalo.
There was great fun and sometimes excitement in those days
on the various steamboats. All one season, there was much
strife between the " Constitution," Captain Oilman Appleby, and
the " Sandusky," Captain Stannard, as to their relative speed ;
every return trip from Detroit, when they were lightly loaded,
they were to be seen when a long distance from port, with their
long, cometic, dense volumes of belching fire and black smoke
suggestive of burning oil and tar ; the coughing puffs of exhaust
steam, and clattering rush of paddle wheels, could be heard for
miles, while running side by side, endeavoring which should
reach the goal of her dock first, the winning boat landing amid
the cheers of the multitude assembled there. These contests
would continue nearly through the summer season, with alter
nating success between the rival boats.
Our old popular captain, Bob Wagstaff", was a kind of dare
devil driver on the lake and awakened much interest with his
feats of navigation and speed. With his sharp prowed " North
ern Indiana," he contended it, had no competitor for speed and
hence raced continually against his own time.
Who that remains with us of those old steamboat days, that
does not remember that bonnie steamboat " St. Louis," Captain
Fred. Wheeler; clerk, Sanford and " Tut Bloomer,'' (prince of ca
terers) as Steward ? Full of fun, wit and originality, and who
could develop a splendid chowder from a sturgeon and a few
clam shells, or feed a multitude with five barley loaves and a few
small fishes, and the crew from the fragments. Where ? where ?
are the jolly parties, large and small, who were with " Captain
Fred." the round trip to Chicago, again and again, merely for
the fun and association ? Captain and crew and nearly all the ex
cursionists, rare good fellows, gone! Gone to the shining shore;
and the larks and frolics of those jolly days gone by forever!
Captain Augustus Walker
Effects Radical Improvements in Steamboat Cabins.
Among our hst of captains may be found the name of Captain
Augustus Walker ; a man of enterprising genius, the first to con-

Lake Marine Service. 151
ceive and introduce into use the upper cabin upon our steamboats.
It was a long time before he could prevail upon or induce ship
owners or ship builders to construct them ; all manner of objec
tions were raised against their adoption, they were impracticable ;
they would increase the tonnage and cost without a correspond
ing return of ducats, by reason of the necessity of building the
hulls heavier and very much stronger; their increased depth of
draught would impair their speed, requiringlmore power to over
come the inertia, make them unmanageable in heavy weather,
lessen, materially, their carrying capacity for freight, and many
other cogent reasons, so that, not being a man with an abund
ant purse, it took Captain Walker several years to gain a practi
cal experiment of his original idea, as uniqe as it was finally suc
cessful. If I remember rightly, his first attempt was to construct
an upper cabin upon the steamboat Daniel Webster, a favorite
boat, painted black, then an unusual color for American vessels,
and which got the sobriquet of the " Black Dan," by which
name the great statesman was often spoken of, alluding to his
complexion and heavy dark brows. The experiment succeeded
so well that soon after a steamboat, the " Great Western," ot
which Captain Walker was a part owner, was constructed, adopt
ing a model designed for an upper cabin, which was an entire
success ; this boat became very popular with the traveling public.
The Great Western was the forerunner that sounded the death
knell of all the old hulks then in commission, which had only
the old sub-marine cabins. Each new steamboat that came out,,
and they rapidly followed one after another, were provided with
improved upper cabins. Previously, in the old class of steam
boats, so soon to become obsolete, we had the dark, stuffy, un
wholesome, after cabin, below deck, mostly beneath the water
line. With long lines of open berths, built in tiers along the
sides of the cabin, made to conform to the bends and ribs of the
hull, each with a short valance or curtain in front to screen the
occupant. There were also tiers of temporary racks, constructed
nightly, through the centre of the cabin, for the sleeping accom-
mo.dation of a superabundance of passengers. And between

152 Recollections of Buffalo.
these temporary berth racks and the stationary ones on either
side, were stretched long lines of continuous tables for meals ;
often, late snoring sleepers, were penned in their berths while
breakfast was being served. A general wash-room where pas
sengers congregated in gangs to perform their ablutions, was pro
vided on one side of the machinery, reached through a dark
cramped entry way forward of the cabin, while the other side
was occupied by the steward's pantry and kitchen.
At that time, in the later years of the " thirties," when this rad
ical change to the upper cabins was made, the steamers were of
small tonnage and a limited' passenger capacity, compared with
their upper cabin successors. They were often crowded, on their
upward passage, considerably beyond their limit. Imagine the
sanitary condition under the circumstances I have stated, particu
larly in rough weather, with sorry appointments for those
afflicted with mal de mer.
All breathing the tainted atmosphere redolent of bilge water,
the confined air from greasy machinery, the fumes from the kitch
en and odors of the perspiring colored waiters, meantime, as the
meals were about to be served. The hungry passengers who
were fortunate enough to obtain a standing place alongside of
the tables, with one hand clutching a cane bottom stool, whereon
to sit when the order was given by the steward to " take seats
ladies and gentlemen," fearing reprisals, looking upon their near
neighbors, wanting food, as their wolfish enemies. All waiting
the sounding ofthe hideous gong (sometimes purposely withheld
to tantalize the struggling passengers and amuse the aforesaid
colored waiters with their broad satanic grins.) Then, most of
the passengers would plunge into the tables and gorge from the
trenchers of food by shoveling it into their mouths with buckhorn
handle long case knives. When fully established at this delecta
ble occupation, a stalwart negro would stalk round the table,
ringing a harsh, high-toned bell and crying out repeatedly in a
droned bass voice, without modulation : " All those passengers
wot hav'ntpaid their fares will please call immejutely to the Cap
tain's office and s-e-t-t-1-e ! " After one such a call, I once heard

Lake Marine Service. 153
while passing through Long Island Sound, a facetious chap ex
claim : " Here, waiter ! waiter ! take this cup, called coffee to the
Captain's office and have it s-e-t-t-1-e  d ! "
Now note the contrast to the foregoing description : After the
consummation of Captain Walker's idea or conception of the Up
per Cabin Steamboat, the passengers were introduced into light,
airy saloons, above decks, opening out of which were well ap
pointed state-rooms, with egress to the guards upon the upper
deck. These state-rooms were furnished with the customary ne
cessities and comforts of a bed room, of course in a moderate
way, but as compared with the old way, it was luxurious. More
than all, you enjoyed the privacy of your own room, with pure
air, light and water. The upper cabin, also, gave you a light and
airy apartment for your meals, where you could distinguish the
color of your next neighbor, and could analyze to a degree the
character of your food by the sense of vision ; you had also, a
protected promenade, where you felt you could hold up your
head as you walked ; even the waiters seemed more respectful
and obliging. Indeed, it seemed as if we all had emerged from a
common sewer and taken our proper places in the world's pro
gress. It did not take a long time for Captain Walker's invention to
become universally adopted, but, excepting locally, I have never
heard his name mentioned in connection with this improvement,
so essential to the health and comfort of travelers.
It is said that : " A prophet is not without honor save in his
own country." Walker was as deserving of honor and a mem
orial monument as Jenner, Hahneman or other life preserver on
sanitary principles.
Sylvanus Russell, who rests entombed in " Forest Lawn," was
the inventor of the improved dredging machines, which are in
continual use in our harbors. Grain Elevators.
Joseph Dart was the inventor of the grain elevator which he
first practically used in this city. The site of the " Dart Eleva-

154 Recollections of Buffalo.
tor " was where the " Bennett Elevator " now stands ; it seems a
pity that in naming elevators they should entirely abandon
" Dart," whose immense labor saving invention has revolution
ized the transfer of grain throughout the world.
Since writing the foregoing : Robert Dunbar, a highly esteemed
and long a resident of Buffalo, has passed away. A mechanical
engineer by profession ; since his death he has been spoken of
as the inventor of the grain elevator system. That Mr. Dunbar
may have worked in unison with the late Mr. Dart in perfecting
his invention may be true ; never having heard that Mr. Dart
was a practical or professional mechanic, he may have called so
expert a man as Mr. Dunbar to his aid, as is commonly done in
applying ideas to practical work. Having known Mr. Dart for
many years and never having heard of any other person being
mentioned in connection with the invention of grain elevators,
I could not change my faith in Mr. Dart's reputation as the in
ventor ; and yet I maintain a high estimate ofthe late Mr. Dun
bar and his abilities. — Editor.
Captain Levi Allen.
It would be a regretted omission for me not to make a special
mention of the man whose name heads this paragraph. Captain
Allen, if I be not mistaken, is the oldest Lake captain now living,
and whose age is nearing the nineties, having been born in 1802,
and who has lived here longer than any other known person, un
less perhaps he might dispute that honor, with Mrs. Thaddeus
Weed, whose father. Dr. Cyrenius Chapin, was the first perma
nent settler in Buffalo.
The Captain's first experience as a saUor was on board the
" Walk-in-the-Water," he has been master of several of the old
side-wheel steamboats ; in particular the " Buffalo," a long time
favorite, which he built. Besides having been one of the most
notable and popular commanders of steamboats on the lakes,
he has been engaged in many enterprises on land as well as
on the water : is to-day interested in business.
Captain Allen resides on Delaware Avenue in apparent good
health. A man who has ever been much respected in this com
munity ; a genuine stalwart. May he outlive this his own century \

CHAPTER VIII.
Solicitors.
There was a class of men in Buffalo of a race or type peculiar
to themselves; they adopted the title and were known as
" Solicitors.'' They possessed characteristics, not usual with
others, in like condition, or on the same plane of life. We
might call them a clan of men. They originated at the time the
stage coach was the popular method of travel from here to the
east. From here to the west and north, or south-west, travelers
mostly went by private conveyance, emigrant wagons, or sail
vessels, of small tonnage or freighting capacity. The stages
multiplied ; stage routes were opened, and lines formed in all
directions. Rival lines employed men to seek out travelers and
engage them as passengers. Canal lines of boats, for people
and freights, were established, and Canal Packet boats exclusively
for passengers became a stylish mode of travel. Finally, steam
boats came into general use. Travel increased, emigrants began
flocking to the west; those passenger solicitors, or this clan got
to be an important factor in advertising the various lines of
stages, canal boats and steamboats. These men were also called
" steamboat runners." They ignored that title however, em
phatically. They were " steamboat agents ; " or, rather, as they
finally assumed the title " General Solicitors ! " Albeit they
were rivals in their calling, like lawyers in the courts, when their
wrangling business was over they were boon companions, true
to their clan. They soon abandoned stage business and sought
wider fields in canal and lake business. Our older citizens can
recall the names of many of those men, now mostly, or all,
passed away.
To our older citizens the recollections of them will bring to
mind many of their characteristic jokes and anecdotes. The

iS6 Recollections of Buffalo.
writer now remembers the names of a few who were well-known
in his early youth. Milt Keyes, with his three-cornered cocked
spectacles, with green side blinders ; Bill Baldy, with a mahogany
face ; Sam. Paine, a sort of sporting character ; Bill Lockwood,
a noted horse plunger, who quite recently "passed in his chips;"
"Hoppy" Young, who is still ambulant on tellus ; Andrew
Campbell, "who has thrown up his little game;" Gus. Tiffany,
the legislative statesman ; Fred. Emmons, John O'Brien, and
others of that ilk. They were fair representatives of the men of
whom I write. They had a dual profession : besides being
solicitors for passengers for stages, canal packets, " line boats,"
and steamboats, they were counselors and advisers to the
travelling public for the numerous and various sorts of hotels,
taverns and places of resort, here, there and elsewhere. The
business of soliciting and the number of professionals increased.
A noted character among these " General Agents," and who
assumed a higher tone than the ordinary solicitor, was
Colonel Nat. Johnson.
He was known to every one in this vicinity, and to the traveling
public, if not personally, by reputation. He seemed to be the
special runner for the Lower Lake and River Steamers : the
" American Line " of pleasure Packets between Lewiston and
Montreal. The boats of this line were examples of neatness in every
way : not extravagantly fitted up with sumptuous gorgeousness,
but clean, fresh and bright and carefully appointed with selected
crews. The steamers were the " Lady-of-the-Lake," Rochester,
Cataract, Niagara and Ontario ; severally commanded by Cap
tains Estes, Kilby, Van Cleve, and Ledyard, all good men. In
those days it was thought to be the realization of a romance
to make that picturesque trip.
In the summer season the great flow and drift of southern
travel went by the way of Niagara Falls and through the
" Thousand Islands," the White Mountains, Lake Champlain,
and Lake George, to " Saratoga Springs." This southern travel

Solicitors. 157
mostly consisted of the sugar " Nabobs " of Louisiana and rich
planters from the " Cotton States," and their families, and friends;
frequently in parties of six, eight, ten and often a dozen, includ
ing their sons and daughters, lively southern girls, with pleasant,
jolly and prettily spoken manners, accompanied by their " Old
Aunties," maids and other colored servants; slaves, but trusted
members of and friends of the family, all going for a good time.
When these parties put in an appearance here at the old
"American," or at the " Cataract " and "Pavilion" at Niagara
Falls, all of which were " Nat's " combined " headquarters."
Then Colonel Nat. was in his glory.
Very soon some sub rosa " Pal " of Nat's would quietly
approach the party and slide into a communicative and suggc-^tive
conversation with them, ascertain their intended movements
and plans, (these parties were very frank to talk of their
intentions, for whoever their conversations might be with, were
their friends for the time being.) Then this transient " Pal " of
Nat's would inquire in a wondering manner, " Why, don't you
know Colonel Johnson ? Why, he will pilot you and give you
all the information that you can possibly need. Everybody
knows Colonel Johnson. He is a particular favorite with all
southern ladies; goes down to Georgia in winters to see Colonel
Black and Colonel Barlow and I don't know how many others.
You must know him, of course." Then all the party are
clamorous to see this wonderful colonel. The "Pal" or sub-
agent then offers to seek him at the office of the company, or
over to the General's, presumably General Porter,'^ and of course
is successful and brings the Colonel, who is a large man, with
debonair manners, (rather coarse), a too genial face, which face
has a carmine showing of good fellowship ; it also has a sub
stratum of coarseness below.
He is introduced with a " flourish of trumpets " to the party,
ladies and all, as Colonel Johnson, " General Agent " of the

* General Porter at that time resided in a quite large and sightly old-time mansion
a block away from the Cataract Hotel on the corner of the two main avenues. The
house was surrounded by ample grounds embellished with shrubbery.

158 Recollections of Buffalo.
Lower Lake, Montreal and Quebec Steamers, After a little the
Colonel is asked if he " won't join them in a mint julep, in which
beverage they were about to indulge when the Colonel came up."
The Colonel beams ! " Why, of course he will." He is quite
pleased to think they have ascertained the merits of the
" Cataract" julep in unstinted glasses ; if they do not put quite
enough eau-de-vie into them ; but they will wish while engaged in
the process of absorption, through the straws, that their necks
were a yard long, so they can the longer enjoy it. Colonel Nat.
has bagged the flock, or game !
Working the Immigrants.
Large bodies of immigrants, landing from canal boats, to take
lake passage, were assailed by the individuals pf this clan, with
most earnest desire to aid and assist the western pioneers from
New England or Jersey, the immigrant Teutons or Sons of Erin
to take the right boat and not be misled by those false pretend
ers, who were trying to deceive them into taking those other
boats, which are notoriously slow old tubs, besides being unsea-
worthy. They would labor hard in their vocation, individually, or dip
lomatically, make compromise treaties with each other, and form
ing in parties of twos and threes or a triple alliance offensive or de
fensive and thus attack the massed bodies of immigrants, hesi
tating in doubt which rival steamboat to take ; assailing them on
either flank and by eloquent persuasion seeking to accomplish
their mission in favor of this or that steamer in whose interest
they might be employed. To secure the whole or a large party
by one individual, by collusion with a leading man among the
travelers, was a notable success or achievement ; a victory over
his brother solicitors.
As the high toned solicitors ploughed their way through the
crowd of immigrants along the wharves, with all their polyglot
of languages, with noisy ejaculactions of "Mien GottI" "Be
Jabbers /" " Gott in Himmel ! " " Sacrc Bleu ! " and other exple
tives, each in their own vernacular, until the confusion, clatter of

Solicitors. 159
tongues and general racket, became like the Council Chamber
of Pandemonium. This condition of entanglement was part of
the game of the solicitors to evolve ; to have the question of pref
erence of boat or boats decided and scoop them all in, until for
the sake of public decency it would be necessary to call for the
" Police Force,"
to quell the disturbance and bring order out of chaos. About
this moment of time of the chaotic negotiations, some success
ful advocate of the clan would cordially grasp the hand of the
leader among the emigrants, in token that the whole matter was
settled, and march off with him to one or other ofthe advertised
steamboats, followed by nearly all the Argonauts ; but Mike or
Pat would linger, hoping to discuss the matter further, from pure
love of disputation.
The so-called " Police Force," were a self-assuming genus of
men, born and brought forth soon after the accouchement of the
city, and were the progenitors of the old " Niagara Police," es
tablished here after the example of the " State Police " of New
York City, some years since, which has finally evolved into the
present systems. Our earliest " Police Force " as a class, were
brighter, more keen witted, more alert, with more executive abil
ity than the members of the ordinary constabulary of the town;
the " Cop," night-watchman, or " Charley," of those earlier days.
They did not hesitate to arrogate to themselves however, a " little
brief authority ; " but they were good monitors and protectors
of the public peace and order. From this class of men, after
wards were selected our Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs, our keen
est and sharpest detectives. Police Inspectors, Chiefs and Commis
sioners, and deputy U. S. Marshals.
There were among them such men as George W. Smith, Rob
ert H. Best, George B. Gates, Samuel Fursman, Joseph K. Tyler,
Marshall W. Bottom, John W. Stewart, John Pierce, Milan Ad
ams, Benjamin Toles, Leroy Faraham, Asa P. Harris, Col. Alfred
demons, Henry Jeudevine, John Prince, Peter Corbin, Johna
than W. George, George A. Hudson, and others.

i6o Recollections of Buffalo.
The members of the " Police Force," could and did, often con
trol the unruly classes by a look or raising a warning finger.
They filled the bill at the time that they adopted as their official
cognomen, "The Police Force."
The writer has frequently in talk at the " Old Buffalo Club,"
heard one of the men above mentioned, when relating some an
cient " chestnut " say, with smothered pride : " When I was on
the Police Force," alluding to those times. But, I have again di
gressed from the text. Some of the " Solicitors " had personal
peculiarities which were continually cropping out. They were
popular with the mass of the people ; humorous, witty ; their se
rious faults were too much " gamboling on the green," indulgence
in the flowing bowl, and other sensual and exciting gratifications.
Among them was one curious character, Fred. Emmons ; al
ways good natured, known to be funny, oftentimes impecunious.
Late one night going to his home, (there were no street lights
then,) an unknown person made a stroke at him but missed his
aim ; Fred, turned on him and laughingly demanded, what he
wanted? " Your money or your life ! " to which Fred, instantly
replied : " See here, stranger, I hav'nt any money, but, if you will
step round with me into " Perry's Coffee House," I'll gi.ve you
my note at ninety days ! "
I was standing at the corner of Main and Seneca Streets late
one night, talking with an old friend, William Trowbridge (a
younger brother of the late Dr. John S. Trowbridge,) he had re
turned that week from a three years' whaling voyage. As we
were parting, I said to him : " Where are you stopping. Will ? "
" At home," he replied. At that instant a man passing said :
" Where did you say ? " " Why do you ask ; who are you ? " said
Trowbridge, " Oh, I am taking the census and I wanted you in."
We then discovered that it was the irrepressible Fred. Emmons.
The steamboat William Peacock burst its boiler, (I think it
was in the season of 1832,) a few mUes out of Buffalo Harbor,
and many passengers were scalded to death, which caused con
sternation in those then traveling, and consequent timidity.
Shortly after the event a party of Eastern States people were

Solicitors. i6i
here, going West ; Fred, plying his vocation, approaching them,
presenting his credentials, (a steamboat advertisement,) said :
He was the agent of a nice new steamboat, about to leave for
Detroit, Michigan, and the intermediate ports ? (Detroit at that
early date Ipeing generally the ultimate destination of .steamboats ;
occasionally one would reach out as far as Mackinac or Green
Bay.) " Would'nt the party like to take passage on his boat ? " A
respectable looking elderly lady in the party spoke up : " I don't
like steamboats ; you bust your bilers and scald folks." " Oh ! "
said Fred, " My dear Madam, ours is a new steamboat, con
structed on a new principle ; not one of those high pressure boats
like the " Peacock," but a low pressure engine, we use nothing
but cold water, never let it come to the boil ! " The party took
passage with him.
The Gus. Tiffany mentioned above was elected a Member of
Assembly and served in the Legislature of this State ; the
opposing candidate against Tiffany was the Hon. Henry W.
Rogers, a superior man in every way ; who, supposing he had &
" walk-over," did not exert himself quite as much as he should
have done. He seemed disgusted at the result of the election,
and well he might.
John O'Brien was another queer character of this clan ; a
jovial Irishman but an American citizen, brim full of patriotism.
If at any time between sun-down and the peep o' day the people
heard the sounds of drum and fife, they "were quite sure it was a
nocturnal outburst of John O'Brien's mercurial temperament.
He seemed always to have those instruments at his beck and
call. The outbursts of his patriotism sounded on every
occasion ; he rioted in it at the head of his band ; everybody
seemed to tolerate him.
The Texas War of Independence ; the so-called " Patriot
War " in Canada ; the War of the United States with Mexico,
were glorious opportunities for the ebullition of his enthusiasm.
When there was a " beating up of recruits " here for Sam.
Houston and Texas, after the massacre of the Alamo, John was

1 62 Recollections of Buffalo.
drum-major of course. A public meeting was called, to be held
in the old ball room of the Buffalo House over " Perry's Coffee
House," at the north-east corner of Main and Seneca Streets.
The meeting was engineered by another odd and well-known
character, Leonard P. Crary, familiarly addressed as Len. Crary.
He published the first editions of the Buffalo Directory before
Buffalo became a city ; I think he was a lawyer by profession.
He was also pregnant with patriotism. At this meeting he
made one of his 4th of July characteristic speeches and had
succeeded in arousing the audience up to a high pitch of
enthusiasm and closing up his last sentences with this
peroration :
" When the inborn liberty of American citizens has been
stamped under foot, by that vile usurper Santa Anna and his
myrmidon slaves of grovelling Mexican greasers, and -our
friends who have emigrated to Texas, in the hope and guaranty
of enjoying civil and religious liberty, and freedom from
oppression, and are shrieking to us for help from the diabolical
miscreants massacreing them in the Alamo ! I say under such
circumstances, so important to them, calling in accents of despair,
for material aid and money to save the cause of liberty ! ' Can
a Roman Senate ! or we long debate, gentlemen ? ' "
A well-known citizen noted for his humor as well as his
obesity, Luman A. Phelps, standing near the speaker, raised his
hand aloft and in a stentorian voice exclaimed, " No, by Hokey ! "
The meeting seemed about to collapse, as it did with shouts of
laughter ; when John O'Brien struck in with his drum and fife
corps, the tune of Yankee Doodle.
If the reader does not " catch on " to the underlying wit and
sarcasm of this fun, I will explain. Texas at that time had
declared its independence of Mexico, with a good show of right,
which Sam. Houston was endeavoring to establish. Texas then
was notorious as a refuge, or haven of rest, and paradise for,
escaped convicts, adventurers, murderers, robbers and horse
thieves, and was considered a God-forsaken country not fit for
an honest man to live in. It was a common saying that a

Solicitors. 163
criminal, a disreputable man, or one escaped from justice, that
he had gone to h  1 or Texas, as we now say of boodlers and
bank wreckers, that they have gone to Canada. At that time
you could purchase a million acres of the best land in Texas for
fifty thousand dollars.
Leonard P. Crary here mentioned was the father of Oscar F.
Crary, who has been employed in the Buffalo Custom House for
fifty years past. I am also informed that solicitor O'Brien,
everybodys' friend, was the father of John T. Raymond (Colonel
Sellers), the actor, who died a year or two since. He was born
in Buffalo.
One of the little practical jokes perpetrated by this fraternity
under the lead of our facetious friend, Fred. Emmons, was told
me a short time since by our time-honored Buffalonian, Henry
G. White :
When the church called " Dr. Lord's Church," was building,
(It was a sort of private undertaking by Dr. Johnson, Dr. Lord,
and I think George Palmer), the basement walls, and part of
the wall of the superstructure, having been built, an early winter
came on, it was thought better to roof it over with rough boards
and discontinue the building of it until the spring opened ; the
high pitched roof gave it the appearance of a huge ice house.
One day in the latter part of winter, the " Solicitors " ordered a
number of large loads of straw they found standing on the mar
ket place, to proceed to the structure with which to pack in
the ice. The teamsters were in waiting a whole weary day, to
deliver the straw as directed to either Dr. Johnson or Dr. Lord
and get their pay. There was some tall swearing among them,
when they came to realize that' they had been sent on a fool's
errand.

CHAPTER IX.
The Manners, Customs and Fashions of the Times, and
Who were the People in the Thirties.
In social intercourse among the people, there were those who
were more cultivated, better educated than others and whose
manners were more graceful and easy ; a conclusion easily reached
in a community of divers people, newly brought together from
various parts of the country ; mostly however from the eastern
division of the State and the cities and villages of New England,
who had gradually to be fitted into grooves, which circumstan
ces provided for them ; dove-tailing and splicing with one and
another as their natural and habitual characteristics inclined
them. Or, as "birds of a feather flock together;" which suggests
" Dundreary's " query : " how can birds of only one feather flock ?"
Yet there was no exclusiveness nor holding aloof from each
other, as a notable feature of society, on the supposition of bet
ter family antecedents, connection, breeding, education, or the
magnitude of wealth one happened to possess. Wealth, at that
time, was not such a desideratum needed to give men a position of
influence as other qualifications ; though it was desirable as an ad
junct and strengthened the other advantages. Indeed it is veiy
doubtful if a single individual in the City of Buff"alo in that de
cade of the thirties, say in 1838, could have realized from his
possessions the fuU sum of one hundred thousand dollars ; though
a number of our then citizens, could, at a later day, from thrift,
economy and the gradual increase in value of those same belong
ings, have told a much higher figure as their fortunes. The reader
will remember however, that that amount of wealth was rarely
accumulated at that period by one person, west of Philadelphia,
New York or Albany, where Stephen Girard and John Jacob As-

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 165
tor were considered exceptional wonders of wealth with their five
millions or more each, or the Patroon of Albany with his large
entailed realties.
Nor was there any seeming sycophancy or toadyism by those
of limited means, moderate fortunes or on a lower plane of social
attainments, towards the richer or more exalted.
If Persons who had committed no crime or were not in some dis
reputable calling, were worthy citizens ; they were usually admitted
on terms of equality into general society, it mattered not if he
or she maintained themselves by dealing out dry goods, haber
dashery, millinery or groceries, or was a respectable mechanic, or
an inn-keeper, they were kindly and freely met, without patron
izing, by the doctors', judges' or bankers' families. Of course
there was a limit to this freedom of intercourse ; there was a gen
eral and liberal feeling of fraternity and bonhommie among the peo
ple ; all the people knew all the other people. There were a few
families who, by right of education, accomplishments, condition
and influence, entitled to a certain precedence, which was cordial
ly, quietly acknowledged by those of lesser mental and financial
acquirements. Be it remembered that in the days we are writing of, the meth
ods of travel and facilities of communication with other parts of
the State and the world at large, were inconvenient and slow. In
the long bleak winters, (which seem to moderate with the ad
vancement of civilized life and the settlement of the country.) it
was extremely slow. The winters were then more prevalent 0/
snow, and biting winds seemed more to blow. During the other
seasons we had sail or steam craft on our lakes, which made com
munication with all the west and south-west quite frequent.
The Canal Packet Boats.
We also had passenger packets with their three and four horse
tandem teams to whisk the " Red Bird Line " of boats through
the Erie Canal to Rochester, connecting there with another line
to Utica and thence to Schenectady.

1 66 Recollections of Buffalo.
This system and manner of traveling had its pleasures and ad
vantages : the passengers, many of them, preferred this method to
the crowded stage coach, particularly for a twenty-four hours'
ride, the time between here and Rochester. Much depended on
the captain, as he was responsible for all your comfort while un
der his jurisdiction. His duties were multifarious : he was on
the alert that his boat was brightly painted, the red tassels at the
horses' heads were not slovenly attached, nor the drivers slouches;
that his starred " Blue Peter " was flying over the stern as a sig
nal for starting. He was Purser and Clerk ; kept track of the
manifests or trip sheet, was Steward and Caterer; sometimes in
an emergency had to take a "trick" at the stern post, or steer
ing gear; or when in fear of a sudden wreck to rush on shore
and become a ratchet or pawl at the snubbing post. He had to
know and be jolly with all the male passengers, and gallant and
attentive to all the women. Such an one was Dan Bromly or Phil
lips, and others of the captains of " The iRed Bird Line of Pack
ets." It was really better than our Rail Road Sleeping Car sys
tem; there was more opportunity and scope to move about; the
passengers were more inclined to be sociable, if they wished; the
boats and their fittings were tidy, the meals were good and well
served on the long tables of the cabins. Between the meals, the
tables were dismembered and converted into smaller ones and
used for whist parties and round games. Of course when bed
time came, there was considerable hustling to make up the bunks,
when the customary red damask curtain was hung amidships of
the cabin; then came the announcement ofthe nocturnal division
between the male and female passengers.
Each boat was not complete in its appointments, if, among its
crew, there was not a key bugler, who could enchant the frogs on
the night run and play romantic airs on moonlight nights, as did
Henry Varian, almost a rival of Kendall, the celebrated Boston
bugler, whom I once heard discourse most eloquent music on
board of Dan Bromley's Packet.
There were also in greater numbers, the so-called " Line-Boats "
belonging to the various transportation companies, carrying both

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 167
freight and passengers, drawn by the more limited two horses
power ; more moderate in rates, usually one and one-half or two
cents per mile, or five dollars from Albany to Buff"alo, each pas
senger "finding himself" in food and drink. The accommoda
tions and comforts of these boats were not in any way equal to
those of the packets ; they were patronized mostly by people in
limited circumstances, western bound, seeking new homes.
Then again, the stage routes, wagon and country roads were
in better condition for driving at speed.
In winter we were debarred most of these advantages, and
were confined to stage coaches and wagons, on wheels or run
ners, as the snow, mud and ruts might best permit.
Postage and Currency.
At that time the postage on a letter of a single sheet without
envelope was, from Buffalo to New York city, two shillings,
noted in red on the outside, thus : 2/- — To Albany )^, or
18^; to Utica fifteen cents; to Rochester ten cents; to Lock-
port or Batavia six pence. And you had to declare the number
of sheets (or single pieces of paper contained) when you posted the
letter ; and it was stamped " single " or " double," on the outside,
as you had declared and was verified at the other end of the
route. If prepaid it was stamped PAID ; if not, the postage
was collected at the place addressed. Newspapers, each sheet,
prepaid two cents and one and a half cents.
Money was not plenty and postage was dear, much dearer
then than the same rates would be now. It was the custom to
seal letters with large red wafers or an ostentatious display of
red sealing wax to keep the folds of the commonly used fools
cap sheets together, and for more voluminous correspondence on
one sheet, (the limit for a single postage) ; the mammoth folio-
post paper ; envelopes and stamps were later institutions.
Currency.
The " York " currency was then in vogue, six and one quarter
cents a sixpence, twelve and one half cents the shilling, eight shil-

i68 Recollections of Buffalo.
lings the dollar. Some old fashioned merchants in keeping their
books adhered to the old mother currency of £. s. d. ; ours was
an inconvenient currency or division for traffic. Besides, we had
no National coinage to represent these divisions, the only coin
that did was the Spanish or Mexican silver, that was stamped on
one side with what we suppose to be a representation of the pil
lars of Hercules, and from which came the typical or arbitrary
sign of the dollar mark $., which some suppose to be a mono
gram of, or a gerrymandered U. S. The pieces were dollars,
halves, quarters, eighths, and sixteenths, and contained the accu
rate amount of test silver, to represent the divisions of our cur
rency. The common currency of the New England States at that time,
was six shillings for the dollar, the division was most accurately
represented by the common silver coin known as Pistareen, which
was worth sixteen and two-thirds cents and halves of it, eight and
one-third cents, a Yankee shilling or sixpence.
Then we had our large copper cent and half cent, the cent
weighing 264 grains of copper, the half cent heavier than our
present cent. The English silver pieces crowns and half crowns,
were also quite commonly used and passed current with us, at
nine shillings for the crowns and four and sixpence for the half
crowns ; they were of good value, but an awkward coin for use,
and gradually disappeared ; used by silver-smiths, they are seen
with us now, but rarely. The gold coins most popular in circu
lation were the " Carolus Doubloons," standard value ^16, there
were half pieces called "Joes," eight dollars; Louis d' Or, $y.^,
Moidores $b.^^. Napoleons ;g3.^; the English Guinea ^5.— ; and
Sovereigns, " Georges," $i\.-- ; when the Victorias came in, the
last year of the thirties, they passed current at ^4.—, and have
ever since ; the English Guinea was not plentiful but quite a pretty
coin, and used to be retained or sought for as keepsakes. Our
own coins were not plenty at that time, made up of decimals, the
simplest and best currency on earth, which displaced the foreign
coin as rapidly as coined, and put in circulation.

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 169
The writer has the vanity to assert that being actively engaged
in retailing goods, he wondered why our federal currency was
not used, appreciating its superiority, to the use of shillings and
sixpences. He adopted the custom of constantly and persistently
using the terms for prices, of dimes, quarters, halves, and all dec
imal divisions ; abandoning entirely the " York " currency, sub
stituting the federal, and by urging the same practice by his
neigh,bors, it soon became popular here. The only (flimsy) argu
ment used by shop-keepers against the decimal system, was that
when selling an article for a shilling or sixpence they would be
compelled to take a dime or half dime. My usual reply was,
that they could get ten or fifteen cents as easily as they could get
a sixpence or one shilling, and thus reap a profitable advantage.
It was common, particularly in New England, to call a sixpence
or a half dime, a fip, and a shilling a bit, as in the Southwestern
States along the Mississippi a shilling was called a levy, and six
pence a picayune ; the paper currency in circulation were the
notes of the New York Safety Fund Banks and of the United
States Bank and its various branches.
Express Companies.
At that time there were no conveniences of package or money
expresses, like " Harnden's Express " in New England or the
" American Express " in this State, which were the first estab
lished in this country. I very well remember seeing tall Henry
Wells, early in the forties climbing out of a sleigh in front of
Steele & Peck's bookstore, then at 206 Main Street, (old number)
with his hand satchel of express matter, and in the sleigh some
packages of freight, valuable or destructible goods, which made
up the manifest of Wells & Co.'s Express, which doubled the
road from Buffalo to Albany twice weekly, the senior proprietor
acting as messenger and general clerk. This express company
and its business grew rapidly and soon was merged into Living
ston, Wells & Co. Express. William G. Fargo was brought hither
from the central part of the State as an expert man to transact
the business of the warehouse and office ; Mr. William B. Peck

170 Recollections of Buffalo.
assisting at the books. And so it grew into the gigantic propor
tions of " The American Express Company of Buffalo',' with
William G Fargo at its head, assisted by such men as William
B. Peck, John T. Lacy, Andrew G. C. Cochrane, and other well
known Buffalonians. One of the generous and kindly things
among the many known of William G. Fargo, in the early years
of his management of this company, was his undeviating custom
of employing first the young men of Buffalo, good men and true
in all the places of responsibility, sending them out on the roads
to establish new agencies, and giving them the management of
the offices ; in this way Mr. Fargo was the means of helping quite
a number of unemployed young men and starting them on their
progressive life ; for this and other generous deeds all honor to
William G. Fargo.
During the thirties and previous to the establishment of Ex
press Companies, if money or other valuable packages were to
be sent east or west, they had to be sent by special messenger ;
indeed there were men employed for thit purpose, to convey
money from town to town or city, to make exchanges between
the banks. These men were kno'wn as " Bank Messengers ; "
they were selected for their coolness and courage as well as hon
esty, and were usually well armed and on the alert against ma
rauders ; however, they were seldom molested. Neither could
you send small packages by mail as now.
It took the mail coach from four to eight days to come or go
to New York in winter, by the " Pilot Line " or " Telegraph
Line " of four horse " Post Coaches," limited to six passengers
in each coach. In summer the trip was accomplished in from
three to four days, by stage to Albany and by mail boats down
the Hudson to New York, unless they got aground on the over
slaugh in the Hudson River near Coejeman's.
Merchants' Trips East for Semi-Annual Supplies.
The merchants going in March or October to New York or
Philadelphia for semi-annual supplies of goods, had usually to
carry from twenty to fifty letters, besides parcels ; and they formed

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 171
no small part of the contents of their trunks, sometimes compel
ling them to take an extra one, to accommodate their many
Iriends ; and then to deliver their contents, and the contents of
their wallets and satchels at their destination, and " no postal law
agin it."
The merchants' trips to New York and Philadelphia (the head
centres of supply for the whole country) was an important event,
occurring only at intervals of six months, and when a merchant
was about to leave, it was generally known several days before ;
then would begin the asking of favors, to carry letters or parcels
or to execute a commission ; word would be sent in thus : " Would
Mr. Hemsted kindly find room in his trunk to take a small pack
age to a friend in New York, for Mrs. Blossom ? " or " will Mr.
Dana please take charge of a package of letters to New York
for Messrs. Hollister &. Curtis."
They were social and business letters, often times they had
commissions to execute, and return letters and parcels to bring
back, but all were willing to do it, cheerfully : though their friends
were r;ivals in the same trade, it was the custom.
" Shinning."
Another friendly custom among the merchants and traders at
that time, worthy of note, and to be commended for its practi
cal friendship and kindly feelings among neighbors and those en
gaged in a rival trade, was the custom of " Shinning.'' As it is in
all times and periods, trade had its fluctuations. Now and then
dull and stagnant, then again lively and " booming.'' In a dull
time several merchants out of our number, might be seen on an
afternoon, rapidly moving up or down town, every moment
dodging in at some store, seemingly engaged in the laudable oc
cupation of " Shinning ! " They would salute each neighbor as
with a wad from a pop-gun :
" I say, Charley ! have you anything over to-day ? "
" Yes, I guess so ; how much do you want? "
" Oh all you've got ; I want eighteen hundred 'fore bank
closes."

172 Recollections of Buffalo.
" There, there's nine hundred."
"Thank you, when do you want it?" (this might be of a
Thursday.) The party helped, having gone halfway to the next
door, hears someone behind him shouting :
" Monday ! "
" All right Chariey ! "
Another neighbor could have been heard to say :
"John, can you do me five to-day? " holding up five fingers.
" Yes, give it back to-morrow ? "
Thus was the surplus money kept in rapid transit. Ben
Rathbun, who was in all kinds of business, would send out
sometimes of an afternoon, an hour before the banks closed, half
a dozen clerks and sweep the entire street of money. Main street
was the only busy street then.
The most wonderful part about the custom, was the entirely free
feeling as to a want of confidence in the borrower ; the money
was handed over without hesitation ; those loans were primary
debts of honor. Should a debtor get caught before having pro
vided for this honorable claim, the first item you would find in
his schedule of assignment was provision for this debt, the same
as provision for payment of funeral expenses in your will, when
probated. No " monkeying " with honor in those days.
Our " Foreign News " from England and the Continent of
Europe, averaged from six weeks to three months in reaching
Buffalo, when the " Highly Important News," " twenty days later
from London " had almost been forgotten where it came from.
Our Congressional proceedings in Washington, when published
in our daily paper, the " Commercial," was a week old.
The " Commercial Advertiser," was first issued as a daily pa
per, in 1834. I remember very well, looking at its first number,
with boyish interest, in the store of Hemsted & Keeler, spread on
the counter, under the arm of the late George W. Bull, after
wards for many years its correspondent "Taurus," from the Cap^
itol at Albany. Ladies' Costumes and Adornment.
The styles of dress of the decade of the thirties and later were
of course the fashions of the period. In ladies' clothing and

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 173
adornment, colors were a good deal worn ; more so than in the
present decade. The materials were as rich and costly for that
time as nowadays, to a casual observer; with as much variety,
perhaps more display, with brighter colors. The costumes were
not as quiet among ladies of good society as now. Ladies wore
for walking and carriage dress in autumn and winter : soft
lustered Italian silks, black watered, armure, and corded silks ;
brocades, Irish poplins, and velvets, and satin levantines and
pongees. For woolen or worsted stuffs, soft French merinos,
bombazines, cashmeres, Circassians, and ratinets, with a variety
ofthe Scotch clan plaids, and figured flannels. In cotton goods,
the usual variety of ginghams and calicoes. Their outer
garments or wraps were in more limited variety : broche and
merino shawls ; and as an extreme variety, a shawl from the
"vale of cashmere." These last were of the family heir-loom
variety. Cloth pelisses sometimes called a habit, generally made
with plaited skirts and tight bodied jackets of blue cloth ; the
jackets lengthened at the back into a sort of bobtail : of course
they varied in style according to the mantua maker's art and
skill. Enormously large muffs and very long boas of lynx fur
were then the mode. Bonnets of silk, cloth, and velvet and
bombazine, all in various colors and shapes ; for runabouts and
for sleighing comfort, close silk hoods lined with coney or down
fur; also, various colored, wadded and quilted silk hoods with
cherry-colored linings turned well back from the face with long
tabs or pendants hanging down on the shoulders or bosom as
part of the facing; they were known as " Kiss me if you dare "
hoods. A stylish thing was an otter, silk-lined strait hood,
turned over at the-face edge. Lasting or prunella boots with an
Indian embroidered moccasin for the outside. India rubbers,
arctics or " gums," were not then invented. When the first
specimens of rubber overshoes appeared they were hideous
devices to look upon, or to utilize, seeming to have been formed
by dipping various sizes of bent base ball clubs in melted gum,
like tallow candles ; then, left to cool, stuffed with straw to
prevent collapse, they were put on to the feet by stretching ;

174 Recollections of Buffalo.
there seemed to be no design to give them graceful shape or
form, line or trim them. No soles ; simply a sort of ugly
rubber sock. But they were pronounced a great improvement
on previous foot coverings for overwear in bad weather, rain,
mud, snow or slush.
Apropos of "gums" as they are still called in New England.
A gentleman and his wife, during a visit with a family here a
few years ago : one summer morning the gentleman, going on
a short excursion of an hour by rail, the lady being careful for
the preservation of his health, called out to him from the top of
the stairs outside, " Willie ! Willie / ! Don't forget your gums ! ! ! "
The' ladies shopping, visiting or driving in summer (we seemed
to have hotter weather then than now) wore leghorn flats, shaped
into bonnets according as the fashion dictated, and also a variety
of plaited straw, fine and beautiful, the work of Tuscany and
Florence. Also the English, Dunstable straw bonnets, and for
a dashing belle the large " Gainsborough " hat with one or more
white ostrich plumes was a most picturesque adornment. The
styles were large, varying from year to year ; the straw work
elaborate, and the trimmings fanciful, of course. The light
straw and fair complexions blended well and gave to the ladies
fresh attraction. For careless wear, neighborly visiting, or a
drive in the chaise, a green silk caleche formed like the top of
said chaise, of whalebone or reeds, to fold and fall back on the
back of the neck at will, or stretch forward over the face, this
was an almost indispensable head gear. This chaise top, or
hood, was provided with flowing reins of green silk ribbon for
expert handling, drawing forward the fan folded top, down over
the face, dropping back over the neck, or resting as an arch over
the top of the head. It was also provided when needed with a
thick green barege veil, to protect the face in bad weather, to
preserve the wearer's incognito when engaged in surreptitious
visiting, or out in a dark night.
A full dress walking veil, which was not uncommon, was a
long and wide, white, damaskeen silk blonde : they nearly
covered the person ; they were elaborately figured, in large

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 175
patterns, the entire edges scalloped, marking the pattern of the
figures. The dresses, which were worn short and narrow, rather
too scant (seven to ten yards of thirty inch wide silk sufficing to
construct a fashionable dress for any lady), were composed of
figured plain, striped, and graduated circular stripes from the
waist down, in all colors and shades from black to white, glace,
chene and watered, all these for day or walking dresses. A
beautiful dress for evening was a white, watered and striped satin.
If of good fit, with a Madame du Barri waist, the effect, was
charming. The other materials, then the mode for summer
wear out-of-door dresses, were French cambrics, lawns,
muslins and smooth-faced ginghams ; French crepes and Barege,
not to forget those beautiful, fine silk challies. Silk, barege and
hernani (sewing silk) scarfs and shawls were much worn, and
lace mantillas, and as a rarity elaborately embroidered white,
red, and blue canton silk shawls — several times in fashion in my
remembrance, but were never a popular fashion for long; with
white or flesh-colored silk or cotton stockings embroidered or
clocked (open worked), with Lane's French kid slippers, black
or bronzed, cut very low, the soles quite thin, without heels ;
the slipper held to the foot by galoons crossed and recrossed
around the ankle; while the dresses, worn quite short, gave
plenty of opportunity to scan or scrutinize my lady's pretty feet
and ankles. With the before-mentioned elaborate Florence or
Tuscan straw bonnet, this was the usual make-up of a lady for
the street at one period of the thirties ; to which you may add
a Chinese, white ivory-handled parasol, exquisitely carved, a
solid bead reticule worked in fancy colors, hanging by ribbons
on the forearm or hand, and a pearl or ivory card case. Ladies'
Swiss watches from Geneva, with long gold guard chains, were
as stylish then as ladies' diamond solitaries are now ; the latter,
however, are rather too common.
This may read queerly perhaps for a street dress for walking
or calling on foot; should any of our younger ladies of the
present day see a lady costumed in that style on the street, they
would be likely to turn and stare at her (rude though it would

176 Recollections of Buffalo.
be) as an apparition ; ejaculating " what a guy ! " or with more
charity, glancing at her slippers, "how imprudent." Is it a
wonder that pulmonary diseases prevailed among women at
that time ?
How fortunate that hoops were not then in fashion, nor
bustles ; however, the bustles of to-day are but miniatures of
those of 1846: they, were prodigious; those showed the women
as monsters of size, or rather the bustles as monstrous; but it
was the fashion.
In one of the early issues of the London " Punch " can be
found the picture of a lady walking, having one of those
enormous bustles ; and following her two little English lads,
evidently her sons; one of them had clandestinely placed his
high hat upon the bustle and the two were bursting with sup
pressed merriment at the happy thought. These odd fashions,
are of some purpose in the world. They create healthy merriment ;
which calls to mind another picture, seen in " Punch,'' at the time-
those immense hoops or "filters" were so universally worn. A
lady was getting into an omnibus on Regent Street, having on
one of extra large proportions, which would not be compressed
or squeezed in at the door: a burly John Bull, who tvould lo\\.o\^
the lady, all too quickly, runs his large hatted head up into the
cage to the boisterous enjoyment of the street gamins, standing
round in the immediate vicinity.
In the early forties, after the collapse of the huge bustles of
the time, the women, to ameliorate the lank appearance the
change gave to them, substituted an extra number of skirts :
(I once overheard one young lady ask of another, glancing at
her skirts, " Do I stick out enough ? ") On another occasion I
had the impudence to inquire of a young woman : " Imogene,
how many skirts have you on, pray?" She laughingly replied
"twelve." When doubting the assertion, she verified it by
reaching down and turning up the hems and counting the
number. Shortly after this time the numerous flounces on
dresses came in fashion; which relieved the suffering victims
from too much weight on their, hips.

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 177
When enormous, we might say outlandish, head dresses were
in vogue years ago, Sydney Smith, accompanied by a friend,
met the historian Grote and his wife at an evening party in
London. After being introduced to Mrs. Grote, Smith turned
to his companion, remarking of her head dress, which was
extravagantly in the fashion, " how very grotesque!' This was
said to be the origin of the word, but that is not so ; I find the
word in my "Bailey's" lexicon spelled "grotesk."
Unless there occur some unsightly deformity or lusus naturce
to a fashionable Queen or Princess, or noted leading lady of
fashion, to cause the adoption of a grotesque fashion, or the
repeating of a former one, like the farthingale, the styles, shapes
and construction of ladies' garments, are much improved in
many sensible ways from fifty years ago. There is more field
for the artiste, modist, and modeuse in designing, creating and
constructing ladies' wardrobe.
The quick distribution of information as to the introduction of
styles in force in countries, or head centres of fashion, and im
porting and adopting them promptly, is remarkable. The fash
ionable people in all countries are rapidly coming to wear the pre
vailing styles of French, English or American dress. The in
crease of wealth stimulating expenditures in costly dress, encour
ages bright talent, and brainy experts, to employ themselves in
the business, male as well as female, to create new novelties ; and
the immediate adoption and imitation of their fashions by those
less able to lead ; and withal to the use of better and more com
fortable and healthier textile fabrics, and properly protecting the
more susceptible and delicate parts of the person. The artistic
adaptation of dress to the physique, supplying the omissions of
nature, and her faults with outlines of beauty ; securing ease to
the wearer while conforming to it. The art of dress has been
much improved by what is called the tailor made dresses and
costumes, with the contemporary examples ofthe Parisian, Worth,
and others for suggestions and guides.
The dresses for women at balls and parties were as now, accord
ing to the taste and selection of the wearer. The materials for

178 Recollections of Buffalo.
evening dresses which were then the mode, were white and very
light colored silks, as rich or ornate as the purse could buy, or
muslins, lawns and jaconets, embroidered; ladies devoted much
time and money to embroidering their dresses. It was consid
ered quite out of order for any lady to wear dark, sombre, or
black dresses of any sort to a party or ball ; except in cases of
very old ladies : to them the departure from style was an offence
condoned. The maidens wore white muslin dresses, unadorned
except a knot or sash of ribbon or flowers ; rarely a silk dress,
or jewelry; diamonds were restricted to married ladies. Short
sleeves, edged with lace to the elbow, if they had a white, plump
fore-arm, if not, they wore a half long white kid glove, sometimes
a white kid glove to the shoulder with semi-low necks ; infant
waists were also worn. Young married ladies and quite old girls
wore Bishop and Van Dyke waists and a sort of plaited and
barred waist of rich silks, close-fitting the bosoms, and just low
enough to make you desire to see more, with very short sleeves,
correspondingly made with the waist, plaited and crossed ; very
long, white kid gloves, slipping down from the upper arm and
showing it, if well formed and full. This style of waist and dress
was an historical one, of the first Empire, and really beautiful ; it
adorned beauty. Many must have seen it on the portraits of
Madame De Stael, who was a beautiful woman. Dress waists,
worn too decollete, were ignored as immodest ; no matter how lav
ish nature had been in personal charms, something was left to
the imagination. Busk's or steel corset boards covered with
white kid were much used. About this time the " leg of mutton
sleeves " came into vogue, which gave rise to the refrain :
" In the good old days of Adam and Eve,"
" When ladies did'nt wear the leg of mutton sleeve."
Gentlemen's Dress.
The costumes of gentlemen in the years of the thirties, say,
'35, '36 and 37, were richer, more elaborate, of greater variety and
more expressed in fancy ; and made of finer materials than now
fifty years later. For the street, office or court room, in spring or

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 179
autumn, they wore black frock coats, not unlike the " Prince Al
berts," of the present time, with plain, dark blue, lavender or drab
cassimere trousers, strapped with the same cloth under the boots ;
the straps as wide as the space under the instep would permit,
the boots having high heels ; the straps were a narrow continua
tion of the trousers legs, and buttoned underneath the feet or
boots. Boots had circular steel plates on the heels, and were
universally worn in day-time ; at balls or parties, *pumps were
worn, sometimes light French boots. The only person I have
known in recent years, who continued the fashion of wearing
straps, until his death, was the Hon. John Ganson, (who was
stricken in court while trying a cause and died in the carriage
while being taken to his home, in 1874.)
The fashion of straps had its recommendation in this : the
trousers fitted close down to the feet, showing but little of the
boots. The trousers did not bag at the knees, the feet being
more or less covered appeared small ; the ankle, ungainly feet
and gaping trouser legs were not so unsightly, either walking
or sitting down. The waistcoats or vests were of figured or
embossed silk and velvet, sometimes in colors suited to the fancy,
in figured worsted, or black satin ; the worsteds, velvets and
satins often made double breasted, except for evening wear; the
silk or satin, cut low, showing a pleated shirt front, with a single'
bar pin, or a brilliant, if the wearer could afford it ; a satin or
bombazine stock, plain, high and stiff", with a white two-pointed
collar coming up and over the chin and lapping, called " tooth
pick collars." As a change or improvement from a too prim or
rigid neck, a handsome flowing bow was attached to the stock.
The stocks were properly named. There was a number of
variations from the dress described : the shirt front was often
covered by a black satin, plain, plaited or figured front, or dickie,
for morning wear (as the pure white shirt front was supposed to
have been soiled over night.) With one of " Leary's " high black
silk hats, of the mode (at one time called the " Count D'Orsay ''

* A shapely made slipper.

i8o Recollections of Buffalo.
style) completed the street dress, adding lavender or fawn
colored kid gloves.
Another and far different style of dress, and worn both day
and evening, by gentlemen of middle age, inclined to be portly :
A blue dress coat, velvet collar, and gilt buttons ; plain blue,
black, lavender or drab trousers; a straw-colored cashmere
vest, cut low, with four or six buttons ; ruffled shirt front, the
ruffles starched and plaited, protruding three to four inches ; or
if the linen cambric ruffles were without much starch, they were
carefully laid to one side or the other under the vest collar as its
immaculate condition might best appear. Or, an elderly gentle
man would allow them to drop loosely in front, in a negligent
manner, with a diamond pin peeping out of the folds of the
ruffles ; a white choker — namely, a piece of cambric wound in
several folds around the throat and neck, worn without a collar
and like the stock high enough to keep the head up. The
wristbands were edged with narrow ruffles and fastened with
linked buttons, jeweled. The watch was carried in the fob ofthe
trousers from which a heavy " fob chain " depended, to which was
attached handsome cornelian or other jeweled seals and keys.
A large, handsome, double-cased, gold lever watch, with seals
and keys as aforesaid, was considered a necessary requisite to
complete the make-up of a gentleman in those days ; a good
time-piece being the exception, they were mostly silver Lepines,
old French, and Swiss watches in common use, now and then
an English silver lever. Gentlemen were somewhat ostentatious
of displaying the heavy gold fobs, chain and seals. The same
class of gentlemen rarely wear watches now, they have become
so universally common. This costume was considered en regie
for a ball room ; but when thus worn, the linings of the swallow
tails of the coat were changed to white silk, sometimes white
satin ; the gilt buttons of the coat were exchanged to gold and
the gold buttons of the waistcoat jeweled. Light pumps with
silk hose in place of boots and socks. This dress was
undoubtedly a becoming and picturesque one; half military,.
half gentlemen of elegant leisure ; the writer can recall several

Manners, Customs and Fashions. i8i
handsome men in the times past, who wore that sort of dress,
namely : 'Squire Grosvenor, Major Camp, Doctor Warner, Eli
Cook, Colonel Palmer, Dr. Henry R. Stagg, Henry W. Rogers,
Shubael Gallup, Doctor Haddock, and Gov. DeWitt Clinton.
In summer, gentlemen wore nankin yests and trousers, some
times coats of the same material ; and it was a neat suit for hot
weather ; white, buff, and fancy figured Marseilles vests ; white linen
drilling and duck trousers ; not infrequently an entire suit of white
linen. Such goods could then be worn for several days without
being soiled ; the atmosphere was purer and more clean ; not so
be-clouded with dust, smoke andcinders ; you were not so liable to
come in contact with your neighbors' crossed legs and muddy or
dusty boots, in the street cars, and run the gauntlet of them; or your
lady friends' nawsty dog fawning upon you. [I once, of a Sunday
morning, called upon a delicate and supposed to be a refined
lady, my cousin too, whom I had not seen for many years. I had
on the whitest of white trousers and vest. My cousin had a pet
dog of the Isle of Skye origin ; the dog came up the door steps
where we were sitting, having successfully scampered through a
mud puddle. From his social manifestations, I was in terror of
him ; forgetting for a moment my watchfulness, (while in conver
sation), he suddenly jumped up my legs and into my lap and put his
nose upon my waistcoat ! when I had risen from my seat, behold !
my condition ! and guess the state of my temper. " Why ! Fi-
do ! see what you have done ;" while a covert smile, visible on
her countenance, was all the satisfaction given me. That's why
I do not like ladies' pet dogs. J
The conventional black dress suit for evening wear, was also
then in fashion. The coat with the enormously padded collar
running way up into the hair which was then worn long ; the
black skirts, or tails, of the coat were short and narrow, reaching
down nearly to a point, making the figure of the man, if a little
bent over, appear like an enormous black crow. This suit was
worn with the high white " choker," as it was universally called.
For an office, or careless coat, the frock was sometimes exchanged
for a bottle green " shad-belly " coat. Claret colored, Dahlia,

i82 Recollections of Buffalo.
Mulberry, or Adelaide color cloth frock coats were much worn. A
full suit of black was only worn by clergymen. Suits of tweed
or ordinary mixed cloths, with the sack coat were not known here
in the thirties. In winter, out of doors, gentlemen wore plain
drab cloth and brown or blue Petersham overcoats, frequently
made in coachman style with three or four capes, one atop of the
other, graduated sizes, and large, mother of pearl buttons, some
times as large as our shrieking eagle silver dollars. About this
time came into fashion the handsome cloth cloaks, which were
very generally adopted. These cloaks were the ne plus ultra of
elegant costume, made of fine black or blue broad cloth, a full
circle in extent, containing from five to ten yards of six feet wide
cloth, with shoulder cape (short) of the same, all lined with red
or blue frieze flannel ; Lyons silk velvet collar, and faced all the
way down each side, with full width velvet. When worn by a
portly and lordly looking man, with the mass of cloth thrown
over the shoulder, the velvet facing ostentatiously displayed out
side and folded over the arms after the manner of the Roman
toga, it was what the women would call stunning! In mild winter
weather, showing the ruffled shirt bosom, diamond pin and
white choker. The reader can imagine the grand appearance such
a man as Col. Alanson Palmer did make, or Millard Fillmore or
the late Francis W. Tracy would have made.
Later on, when these costly cloaks were well worn, the style
of cloaks changed, and they were supposed to have been razeed
to the size of the smaller " Spanish " cloaks, shorn of their capes
and a part of their collars, the volume of cloth reduced in length,
altogether a changed garment — but a graceful one, and
quite convenient, if you also wore rapier and dagger a la Hidalgo
To complete the winter outfit with the large cloak, it was con
sidered " the thing " to wear a large cap, made up of otter fur,
without visor, and gauntlets of the same. After the fashion of
gentlemen's cloaks went out, gentlemen began to adopt a fashion
of wearing very long woolen scarfs, in bright clan plaids crossed
and recrossed over the shoulders and belted with the same, Higfh-
land style. Then came the very long, wool shawl, a convenience

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 183
which held as a fashion for a long time. Boots and leather
boxes, buckled with straps, or for sleigh driving, long, red,
Wellington stockings, coming up to the top of the thigh, if
needed and over the foot; Indian moccasins, embroidered with
various colored porcupine quills. With the Spanish cloak, the
blue or black cloth caps were worn. Gentlemen universally
wore beaver fur or silk hats, cloth or fur caps. Slouch hats, of
wool, did not come into use here until the would-be liberator of
Hungary, Kossuth's, visit to the country early in the fifties..
The Kossuth, or Hungarian hats, were first worn here with an
ostrich feather. The " Derby " is of still more recent introduction.
Elderly gentlemen and wise old doctors carried Bandana or
Spittalfield silk pocket handkerchiefs. The bandana were fig
ured in red and light gold color, the Spittalfields were dark wine
color with splashes of what are called polka spots in lighter
color; these handkerchiefs often were of extraordinary size, es
pecially if the gentlemen were addicted to the use of snuff, which
was a common habit ; indeed the elderly ladies used it, some
times to excess as they did Bohea or Hyson teas ; and it was con
sidered a token of politeness in both sexes to offer each other
a pinr;h of snuff" from their boxes when meeting. (The lise of
chewing tobacco was rare excepting among sailors.) These eld
erly gentlemen also carried large size Malacca canes with round
ivory tops. It was not uncommon to see a couple of portly old
gentlemen meeting on the street offering their boxes of Macca
boy, Rappee or Scotch, each to the other, (their boxes usually
made oi papier mache, round, with odd pictured tops); this cus
tom was more particularly frequent if they possessed silver or
gold boxes ; then bowing and taking a liberal pinch, and wait
ing a goodly time, and if they could utter a hearty sneeze it was
considered an achievement, and test of the good quality of the
offered article ; it was thought to be almost an affiont if the gen
tleman or lady, were startled out of their desired sneeze ;' after
which they would blow a blast from their nasal horns which
might be heard a block away, and flourishing their bandanas and
canes, as if the operation had been successfully performed.

184 Recollections of Buffalo.
Social Characteristics.
Although Buffalo in the thirties was a new town, a far west
and provincial city, there was not, as one might suppose, as much
gaucherie of manner, the vulgarisms and bad habits of unculti
vated people, the slang and freedom of speech, the abuse of lan
guage as may be observed in greater proportion to-day in our
greatly enlarged city, or in many of our western towns, after fifty
years of progress.
There was no assumption nor snobbishness of the nouveau
riche ; nor were you able to detect by manner or speech the mix
ture and conglomerate condition of what is called good society,
then, as to-day. Those who affected good society, were the
equals of their associates in the courtesies and amenities of life,
although the advantages of education were not as wide spread
and general, nor as easily obtained as now; yet the range being
more confined was more thorough and practical ; the college-
bred man was an exception with us. The society man or wom
an did not affect foreign language or customs, which they did not
know, and therefore would not assume to know. The ladies and
gentlemen, young and old, in their intercourse with each other,
and together, were courteous and polite, modest without mauvaise
honte : indeed they might have been called chivalric. Young
gentlemen were ever courteous and deferential to young and old,
without show of being ceremonious, but as if it were part of
their nature and breeding. Their attentions to the ladies were
not limited to attendance at their parties when invited, or their
special attention to their own selfish gratification thereat ; nor
did they consider a formal call a quid pro quo or complete satis
faction for the compliment of an invitation from the hostess ; nor
did they consider her as the caterer employed to entertain
them for condescending to act as squire aux dames for an even
ing ; they esteemed it rather as their reward for their efforts to
please and make their society acceptable. Nor did their atten
tions cease at formal politeness ; they deemed it part of their du
ty to do what they could to contribute by personal effort, skill,
tact, and if necessary the expenditure of money, (so far as their

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 185
incomes would honorably permit), to the enjoyment or pleasure of
the day or evening, whenever present. The young men were
bright, active, thoughtful, consequently intelligent, and they found
the ladies reciprocated their good offices. The contemporary
young ladies were unusually well informed ; good conversation
alists, generally fine looking, pretty, some, indeed, noted for their
beauty, handsome appearance and engaging manners.
Requirements for Good Social Standing.
At that early day and in the rapid development of the city,
it was almost a requirement for a professional or business man
settling in Buffalo, that he should have talent, quickness of per
ception, good address and social ambition, to succeed. When he
did succeed, he was fully trusted by the community. Most of
those who were here, or came here during that decade, were
young or middle-aged men, either from New England or
Eastern New York ; their ambition and independence of charac
ter, made them self-reliant and led them to the venture of a new
home ; and being the pioneers, and architects of their own
fortunes, there were few drones or sluggards among them.
Alas ! Now and then, one would fall by the wayside, as in all
communities ; but none the less regretted by their friends
for whatever good qualities they may have possessed.
The writer assumes to state, that nowhere in this or any other
country was there so large a proportion to the number of the
people, of gifted men, of brilliant qualities, brighter minds,
honorable and chivalric characters, remarkable for their manly
physiques, than the men who trod the halls and highways of
Buffalo, during the decade of the thirties. Who of the older
Buffalonians that can look back to that period, but to remember
with pleasure, their admiration of such specimens of manhood
as the following :
Dr. Cyrenius Chapin. Albert H. Tracy. Louis LeConteulx.
Wm. B. Rochester. Dr. Ebenezer Johnson. Millard Fillmore.
Samuel Wilkeson. Geo. P. Barker. Isaac S. Smith.
Rev. John C. Lord, D. D. Edward Norton. .Seth C. Hawley.
John G. Camp. Dr. Henry R. Stagg. Bela D. Coe.

i86

Recollections of Buffalo.

John L. Talcott.
Nathan K. Hall.
Wm. A. Mosely.
Rev. Wm. Shelton, D. D.
Solomon G. Haven.
Geo. R. Babcock.
Dr. Bryant Burwell.
Alanson Palmer.
Jos. G. Masten.
Emanuel Ruden.
Eli Cook.
John R. St. John.
Rev. Geo. W. Hosmer, D. D.
Hiram Pratt.
Philo Durfee.
Samuel F. Pratt.
Dr. Francis L. Harris.
Francis H. Root.
Peter B. Porter.
Jerry Radcliffe.
Edward L. Stevenson,
Wm, Wilkeson.
Geo. C. White.
Dr. Francis C. Brunk.
James C. Evans.
Wm. Warren.
Philander Bennett.
Orsamus H. Marshall,

James McKay.
Rev. C. S. Hawks. ,
Geo. B. Webster.
Henry W. Rogers.
Wm. Tell Jones.
Lucius Storrs.
Seth E. Sill.
Lyman Rathbun.
Wm, K, Dana.
Russell S. Brown.
Wm. F. P. Taylor,
Geo. B. Walbridge.
Danforth N. Barney.
Hollis White.
Edward Jessup.
John Hollister.
Jacob A. Barker.
Orlando Allen.
Henry R. Seymour.
Dr. Noah H. Warner.
Henry Kip.
Geo. W. Clinton.
Edward D. Holton.
James D. Sawyer.
Stephen B. Dean.
Rev. John O. Choules.
Isaac R. Harrington.
Joseph Dart.

Dr. Chas. Winne.
Thomas M. Foote.
Henry K. Smith.
Austin Flint, M. D.
Horatio J. Stow.
Ira A. Blossom.
Wm. A. Bird.
Clark Robinson.
Hamlet Scrantom.
John B. Macy.
John A. Newbould.
Lucius F. Tiffany.
Reuben B. Heacock.
Charles Townsend.
Wm. A. Thompson.
Samuel F. Purdy.
Sherman S. Jewett.
John J. Fay.
Stephen Osborn.
Lewis F. Allen.
Oliver Forward.
Ebenezer Walden.
Horace Clark.
Thomas Farnham.
Spencer Daniels.
Seth Grosvenor.
Elam R. Jewett.
Pascal P. Pratt.

James Hollister.
One hundred names of prominent men in the community, and
justly so; and which number the writer could quadruple from
memory ; men who have trodden our streets, buoyant with life,
were known as enterprising in business, eminent in their profes
sions, honorable in their dealings, known to and respected by
each other, genial and fraternal in their intercourse with their
contemporaries, had faith and confidence in each other, their
words as good as their bond, (with rare exceptions), whose names
and faces were as familiar as household words, to all the people.
They all had their own affairs to take care of, for they were busy
men, but were willing to serve the public in all honorable ways,
when sought for ; considering duty and regard for the people and
city a " public trust."

Manners, Customs and Fashions.

187

After mature reflection, I will continue my list in alphabetical
order as information for my readers, as to who were the men
best known among us in the thirties. Men of brains and charac
ter ; foremost in their vocations or occupations, prominent in the
professional or business world and in social intercourse :

Major A. Andrews.
Cyrus Atheran.
Job Alberger.
P. G. Alvord.
William G. Abel.
Milan Adams.
William R. Andrews.
Zoroaster Bonney.
Theodore Butler.
Cyrenius C. Bristol.
Asaph S. Bemis.
Roswell L. Burrows.
Curtis L. Brace.
George W. Bull.
Theodore D. Billings.
Myron P. Bush.
Henry C. Bryant.
Thomas Bates.
Moses Baker.
George V. Brown.
Joseph W. Brown.
James L. Barton.
Dr. Judah Bliss.
Hiram Barton.
Irad Brickett.
Daniel D. Budlong.
Philo Balcom.
Oliver Bugbee.
Jacob W. Banta.
William Bivins.
Isaac H. Burch.
Caleb Coatsworth.
Benjamin Caryl.
Stephen Champlin.
Sebastian Chappotin.
Peter Curtis.
William Cheeseman.
Thomas B. Chase.

Stephen G. Austin.
Samuel T. Atwater.
Nelson Adams.
Stephen Albro. \
Henry C. Atwater.
Alexander S. Anderson.
Fordyce W. Atkins.
David Burt.
Lorenzo Brown.
Jabez B. Bull.
John W. Beals.
Lester Brace.
Phineas Barton.
Orrin Ballard.
Elias .\ Bradley.
Albert Barnard.
Joseph R. Beals.
John W. Buckland.
James Brass.
Daniel Bowen.
John T. Bush.
Jacob Beyer.
George H. Bryant.
E. St. John Bemis.
Richard Bullymore.
Stephen Bettis.
Sidney Burr.
Phineas Brintnall.
Isaac F. Bryant.
George W. Bush.
Gustavus Bassett.
Benjamin Campbell.
Manly Colton.
B. Clark Caryl.
Leonard P. Crary.
Joseph Clary.
Samuel N. Callender.
Charles T. Coit.

John Adams.
George W. Allen.
John Ashley.
Hiram Adams.
Levi Allen,
Charles H. Allen.
Vincent Bidwell.
Thomas Blossom.
Absalom Bull.
Pierre A. Barker.
Dr. Moses Bristol.
Morris Butler.
Benjamin Bidwell.
Abner Bryant,
Warren Bryant,
John Bedford.
Theodotus Burwell.
Elliot Burwell,
George Brown,
Henry Bacon,
John H, Bostwick,
Phillip Beyer,
James J. Baldwin.
Comfort L. Butler.
Darius Burton.
Daniel C. Beard.
Martin H. Birge.
John Bush.
Jacob A. Barker.
Daniel O. Birge.
Squire S. Case.
George Coit.
Ansel R. Cobb.
Grosvenor Clark.
Gurdon C. Coit.
Abner Cutler.
Stephen Clark.
Augustus Colson.

Recollections of Buffalo.

James A. Cowing.
William A. Coots.
Palmer Cleveland.
Ephriam F. Cook.
Lambert Collette.
E. Stanton Cobb.
Harrison O. Cowing.
Almon M. Clapp.
Leon Chappotin.
Harry Daw.
James G Dickie.
Henry P. Darrow.
Daniel S. Dexter.
Baron Luden DeBee.
Benjamin Dole.
James Durick.
Harrison Durkee.
James B. Dubois.
Elnathan A. Darling.
Henry H. Denison.
Elijah D. Efner.
John R. Evans.
Augustin Eaton.
Orrin Follet.
Rinaldo Farr.
Elijah Ford.
Elbridge Farwell.
Charles Faxon.
Noah Folsom.
WiOiam Fitch.
William Henry Glenny.
Jabez Goodell.
Warren Granger.
James T. Goodwill.
Ernest G. Grey.
Daniel Grider.
Henry Garrett.
Aaron Goodrich.
Rollin Germain.
William Galligan.
William Hollister.
Nelson Holt.
Clark Hecox.
Hiram Havens.
David L. Hempsted.

John Cameron.
Andrew G. C. Cochrane.
Dan. B. Castle.
Charles Coleman.
Manning Case.
Sylvester Chamberlain.
Pearly A. Child.
Charles E. Clark.
Merlin Camp.
Cyrus H. Deforest.
Phillip Dorsheimer.
Lyman Dunbar.
Charles L. DeAngelis.
Charles D. Delany.
David M. Day.
Edwin Dean.
John G. Dodge.
D. D. Denning.
Richard E. Dibble.
William C. Demarest.
Charles Evans.
Francis S. Ellis.
Theodore H. Eaton.
Alexander A. Evstaphieve.
William Fiske.
Samuel Fursman.
Daniel Francis.
Samuel D. Flagg.
Benjamin Fitch.
LeRoy Farnham.
Charles R. Gold.
Seth H. Grosvenor.
Robert Gillespie.
Henry T. Gillett.
Abel M. Grosvenor.
John M. Griffith.
Guy H. Goodrich.
James Gibson.
E. Stanton Gaw.
Cuyler Garrett.
Robert Hollister.
Horace Hunt.
Thompson Hersee.
Henry Hager.
Israel T. Hatch.

Henry Colton.
Dr. John W. Clark.
Putnam Churchill.
Charles H. Coleman.
Nehemiah Case.
A. H. Caryl.
Rev. P. G. Cook.
John H. Coleman.
Samuel Caldwell.
Orange H. Dibble.
Stephen B. Dean.
Dr. Frederick Dellenbaugh.
Ebenezer Day.
James Demarest,
James B. DeLong.
Noyes Darrow.
Thomas J. Dudley.
Charles Darrow.
George Davenport.
George Davis.
Elisha Ensign.
Lewis Eaton.
James E. Eaton.
Rev. Sylvester Eaton.
Morgan L. Faulkner.
Nathaniel P. Ferris.
Silas A. Fobes.
John B. Flagg.
Harlow French.
James Faxon.
George B. Gleason.
Shubael Gallup.
Charles Gardiner.
Noah H. Gardiner.
John Greiner,
Horatio Gates.
Samuel F. Gelston.
George Gage.
Elias Green.
Theodore Gowdy.
Geo. B. Gates.
Seth. B. Hunt.
William B. Hayden.
Theo. Hequembourg.
William Hodge.

Manners, Customs and Fashions.

189

Valorous Hodge.
Henry Hamilton.
Samuel W. Hawes.
John M. Hutchinson.
Henry G. Harrison.
Elijah Hadley.
Sidney L. Hosmer.
Francis J. Handel.
George Howard.
Benjamin Hodge.
Azel Hooker.
Joseph E. Haddock.
Charles C. Hall.
Andrew A. Hall.
James C. Harrison.
Lucien Hawley.
William C. Hoyt.
Abram Hemstreet.
Merwin S. Hawley.
Walter Joy.
Mortimer F. Johnson.
Samuel Johnson.
Henry M. Kinne
Jesse Ketchum.
D. F. Kimball.
Henry Kip, Senior.
John E. Keeler.
William Kaene.
George G. Kingman.
Jedediah Lathrop
William Lovering, Sr.
Abraham Larzelere.
William Lovering, Jr.
Thomas Lamb.
T. Scott Lord.
Nathan Lyman.
John Lamb.
Samuel M. Longley.
Mecall Long.
Charles Lay.
Dr. John E. Marshall.
James Miller.
Augustus C. Moore.
William T. Miller.
Sylvester Matthews.

Roswell W. Haskins.
James Haggart.
Garrett S. Hallenbeck.
Samuel J. Hinsdale.
John Harrison.
Russell H. Heywood.
Dr. George E. Hayes.
George Hubbard.
Silas Hemmingway.
Philander Hodge.
Albert Hayden.
Ethan H. Howard.
Nelson Holt.
Isaac T. Hathaway,
Elias S. Hawley.
Joseph D. Ployt.
Daniel M. Hodges.
D. R. Hamlin.
Horatio N. Holt.
Miles Jones.
George Jones.
Thomas A. Jerome.
Thomas Kip.
Zebulon Ketchum.
George R. Kibbe.
Phillip P. Kissam.
James H. Kimberly
William Ketchum.
William Kortz.
Wittiam Laverack.
John A. Latimer.
Henry Lamb.
Elijah Leech.
R. Hargreave Lee.
Harlow S. Love.
Warren Lampman.
John R. Lee.
Henry Lovejoy.
William H. Lacy.
James J. Lord.
Judge McPherson.
James Milnor.
George A. Moore.
James Murray.
A. D. A. Miller.

John T. Hudson.
Erastus Hathaway.
Ephriam S. Havens.
William A. Hart.
Elisha Hayward.
Dr. C. C. Haddock.
John Hicks.
James Henry.
Lewis L. Hodges.
Edwin Hurlburt.
John D. Harty.
David L. Humphrey.
Apollos Hitchcock.
Stephen W. Howell.
Rufus L. Howard.
James M. Hoyt.
Seth Heacock.
Samuel Haines.
Samuel Jordan.
Henry Jeudevine.
Hiram Johnson.
John L. Kimberly.
Mahlon Kingman.
Elisha Kimberly.
Silas Kingsley,
Jacob H. Koons.
Thomas Kennett.
Henry Kip, Jr.
John Lay.
Peter W. Longley.
Charles B. Lord.
Thomas C. Love.
John T. Lacy.
Cyrus P. Lee.
Christian Lapp.
Alfred Luce.
Daniel Lockwood.
Delos Lathrop.
John Lock.
James McKnight.
Harry Miller.
Daniel G. Marcy.
Hervy McCune.
Robert H. Maynard.

190

Recollections of Buffalo.

Richard McClevy.
James McCredie.
LeGrand Marvin.
Eurotas Marvin.
William G. Murray.
Edward Munger.
Elisha A. Maynard.
George W. Merrell.
Frederick H. Masten.
Robinson Morehead.
Francis G. Macy.
William Madison.
James Mullett.
John T. Noye.
John R. Nickels.
Frederick W. Newbould.
Richard L. Ogden.
William G. Oliver.
Nathaniel T. Otis.
Samuel A. Provoost.
Heman B. Potter.
John N. Peabody.
Charles S. Pierce.
Robert Pomeroy.
Luman A. Phelps.
Talbot P. Powers.
Nelson B. Palmer,
John Patterson.
Loring Pierce.
E. P. Pickering.
Rushmore Poole.
Henry Rumrill.
Amasa R. Ransom.
Wm. Ruxton.
John N. Reynolds.
Wm. G. Ramsdell.
Henry Root^
Chas. Ramsdell.
Henry Roop.
Dr. H. H. Reynolds.
Nelson Robinson.
Richard Sears.
Sidney Shepard.
Horatio Shumway.
Erastus Sparrow.

Hugh McKibbin.
Henry B. Meyer.
Silas Manvile.
George L. Marvin.
James Moffat.
Patrick Milton.
Isaac F. Maltby.
Janathan Mayhew.
Dan. Marble.
George Metzger.
WiUiam J. Mack.
J'oreman Mount.
Allexander Murray.
John Norton.
Joseph G. Norton.
Isaac W. Newkirk.
Ira Osborn.
John W. Orr.
W. G. Oatman.
Theodore C. Peters.
Lucius H. Pratt.
Horace Parmalee.
Oscar Packard.
Erastus S. Prosser.
Wm. Petrie.
Harrison Park.
Luman K. Plimpton.
Wm. B. Peck.
Geo. A. Prince.
John Peterson, Sr.
Edward Root.
O. P. Ramsdell.
Aaron Rumsey.
Alonzo Raynor.
Schuyler Ross.
Benj. Rathbun.
Henry P. Russell.
Volney Randall.
Augustus Raynor.
Hamilton Rainey.
Nelson Randall.
Jos. Stocking.
Horatio Stevens.
Oliver G. Steele.
Jonathan Sidway.

John J. McArthur.
George McKnight.
Charles A. Milikin.
William G. Miller.
Jacob S. Miller.
Albert S. Merrill.
Bradford A. Manchester.
Arthur McArthur.
Alex. McKay.
Samuel H. Macy.
George Mount.
Amos Morgan.
Henry G. Macy.
George L. Newman.
Calvin L. Nichols.
John Negus.
John Newman.
Harry B. Ostrom.
Rufus C. Palmer.
John R. Prince.
George Palmer.
James P. Provoost.
Thomas G. Perkins.
John Pease.
Peter Pugeot.
Anson B. Piatt.
Geo. A. H. Patterson.
Hiram W. Perce.
F. S. Pease.
Peter B. Porter, Jr.
Samuel Russell.
Robert Russell.
Elijah J. Roberts.
Dr. C. H. Raymond.
Wing Russell.
Alanson Robinson.
Wm. S. Rees.
Edwin Rose.
Sylvanus Russell.
Lambert S. Reynolds.
Ai Rollins.
Sextus Shearer.
Isaac W. Skinner.
Rodman Starkweather.
Augustus Q. Stebbins.

Manners, Customs and Fashions.

191

James M. Smith.
John D. Shepard.
James D. Shepard.'
Noah P. Sprague.
Samuel Smith.
Thomas Stephenson.
James Stryker.
John B. Stacy.
Thos. Smith.
Elbridge G. Spaulding.
Richard J. Sherman.
Jacob Seibold.
Silas Sawin.
Sheldon Smith.
Samuel Stearns.
Orrin Terry.
Geo. W. Tifft.
Benoni Thompson.
Wm. D. Taber.
Harry Thompson.
Ed. E. Thurber.
Hiram P. Thayer.
John S. Updike.
Otis Vaughn.
Daniel M. Vanderpool.
William Williams, Drugs.
Gibson T. Williams.
Henry R. Williams.
Nelson Willard.
Joel Wheeler.
Samuel G. Walker.
Eli Wilkeson.
Henry Waring.
David L. Wood.
Henry G. White.
Nathaniel Wilgus.
Isaac Warriner.
Alanson Webster.
Henry K. White.
Leonard Wilson.
Ambrose P. Yaw.
Foster Young.

Hezekiah A. Salisbury.
Pearl L. Stemberg.
Dr. Wm. K. Scott.
Burrill Spencer.
John M. Smith.
Israel P. Sears.
Thos. R. Stocking.
Wm. C. Sherwood.
Thos. J. Sizer.
Jason Sexton,
Guy H. Salisbury.
Merrill B. Sherwood.
Thos. P. Sears.
A. M. C. Smith.
Albert J. Starr.
Wm. Tweedy.
Timothy Treadwell.
Dr. John S. Trowbridge.
Lucien Terry.
Benj. Timmerman,
Chas. Taylor.
Dennis Taylor.
Nathaniel Vosburg.
James W. Vail.
George Van Tine.
Watkins Williams.
Henry Warren.
E. T. Winslow.
Wm, S. Waters.
Stephen Walker.
John Wilkeson.
Birdsye Wilcox.
Wm. R. L. Ward.
Chas. Wormwood.
Edward L. Winslow.
Alfred W. Wilgus.
Cornelius A. Waldron.
David Welty.
Isaac Wheeler.
Horatio Warren.
Chas. E. Young.
Geo. Zham.

Colored men worthy of mention : Peter West, town
Hawkins, a noteworthy and handsome man ; Randall
Brokenburgh, Wm. Quails.

Henry H. Sizer.
Harry Slade.
John Sage.
Augustus C. Stevens.
Benj. B. Stark.
Geo. Stow.
Joseph Stringham.
Geo. P. Stevenson.
Fred'k P. Stevens.
Joseph Saltar.
Jeremiah Staats.
Horace Stillman.
John W, Stewart.
Wm. L. G. Smith.
Philander W. Sawin.
Sheldon Thompson.
Lyman Tannahill.
Geo. D. Teller.
Calvin F. S. Thomas.
Chas. Taintor.
Thos. Tunnecliff.
Rev. Elisha Tucker.
Wm. Verrinder.
Benjamin Van Velsor.
William Williams, Banker.
Levi Waters.
H. Crane Winslow.
Edward S. Warren.
Amos Wright.
Wm. Wells.
Samuel Wilkeson, Jr.
Thomas C. Welch.
William W. Welch.
Wm. Woodruff.
Chandler J. Wells.
Henry C. Walker.
Hiram Waring.
James H. Wilgus.
Chauncey C. Wells.
Thaddeus Weed.
Peter Young.
crier, (odd character); Henry
Caezar, Joseph Adams, A. S.

192 Recollections of Buffalo.
I have enumerated in the foregoing list, the names of repre
sentative men, that lived here during the decade of the thirties,
from 1830 to 1840, between those years our population increased
from six to eighteen thousand. Most of these men were quite
prominent citizens, all well known as good citizens. The writer
as a boy knew them all, has written them without aid or dic
tation directly from memory and could add many more.
Seventy-five per cent, of all were exceptionally fine-looking
men ; of which any city might be proud. Where, to-day, could
you in this city with twenty times the number of its inhabitants,
find an equal number to compare with them in all respects ?
Men who would stand as well in the estimation of our people.
New Year Calls.
The good old custom of making New Year calls, vsits and an
nual gifts on the first day of January, was generally indulged in
and heartily and liberally enjoyed in the days of the thirties
throughout the State of New York. It was specially a current
custom in the cities of New York, Albany, Schenectady and
through the Dutch settlements of the State among the decend
ants ofthe early Hollanders.
In Buffalo it was spontaneously and fully adopted, and for good
reasons, as I have elsewhere shown. We were confined in win
ter to our own resources for occupation, entertainment and amuse
ment ; the business of the year and annual accounts were sup
posed to be satisfactorily adjusted and closed by January, and all
were looking forward to a lively holiday and to wishing each
others' wives and daughters "A Happy New Year ;" which, with
the hearty good-will in the unctious manner of saying it, im
parted kind feelings; but afterwards as the custom waned, it
deteriorated into that mincing, stand off, perfunctory mode of
address, " The Compliments of the Season." And on that day
it was considered the yearly privilege, among both young and
old, to salute your female friends with 'a good, hearty kiss,
without guile ; but freely . and honestly as an expression of
friendly regard.

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 193
These New Year customs emanated and were brought over
from Holland ; though its more original records were from
among the people under the rule of the early Roman Emperors.
But at that tiine the pleasant custom of visiting and making
complimentary gifts, especially to the Emperor, after a time
descended into the abuse of the custom ; it became an onerous
tax on the people in exacting costly gifts in money and other
valuables from them, as proofs of loyalty; and the custom became
" more honor'd in the breach, than the observance." Of Old
Peter Stuyvesant (Governor of New Amsterdam), Irving says :
" New Year's was his favorite festival, and was ushered in by the
ringing of bells and firing of guns. On that genial day the
fountains of hospitality were broken up and the whole com
munity was deluged with cherry ' brandy, true Hollands, and
mulled cider; every house was a temple to the jolly god, and
many a provident vagabond got drunk out of pure economy,
taking in liquor enough gratis to serve him half a year
afterwards.'' " The great assemblage, however, was at the governor's house,
whither repaired all the burghers of New Amsterdam, with their
wives and daughters, pranked out in their best attire. On this
occasion the good Peter was devoutly observant of the pious
Dutch rite of kissing the womankind for a Happy New Year;
and it is traditional that Anthony the Trumpeter, who acted as
gentleman usher, took toll of all who were young and handsome,
as they passed through the ante-chamber. This venerable
custom thus happily introduced, was followed with such zeal by
high and low, that on New- Year's day during the reign of Peter
Stuyvesant, New Amsterdam was the most thoroughly be-kissed
community in all Christendom."
This custom of visiting the Chief Magistrate, was followed
later, even to our times, by the universal calls of all citizens upon
the executive ruler of the bergh or town to partake of his good
cheer, be he styled Governor or Burgomeister, and therefore it
would have been deemed rude and disrespectful not to have
called upon our Mayor, who expected, and was expected to keep

194 Recollections of Buffalo.
open house to all comers on that day, and be fully provided with
an abundance of substantial good cheer for his guests.
The Mayor's table was supposed to take the lead in abundance
and variety, but all citizens and housewives gave the most
ample and liberal spreads their means permitted ; even the
poorest tried to show their hospitality. The temperance
question was not then in vogue.
" I'll tell you, friend — a wise man and a fool;
You'll find, if once the Monarch, acts the Monk;
Or, cobbler-like, the parson will be drunk."
It is not necessary to go into lengthy details as to the charac
ter of the viands on those well appointed tables. Of course
there were boiled and baked hams pictured with rosettes, and
punctured and speckled with cloves, roasted brown turkeys,
varnished with basting gravy, bursting with savory stuffing,
with Dutch pudding and sausages nestled under the biped's
drumsticks and pinions to support the equilibrium of the bird,
on its back ; and all around the rise of the platter was an aureole
of lemons, intermingled with confections ; little roasted pigs
with ears of corn in their mouths; I think I can hear them
squeal ! or perhaps it is the brown skin cracking as they are
stabbed with the fork. Game was plentiful hereabouts, and of course
we had it. There were doughnuts, modernized into crullers, and
mulled cider, cracked hickory nuts near by ; pound cake, " old
south-side" madeira, and walnuts, mince pies and pumpkin ditto.
At each end of the lengthened table were a brace of steaming
urns with hot coffee and boiling water, which held the fort all
day long and far into the night, from which you could take your
cafe an laii at will, or mix your hot brandy sling or Scotch
toddy. Did we take any common-place dinners or suppers at
home on New Year's day? Not if the court knew itself!
If the sleighing was good, and it usually was fifty years ago,
all the two, four and six horse turn-outs, with harnesses covered
with bells, were engaged for use on that day, days and weeks
beforehand.

Manners, Customs and Fashions. 195
An amusing incident connected with the engaging of sleighs
for New Year's calls was related to me by one of the Stevenson's,
who managed an extensive livery establishment during the
decade of the thirties. A well-known merchant, Erastus
Sparrow, engaged of Mr. Geo. P. Stevenson a specially fine
turn-out with six bright bays, for New Year day calls, to be at
his door at nine o'clock sharp. When the day and hour came,
the sleigh and horses were not forthcoming. Full of wrath and
fortiter in re. Sparrow went next day to blow up George ; who,
after listening to Sparrow's forcible arguments for some time,
said to him, " Look here ! You will be glad enough to have one
horse to drag you around before another New Year." Sparrow
came to Stevenson a few days after his failure that year awA. said,
" I guess George, I'll take that one horse concern to ' drag' me
that you spoke of last New Year. If you'll let me have it, it's
good enough for me ! "
The young " bloods " of the young city of course secured all
the choice turn-outs. The usual custom of those young gentle
men who were au fait in the manner of making New Year calls
was to dress themselves in their best suits, as if for an evening
party, having their teams, with coachman, and boy "tiger"
covered with bell buttons, and provided with a pack of " visiting
cards," as they were then called, all ready at nine o'clock, and
then drive to the house of some particular friend, famous for her
French coffee, and loosen up their tongues for the day's
encounters ; thence to the Parson's, to pay their annual respects
to him, while in good condition ; after that calling upon the staid,
elderly and observing matrons while still able to maintain a dig
nified and cautious reserve. Then to the Mayor's for your first
indulgence, after that to your choicest favorites among the
married women and maidens. As the gloaming comes on, you
become a little more promiscuous in your calls ; then jollity and
fun begin and the time-honored custom of osculation is not
forgotten ; sometimes you will duplicate your calls, faintly
remembering that you have seen that face before, that day, and
to be sure, you take close inspection; and finally after completing

196 Recollections of Buffalo.
your hundred calls, the number en regie, you finish up the night
at some friend's gay ball — a little torn up, and with drooping
costume, go home, drop asleep and dream of dancing, music, girls
and sleigh bells.
It was not uncommon in the afternoon to see a party of well-
known gentlemen of six to a dozen, all hilarious, enter a lady's
house, perhaps Mrs. Fillmore's or Mrs. Clary's, wholly unknown
to the ladies, introducing themselves and wishing the ladies a
Happy New Year and taking a glass of wine, without giving
offence.

CHAPTER X.
Benjamin Rathbun.
Looking from my present stand-point, far back over the more
than fifty years that have passed since the subject of this record
flourfshed here, and the marked impression his individuality left
on my boyish mind, I cannot but consider him as one of the
most remarkable men of the period of the thirties. It was a time
of almost universal peace ; a time when there were but few great
or extensive operations planned in the world, requiring the need
of large and energetic minds, calling for powerful executive man
hood. There were no excitements, discoveries or inventions, to
attract, stimulate and urge on to new enterprises the few men of
brains, good health, executive abilities, and comprehensive ideas,
there were in that generation ; hence the more marked is the charac
ter which could, in an uneventful age and period of financial de
pression, conceive new enterprises and improvements and exe
cute them. Rathbun's ideas and projects were decidedly Napo
leonic in conception and grandeur. We often note resemblances
in men to- the well known pictures of Bonaparte. As I remem
ber Rathbun he had more points of j-esemblance in person and
character to the " Great 'Captain" or "Little Corporal" than
any man who has come to my mind. Rathbun was almost pre
cisely the build and height as Bonaparte has been described and
is shown in pictures and statues. His square face, firm lower jaw;
his appearance and manner, together with his immobility and
reticence completed the comparison. To the outside world
Rathbun was never seen to smile, rarely heard to speak ; he
would have made a successful gamester.
His dress was uniformly a black, so called dress, or " cut away "
coat, large black or white cravat, without collar. He was always
tidy and neat and apparently well accustomed to his clothes.

198 Recollections of Buffalo.
Rathbun first became popularly known here and through the
country as keeper of the old " Eagle Tavern," at the corner of
Main and Court Streets. It was thought to be the ne plus ultra,
the best of public houses under his management in more than in
its comparison with other and popular stage houses, for there
were " none further on." His ability for the transaction of this
and other business, brought him to the notice of capitalists and
he soon began to undertake enterprises of " more pith and mo
ment." His earnestness was exemplified by the manner in which
he conducted the " Eagle Tavern," making it a popular and
widely-known house, by his personal attention to all its appoint
ments ; improving them, instead of allowing it to drift along in
the old way of country taverns, his enterprise pushing him on
ward to higher standards of excellence. His business qualities
and ambition did not rest at the success of the hotel. He soon
began to enlarge his sphere of action.
He contracted to build houses, stores, factories and public
buildings ; which he accomplished with vigor and skill. He
bought lands for building purposes. He multiplied his indus
tries and workmen. As his work widened out he brought to his
aid the most competent and skilled assistants, superintendents,
foremen and experts. He made large contracts for building ma
terials, opened stone quarries, established brick yards, machine
shops, and several stores for supplying the various needs of his
workmen as well as those of the public. Multiplied his teams
for excavating, grading, drawing sand from his lots in " Sandy
Town," for hauling brick, lumber, and other building materials.
He built an entire street from the Terrace to the Canal, of three-
story work-shops for his machine shops, carpenters hops and turn
ing lathes. The street was called Mechanic Street. At its foot on
the canal, he built a large warehouse for the receipt and storage
of goods. He opened a private bank and issued promises to
pay, in the form of bank notes, ofthe denominations of one, two,
three and five dollars, (signed) B. Rathbun ; unsecured, but which
passed as current as the notes of any bank of issue here.

Benjamin Rathbun. 199
Most of the bank loans, at that time were made by the old
United States Bank, by a committee of discount from the direc
tors, which met for that purpose only once in each week. Con
sequently, when money was needed, in sudden emergencies or
for immediate use, parties had to seek it from their neighbors
and friends. Confidence among business men was then so strong
that business men, when necessity demanded it, would go to
their neighbors and borrow their day's surplus. It often
occurred with Rathbun that a sudden pressure for large amounts
would spring up, on off-days for discounts, when he would send
out from his counting house, a half dozen of clerks, who would
spread out and go from door to door, demanding to know from
the proprietors, if he or they " had any over " that day, and took
what they had ; and thus often collected thousands to relieve the
day's necessities.
He purchased and run all the stages on the local line, con
necting with those on the route from Buffalo to Albany and New
York. I well remember when stage number " 50 " appeared on
our streets. The body of it was painted in bright red : on the
panels of the doors was a wreath of flowers, with B. Rathbun,
No. 50, in the centre. A portrait of this stage, fully equipped,
may be seen in the Buffalo Historical Society.
He instituted a line of omnibusses, which ran from the dock
to Goodrich Hill or North Street (lover's lane.) They were
handsomely fitted out and richly upholstered, with seats for
fourteen to eighteen passengers; drawn by four horses, with
young men of sixteen to twenty, in uniform, for conductors.
The fare to Genesee Street was sixpence ; the full route one
shilling. The omnibusses each bore a name appropriate to the
adventure ; the first one was " Experiment," then " Encourage
ment," " Enterprise," and so on.
Rathbun, had places of business innumerable : superin
tendents, foremen and clerks, in scores. It was said that at his
failure he had three thousand men in his employ and no partner.
This, in a small city of fifteen to twenty thousand population, is
an enormous number, relying on one man's uncertainties. He

200 Recollections of Buffalo.
built the grand old American Hotel for Col. Palmer. He con
tracted for and built for Joy & Webster the " Webster Block,"
seventeen stores in a line, in ninety days ; surrendering the keys
ofthe stores to Mr. Webster on the ninetieth day, simply saying:
" The stores are completed, there are the keys." A remarkable
feat for those days with limited resources and materials.
He built the block opposite the " Churches " on Main Street.
(I think they were built for David E. Evans of Batavia or
conjointly with others.) It was at that time thought to be a fine
business block, of four-story stores, uniform with the one still
standing on the corner of North Division Street. They occu
pied the entire front of the block, with the exception of the large
pillared structure of the United States Bank on the corner of
South Division Street. He had projected to take down the
buildings of this block, and had completed the destruction of
them excepting the corner store mentioned, and build on the
entire block the great " Buffalo Exchange," a combination of
Merchants' Exchange and Hotel, the huge dome of which was
to reach two hundred and thirty feet high, over a grand rotunda.
At the same time he had laid the foundation of the present
" International Hotel " at Niagara Falls, and was proceeding
with these and other schemes, when the crash of his failure
"thundered all around the sky,'' causing wide-spread conster
nation !
Rathbun failed by having too much confidence in himself and
his assistants. The organization of his private counting house
was composed of his brother General Lyman Rathbun, chief, at
the head, with several confidential clerks. Among them were
two nephews : Rathbun Allen and Lyman Rathbun Hewlett ;
these three seemed to be the financial committee who obtained
and disbursed the ways and means for conducting the business.
Howlett was a bright, handsome, little fellow who rode every
where a " bright, handsome," little pony in transacting business.
Both he and the pony were the envy of all the other little chaps
in town. Hewlett's special business seemed to be the negotiating
of notes and bills with the banks and brokers, collecting drafts

Benjamin Rathbun. 201
and accounts, communicating with the foremen of each kind of
work. He appeared to be continually occupied and active ; his
pony was seen in all parts of the town ; there were no telegraphs,
telephones, street cars, messenger boys, nor mail carriers, so
communication had to be personal. Howlett was but about
fourteen or fifteen years old. It was said he could counterfeit
perfectly any man's signature ; indeed, it was said that he at one
time went to the banking office of Henry H. Sizer to renew a
line of notes for a large amount which had seven indorsers.
When he presented these notes for renewal, the cashier discovered
among them one, with one indorser omitted. Howlett said :
" I think I have another," turned 'round to a desk, and wrote the
missing name, and again offered it to the cashier and it was
accepted without detection of the forgery. It was subsequently
ascertained that all these signatures were forgeries, perpetrated
by Howlett. Rathbun's confidence was such, that in the emer
gency of a financial corner, a set of three notes of this character
of $5,000 each were put on the market and used ; of which fact
he must have been aware. They were forged renewals of gen
uine notes. Although he did not utter them himself, it did not
seem to worry him, supposing that he could easily pay them
without notice. These forgeries accumulated until they were
discovered by one of the parties whose name was on these notes
unauthorized by him. This caused the failure.
Rathbun was arrested at the Falls, where he had gone on bus
iness connected with tjie new hotel, he was building there. Ly
man Rathbun fled to Texas, then an independent government.
Howlett disappeared utterly ; his early home was in Virginia, but
what became of him no one here seemed ever to know. Rathbun
Allen fled, but was brought home in irons and lodged in Erie
County jail, and subsequently turned state's evidence upon his
uncle's trial, which unfaithfulness Rathbun afterwards condoned.
Rathbun was held in jail here nearly two years, his trial post
poned from time to time. Public sentiment was so much in his
favor here that the courts were unable to obtain an impartial
trial ; the venue was changed and he was finally brought to trial

202 Recollections of Buffalo.
in Batavia ; was convicted and sent to Auburn State Prison for
five years.
This did not kill Rathbun's spirit or pluck ; after his emanci
pation he went to New York, built and conducted a hotel in low
er Broadway called " Rathbun's Hotel," which was popular with
the public and freely patronized by all Buffalonians. The Hotel*
had a successful run until in the march of improvements " up
town," it had to succumb, when Rathbun took the then new hotel,
near about 40th Street and Broadway, from which he afterwards
retired with a competency, dying a few years since.
One of Rathbun's peculiar, but natural characteristics, was his
remarkable quietness of demeanor and reticence ; rarely on the
public streets, and when seen had the bearing of an orthodox
clergyman. With all his publicity of business he was the least
known personally, among our business men.
The readers of this sketch of Rathbun, will recollect that the
days of which I am writing were days of comparatively small
transactions. This was then the West; the country was thinly
populated, the town was small, its resources few and undeveloped,
therefore through the magnitude and boldness of his operations,
he became the central figure round which the people revolved.
The truth is, that he was not a visionary man ; his schemes were
based on prophetic wisdom ; but he lived just half a century too
soon.

* Rathbun Allen, a clerk in this hotel, fell from a fourth story window and was
killed.

CHAPTER XI.
Colonel Alanson Palmer.
Among the prominent characters about town in the thirties,
was Colonel Alanson Palmer, commonly spoken of as " Lance
Palmer." I speak of him above as prominent; that must be
taken in its local sense. I knew the man, although very much
older than myself; I knew his relatives and connections. He
was not prominent in the sense of being great, as men are some
times called " Great Men." He was not noted for his attainments
nor for his valor, as a soldier; neither for statesmanship nor scien
tific researches, but, he was ambitiously, showily, conspicuously
prominent in our little city.
He was enterprising ; his conception was decidedly good ; he
planned large speculations in lands ; a natural born speculator.
He was filled to the brim with schemes for large undertakings ;
but his schemes, as the California forty-niner would be likely to
remark, did not "pan out well."
He had native goodness, he was generous and liberal, not only
with his own shekels and ducats but also with those of others.
Had he been as rich as the Duke of Westminster he would have
used that wealth in a prodigal manner. His recklessness in
squandering money made him noted ; had he the wealth spoken
of and lived to the advanced age, which he did, he would have
died as he did, in poverty. Ostentatious, even when in poverty.
A very handsome man, was Colonel Palmer, among the many
finely appearing men of that day in Buffalo. Perhaps there was
no one that excelled him physically. Noted for his fine apparel
and grand turn-outs. His dress was the popular dress of the
time for middle aged gentlemen : blue, cut-away dress coat, with
rich gilt or gold buttons ; blue, black or drab trousers ; straw
colored waistcoat ; pleated, large ruffled shirt front, with a hand-

204 Recollections of Buffalo.
some medallion, painted portrait pin, set in diamonds and gold,
which, as I remember, was a portrait of Andrew Jackson ; at an
other time a cluster diamond pin ; white choker and ruffled wrist
bands fastened together with chain links, and carrying an exceed
ingly fine gold watch, with Cornelian seals and key dangling
from his watch fob. (The watch is now in the possession of and
worn by a gentleman of the law in town). In winter a blue circle,
cloth cloak, lined with red and faced with the widest of silk
velvet. All this, when seated back in his open barouche or gor
geously appointed sleigh, scattering his gold coin among the
lackeys, he was the pink of grandeur and " observed of all ob
servers," .
With all his follies and furbelows, his extravagance and osten
tation, he did accomplish some of his schemes and projects, but
more for the benefit of others' after-gains, than for himself
He built, through the contractor, Rathbun, the original grand,
American Hotel, of five lofty stories, a cut grey stone building,
surmounted by a columnar cupola or belvedere, which stood on
the spot now occupied by the present "American Block." Some
ofthe features of this Hotel were of a Royal character : in the
rear division of the building, two of its stories equaled the space
of three of the front, the first floor elevated by four or five steps
from the large hall, entered a lofty dining room ; the second floor a
grand ball and concert room, with double .spring floors, approached
by wide, double staircases ; with' a dome ceiling and so construct
ed as to be almost perfect in acoustic qualities. This was a fa
vorite Concert and Operatic Hall of the Stars of the musical
firmament ; here it was the writer's privilege to have listened in
1 84 1 to the celebrated John Braham, who at that time, when
nearly seventy, enjoyed the reputation of being the best tenor
singer in Europe. He attracted large audiences there at the age
of eighty. He is said to have retained command of the tenor
scale longer than any other man ever known.
Here, also, did Ole Bull entertain Buffalo audiences on his first
visit to this country.

"AMERICAN HOTEL'

2o6 Recollections of Buffalo.
The great and popular ballad singer, Henry Russell, often gave
concerts in that room to crowded houses. His songs and bal
lads and the airs were widely sung by all who could sing, both
ladies and gentlemen. Among those of which he was the auth
or of the poems, or set them to his music, were " The Maniac,"
" The Ship on Fire," " Life on the Ocean Wave," " The Old Sex
ton," " Wind of the Winter's Night," " I'm O'er Young to Mar
ry yet," and many others.
Henry Russell was the father of W. Clark Russell, the noted
author of those popular Sea Stories, " The Wreck of the Gros-
vener,'' and others.
Dempster, also a popular ballad singer, held his concerts in
that room. He will be remembered as the author of the " May
Queen" and the " Irish Emigrant's Lament."
Those celebrated vocalists gave their concerts unassisted by
others or instruments, excepting to accompany themselves on
the piano forte.
In this concert room the Woods', Seguins' and the celebrated
cantatrice, beautiful woman, and at that time favorite, Madame
Anna Bishop, made their debuts to Buffalo audiences.
Palrtier also furnished this hotel in the most sumptuous man
ner the resources ofthe age, 1835-6, permitted.
The building was burned March loth, 1850. Of the articles
saved from the fire there were forty French plate mirrors from
six to ten feet in length. The lessees and managers of this ho
tel, were Lewis L. Hodges and Ira Osborn, with William Rickords
as chief clerk, and Major Domo ; and so widely known and well
reputed was this hotel, that travelers from Europe, coming here
to visit Niagara Falls, made it an objective point to visit this
Hotel en route.
Amongst his other conceptions. Palmer built and equipped
a complete, full-rigged ship called the Julia Palmer. That ship
and one built subsequently, called the Milwaukee, were the
only full-rigged ships ever built for service on our great lakes.
The Juha Palmer, named for the Colonel's wife, was complete in
all particulars. She carried all the sails known in the vocabulary

Colonel Alanson Palmer. 207
of sailors ; she had her four or five jibs, her top sails, top
gallants, royals, sky sails, ("sky scrapers," "moon rakers" and
" star gazers,") and studding sails alow and aloft. When all were
spread and drawn all ataunto, before the breeze, and seen from
our Terrace Hills, it was a picture worth beholding : she was
finished with all the bright brass work and mahogany that could
have been desired. Her cabins, in cabinet work of mahogany ;
her general finish was complete, for a yacht for the Count De
Monte Christo. But, Colonel Palmer did not reap a golden
harvest by bringing hither the golden grain of the West with
her. " The Julia Palmer " ship was afterwards razeed into a
steamboat. When the great " University of Buffalo " was projected, of
which the only outcome is the Medical College of Buffalo,
Colonel Palmer was among its founders and endowed (on paper)
a chair in the institution.
There were no free public schools at that time, supported by
the State and locals taxation. Colonel Palmer established the
" Palmer School " and endowed it with a sum sufficient for its
support for the education of sixty scholars : twelve to be
selected by the trustees from each of the then five wards of the
city. They imported hither a professional teacher a Mr. James
McCredie (father of our townsman of same name, who recently
died), as principal. After a short life the school collapsed from
the failure of the securities with which it was endowed.
During the height of the great land speculations of '35-'36
the Colonel in one of his flights of assumption, (he hugely liked
a cool practical joke), in collusion with some of his convivial
associates, drove from Albany in a six-horse turn-out, into the
city of Troy, stopping at the leading hotel. Sending for the
principal city officials : the Mayor, Comptroller and others, made
overtures for and a proposition to purchase the site of Troy, its
water power and some of the contiguous villages, among them
Watervliet. The apparent earnestness on the part of Colonel
Palmer and his associates, quite astonished those city officials.
They would have to take time to consider the subject and
ascertain if there were legal precedents for such a transaction !

2o8 Recollectios of Buffalo.
Palmer's wife was a bright, cheery little lady, quite accustomed
to his moods and habits. She was much respected by the
community and by him, and of whom he stood in wholesome
fear. His convivial habits sometimes led him into excesses.
Self-indulgent, and being very fond of wine, he would sometimes
exceed the bounds of propriety.
Coming home one night after a full session, with kindred
spirits, he found his " Jule," as he familiarly called her, sound
asleep. With as little noise as possible with him under the then
existing circumstances, he disrobed and crawled quietly into bed
beside her, congratulating himself on the successful achievement
as he supposed ; it suddenly occurred to him that he was facing
her and that the fumes of stale wine from his breath would be
likely to awaken her. He clandestinely attempted to change
his position, when she suddenly paralyzed him by exclaiming:
" Launce ! You needn't turn over, you are drunk clear through ! "
He was at all times genial, and ready to do a benevolent
action. Worse men have lived than Colonel Alanson Palmer,

CHAPTER XII.
The Buffalo Apprentices' Society.*
On the twenty-second day of February, 1833, there was or
ganized in our city, an institution of modest pretensions, and
with slight expectation of anything more than a limited exist
ence. Confined to boys of youthful inexperience, narrow acquire
ments and no money, they nevertheless evinced laudable desires,
ambitions, aims, and hopes on their part, which commended
them to the encouragement and material aid of men of wisdom
and generous impulses.
"The Buffalo Apprentices' Society,'' was composed mostly
of poor boys regularly indentured apprentices, or working at me
chanical trades, or in shops or stores ; (the writer one of its mem
bers, was an unindentured apprentice to the Printing, Publishing,
and Bookselling trade). As the importance and dignity of the
"¦ institution grew, it became an object of interest and respect
among the boys about town ; you would now and then see
among the applicants for admission to membership and the ben
efits of the society, an ambitious boy of a higher position, as per
haps a merchants' clerk, or manufacturer's son, or a student of
one of the professions, until it finally came to be considered an
honor among the boys, to be elected a member.
It was fortified by a Constitution and By-Laws, copied after
and imitating older and more pretentious institutions. Its officers
were a President, a Vice-President, Corresponding and Record
ing Secretaries, Treasurer, and Librarian, six in all, who with the
exception of the Librarian, acted as its executive committee. A
peculiar feature as to the election of the President is worthy of
a passing thought, and might well be considered, in the method

* This paper was originally written and deposited in the Buffalo Historical Society.

210 Recollections of Buffalo.
of electing the more important executive officers of public or pri-
' vate trusts, or the great officers of the State or Nation ; namely :
a week or two previous to the semi-annual meetings, candidates
for office were put in nomination at a caucus of the members;
and electioneering on the part of the friends of the various can
didates went on in the usual way; and ordinarily, one ofthe two
nominees for president was successful. But, by a constitutional
provision, when it came to the night of election, the members
nominated a committee of five, whose duty it was to retire and
consult as to the advisibility of confirming the caucus candidates,
or substituting others of their own selection. The committee was
usually formed of the older members and those who had held
the office, and therefore not supposed to be selfishly inclined ;
and their decisions were irrevocable, and at once complied with.
It often occurred, however, that the action of this committee up
set the calculations and ambitious aspirations of the would-be
Presidents, and brought forward entirely new candidates for the
office. The objects of the association were well and simply expressed
in the motto inscribed on its silken banner, which overhung the
dais of the presiding officer :
" Get wisdom and endeavor to acquire knowledge ; "
The continuation and concluding portion of the motto, (which
was not inscribed on the banner), read thus :
"for a good education is the best of all earthly possessions ;
the basis of power and the foundation of rational enjoyment!'
The grand design of the Society was : mutual improvement
in the various departments of Literature, Science and the Arts,
and a general dissemination of useful knoweledge.
These worthy objects were practically demonstrated by the
gathering up of a Library.
The institution of weekly Literary Debates in which every
member was expected to join. The questions for debate were
from a wide range of subjects. National, Political, Moral Philos
ophy, and all mooted questions of general Literature.

The Buffalo Apprentices' Society. 211
The establishment of a " Composition Bureau," where were
deposited compositions in prose and poetry, essays, dissertations
on various subjects, criticisms, and other communications, writ
ten by the members tO be read in open session by the Corres
ponding Secretary, anonymously or avowed, as the author pre
ferred ; one evening in each month was set apart for that pur
pose. A critic was appointed, whose duty was, and under com
pulsion, to criticise the productions, point out their defects and
errors in all particulars of composition, orthogrophy, diction,
grammar, anachronisms, correctness as to historical facts, etc., for
the benefit and instruction of the unknown but listening contrib
utor, and also as strong hints and suggestions to the other listen
ing members. Sometimes it happened that exceptions were
taken to the criticisms and points came under general discussion ;
all this within the hearing ofthe unknown authors, who perhaps
joined in the discussion.
The business matters and affairs of the Society were conduct
ed with dignity and decorum ; the boyish pranks in which the
younger members would naturally indulge, were promptly dropped
so soon as the President's gavel was sounded, when all assumed
the quiet dignity of statesmen in council. The presiding officer
appeared entirely conversant with parliamentary usages and rules,
and law, and his decisions were generally sustained. As the
office by custom rotated from one member to another, all the
members came, in time, to know how to preside. Indeed, there
appeared to be, among the members a unanimous feeling of zeal
to strive to act with the strictest adherance to Parliamentary rules
and usages in their business discussions and literary debates ; it
became to them an important factor in their education.
At its weekly meetings each Saturday evening, were discussed,
first, the business matters of the Society, in regular session, all
in proper order with dignified formality. Then came the draw
ing of books ; after which the Society resolved itself into what
might be called the committee of the whole, with a temporary
presiding officer or moderator called " The President of the De
bate." Subsequently a Board of three Judges was established.

212 Recollections of Buffalo.
The debate would be on some subject of general or special in
terest selected the previous week by the " committee to propose
questions," so called ; the disputants being a foreman and three
associates on either side, also chosen the previous week, and who
had been " coaching up " meantime ; and if the subject was of a
National character, Blackstone, Kent, Vattel, and other authori-
ities were flung at opposite sides as knock-down arguments, with
the sang froid of old advocates, and as if Vattel's and Kent's
commentaries on law were as decisive in support of their argu
ments, in those battles of the brain, as " Mitralleuse guns " or
" Dictator Rams " are in the land and naval warfare of the world
in the more serious questions of dispute among nations. The
chairman of the debate, deciding in the affirmative or negative,
according to the weight of argument (avoirdupois perhaps) ad
duced upon either side ofthe question.
A critic was appointed for the debates as well as for the writ
ten contributions. The critic making reference to the speakers
not by name, but as the gentleman of the affirmative or negative
side, as the case might be. While there was much of good and
fair criticism, there was a good deal of fun and banter indulged.
I remember on one occasion there was found in the com
position box a poem which had been called forth by the heated
and vindictive debates of some of the members, entitled :
" Dog Tom ; a Satire!'
Written in the style of Burns' " Twa Dogs." It was rich in
stinging satire, biting sarcasm and personal lampoons, particularly
at two of the members, namely, " Walt. Thomas," and " Dave
Wood ; " of course it was anonymous ; but we all knew from its
" trade mark^' that " Cutting " wrote it.
At the outset, the society commenced operations with but a
very meagre library; but its ambitious and enterprising com
mittee on " Donations and Subscriptions," newly appointed
monthly, vied with each other to see which of its members could
bring in the largest number of surplus volumes from the over
loaded private libraries about town. Frequently an extra
volume of" Statistics," " Patent Office Reports," or a stray copy

The Buffalo Apprentices' Society. 213
of Len. Crary's City Directory was counted in. I fancy our pet
and venerable " Historical Society " occasionally gathers in an
old Directory ? Being, as I stated, attached to the book-selling
trade, and having a knowledge of those who would be most
likely to have books to give away, such as editors, publishers,
and men who were habitually buying books, I was eminently
successful in the book donation department. It was the shrewd
policy of the society, to place upon the committees as soon as
possible, each new member. I very soon graduated from that
committee. I very well recollect what an important event it was with the
boys, when the society became financially strong enough to
procure " Harper's Family Library."
Then containing one hundred and eighty-five volumes ; and
thereafter seriously contemplated moving into more extended
and ostentatious quarters than the little room in the third story
of the Kremlin Block — and did eventually migrate. And after
several changes, from the "Kremlin" to 175 Main Street (old
numbers) to 140 Main Street, finally settled down in a large
room on the ground floor in the rear part of the old " American
Hotel," that part owned by Tracy and Stevenson, which
buildings were entirely destroyed by fire on Sunday morning,
the loth of March, 1850. And perhaps, but I know not, it was
there the society left its ashes !
After a time, with the continued practice and cultivation of its
members, the debates began to attract and claim the attention of
the general public, and they were attended by ladies and gentle
men of literary tastes and pursuits, which gratified the boys and
stimulated their pride ; and considerable interest was manifested
in the debates and expressed in the success of the opposing sides
by the people outside. Sketches of the debates and synopses of
the arguments were published in the newspapers and the dis
putants complimented by name ; and the general public became
considerably interested in the society and the boys. So much
so, that after persevering efforts, the society obtained the

214 Recollections of Buffalo.
consent from the owners and agents, Messrs. Gelston & Evans,
and the Commander of the steamboat "Wisconsin," Captain
Power, for a " grand excursion " to Gravelly Bay for its benefit,
which proved an encouraging success. It was quite a gala-day
with the towns-people. The proprietors of the " Commercial
Advertiser," then published by Salisbury, Foote & Clapp, and
the other dailies, suspended publication to permit their employees
to join in the excursion ; turning the day into a general holiday.
The society realized from the benefit ^359.00; a large sum at
that time, and a great help to it. Some talk was had about in
creasing the bond of the Treasurer which was at that time one
hundred dollars. 1 well remember how proud I felt, when my
employer endorsed my bond for that amount when I was elected
Treasurer. But, later on — alas for the perpetuity of the institution ! —
a debate sprung up in a business meeting upon a proposed
amendment to the constitution. (As I have stated, the society
was composed of and organized by youths of the ages of fifteen
to twenty-one years.) The article which it was proposed to re
construct, having been adopted in the early days of the insti
tution, for the exclusion of the men, who they feared would
come to govern, and control them, read something like this :
Article — . " No person shall continue a regular member of this society after
he attains the age of twenty-one years."
Here was a crusher! for boys would grow old, hard though
they tried to keep young — as some advancing spinsters do.
Some of those older than myself, chiefly instrumental in pro
curing the adoption of this article as a fundamental element
in the constitution of the society, in lapse of time, and after
having come to consider the institution as their altna mater
and best friend, awoke suddenly to the conviction that they had
prepared a whip wherewith themselves to be scourged out.
We, of the younger set, were mostly well satisfied with
the condition of affairs ; as we believed that in due time we
should acquire sufficient preponderance of power to be able to
modify whatever objectionable features there were in the law,
to suit the needs of the situation, as they should transpire.

The Buffalo Apprentices' Society. 215
The various amendments proposed in the progress of the
lengthened debates on this subject, extended the time to twenty-
five years, thirty years, during good behavior, or to resign and
become honorary members without the payment of dues ; or,
remain regular members paying dues and enjoying all other
privileges except voting and holding office.
We youngsters regarded all these offers of compromise as
" springs to catch woodcocks ; " as we could see without the
eyes of the old 'uns, that when the society became a school for
and be controlled by men, it would cease to be the school
we loved and under the control of us boys I
The debates and wranglings upon this amendment were
extended through a period of a year or more ; a long time for
boys. As the cause advanced members became more and more
definitely arrayed against each other, distinguished as Consti
tutionalists or Revolutionalists. The Constitutionalists were for
" maintaining the integrity of the constitution inviolate — as
wholly too sacred to be tampered with ! " The Revolutionists
were those who desired to continue to lead and control the
society — " rule or ruin " — as we thought.
Strange though it seems, some of the members nearest that
rubicon of age, to pass which would disfranchise them, stub
bornly held for the integrity of the organic law.
Among the advocates for preserving the Society strictly for
the benefit of those still in the period of apprenticeship accord
ing to the plan originally designed, was one David L. Wood, a
printer, and part sailor; (during the Great Rebellion he was
Commissary General of the State of Ohio.) He was a good
talker, in the rough style, and a good reasoner ; fearless in de
bate, with a stoutness and persistent determination to carry his
points, worthy of a Jackson or a Benton. He was supported by
a wiry, waspish, tantalising little chap, called " Walt. Thomas,"
or Benjamin Walden Thomas. He was a sharp, astute debater,
with a Jesuitical way he had of cajoling the younger boys out of
their votes.

2i6 Recollections of Buffalo.
These leaders and their supporters were antagonized in the
disputes by an aspiring young painter, an apprentice to the old
firm of House and Sign Painters, Messrs. Bradley & Miller, (suc
ceeded by H. G. White), named Cutting, and one " Sam; ' Com
stock, another " Knight of the Brush," both favorites of the
younger members. Cutting, for his spirited style in debate, pow
er of invective, soaring, brilliant utterances, or emphatic exclama
tions and opportune epithets, appropriate to the time and the
subject, the younger boys looked upon him as their Patrick
Henry of the Society; who, at some future day, they were posi
tive, would become a member of the Legislature ! (To which dis
tinction he at length attained).
" Sam. Comstock " was our Franklin. He was a handsome
boy, with a face resembling the portraits of Franklin. He was
urbane, gentle, always met you with a genial and honest smile,
hence, popular. In argument he was more compact and perti
nent ; had a habit, when debates had protracted unduly, of rap
idly swinging his right arm around, bringing his open fingers
together and emphatically exclaiming : " Let us now come to
the P-o-i-n-t ! Mr. President ! " — which " we boys " regarded as
a master stroke of oratorio art. These two were the champions
of the progressionists or revolutionists.
I may as well record here a circumstance showing the hearty
interest and regard the members felt for the Society. These two
" Champions " and " Artists of the Brush," volunteered and did
paint, two sides of a grand silk and gilt banner for our parades
on the Fourth of July and other great occasions ; one of which
will long be remembered by surviving participants. The funeral
ceremonies and oration on the death of President Harrison when
it was carried ; appropriately draped in crape. After a long and
tedious march under a burning sun, we were crowded into the
" Old First Presbyterian Church," and forced to hsten to a two-
hours' prayer, that the eloquence of the late lamented Dr. A. T.
Hopkins might thus be ventilated. Then to an elaborate and
exhaustive dissertation on the birth, and cradle experience, the
life, death and future expectations of the Log Cabin, Tippecanoe

The Buffalo Apprentices' Society. 217
Hero, by the redoubtable, dogmatic. Judge Horatio J. Stow. We
poor sufferers, after more than six hours fatigue, after four o'clock
P. M., dragged the weary " houses we live in " home to our sev
eral cold dinners, inwardly thankful that at last Harrison was
safely buried.
That banner, during the intervals of public exhibition, was sus
pended over the President's platform, as before mentioned. It
was an artistic achievement ; emblematic of the character of the
Society and its members. On one side, painted by Cutting, was
a medallion portrait, life size, of Robert Fulton, surrounded by
symbols of the mechanic arts ; an anvil and sledge, a distant
steamboat and portions of machinery, conspicuous a muscular
arm, holding a smith's hammer ; typical of educated labor and
industry. On the reverse side, painted by Comstock, was an admirable
portrait of Franklin, (the boys used to say, the artist sat before a
mirror, while painting, to copy his model). Crowned with lau
rel, with a descending flash of lightning as a crest, and sur
rounded with emblems of education and higher art ; a Printing
Press, a Globe, Pen and Ink, Books, Scrolls, Engineering Instru
ments, etc., full but not over done.
Debates and Combats Continued.
After the debates had continued a year, the proposed amend
ment of the Constitution was finally lost ; failing to receive
the required three-fourths vote. The integrity of the Consti
tution was preserved inviolate !
A triumph ; but a fatal one. As once said by an English
statesman, referring to a bloody victory over the Americans : " It
is a victory, but will ultimately cost us the colonies." The spir
it developed among certain members during the protracted dis
cussion, eventuated in the dissolution of the Society ; though in
the course of it, the public interest gradually awakened in the
general debates, had been the means of bringing it into what
promised a healthful notoriety.

2i8 Recollections of Buffalo.
For a year following this well-remembered controversy, the
debates on promiscous subjects, excited much public interest and
were largely attended by our citizens. Among the most promi
nent of the disputants, I will mention here as worthy of particu
lar notice :
Samuel Comstock. David L. Wood. Charles Daniels.
Harmon S. Cutting. John G. Guenther. William W. Welch.
Samuel M. Chamberlin. Ebenezer Day. James M. Newman.
Jacob V. Hoag. Stephen M. Ratcliffe. F. A. Georger.
Hiram C. Day. B. W. Thomas. Christopher Pearson.
Owen A. Stafford. John Hauenstein. John Greiner.
David F. Day.
I must not omit to mention two other names, they being char
acters in their way. Any old member of that Society will recall,
with a smile, their strange vagaries, " ground and loft tumbling,"
in debate: WiUiam N. Irish, now the Rector of some parish in
the Diocese of Central New York, a brother of our townsman,
Charles G. Irish, He was an ambitious, youth, at that time a
clerk in a crockery store ; full of profound wisdom and entirely
conscious that he was intended by nature for a higher plane than
Earth-en ware ; so conscious of it, that the laughter, the witi-
cisms and covert ridicule excited by his pretentious flights in de
bate, made no impression whatever upon his envelope of self-
satisfaction. Bound to succeed he was proof against all banter
and badinage. Really seemed to receive this form of attention
as compliment to his capabilities.
The friend and chief opponent of Mr. Irish was Jacob
Schwartzenburgh ; by birth an Austrio-German, swelling with
ambition for large development in the country of his adoption !
A man of ideas, but hazy and undefined ; a considerable fund of
knowledge; but lacking systematic training, his head was a
museum of promiscuous curiosities. His manner was ardent
and earnest to intensity. He had picked up a smattering of our
language, with its peculiar Americanisms, which were plentifully
intermingled with those of his native tongue. He had a
sonorous, bassoon-like voice ; and when he entered into debate

The Buffalo Apprentices' Society. 219
his utterances proved always a most extraordinary conglomerate
of facts, fallacies, good thoughts, absurdities and common sense,
launched upon his auditors like a discharge from a blunderbuss,
which never failed to keep them in a roar. He was thus of
great utility in the society in creating diversions in times when
interest might otherwise be flagging. What stood for his
perorations, were not less remarkable than the chief portions of
his discourse. Not seldom, in the very highest flights of his
oratory, he would astonish his listeners by coming to a sudden
collapse in the midst of them.
It would interest the writer to draw other pen portraits of the
representative boys who graduated from that society ; but that
would much further extend the chapter, likely to be considered
already too long.
The society flourished for a few years after the episode of the
proposed constitutional amendment. But as the early members
arrived at their majority, interest waned and they dropped away,
one by one, until the radical error in its fundamental laws,
worked its deterioration and speedy dissolution. The precise
period of its demise is unknown to the writer. It flourished
from 1833 to about 1848, when it gave up the ghost.
One of the remarkable features of that society was the orderly
dignity maintained by all its members ; the careful study and
compliance with parliamentary law, in conducting its meetings,
and the etiquette of precedence it claimed with kindred societies.
I remember on an occasion of public parade, one fourth of
July. "The Young Men's Association," having become an im
portant institution among our civic societies, the Marshal gave
the right ofthe line to it. But it having been founded in 1835, two
years' later, we, "The Buffalo Apprentices' Society," considered
that assignment to precedence an offense to our dignity ; and,
boys though we were, would not submit. And, although we
had been to considerable expense, for music, banners, badges,
gloves, and otherwise, we marched off the field, our band
playing "Should Old Acquaintance be Forgot!'

2 20 Recollections of Buffalo.
Our old-time Marshal, General Nelson Randall, then counter
manded his orders ; insisting that the " Buffalo Apprentices'
Society " should take the lead of civic societies in processions.
Recreations of Members in Recess.
The Sail Boat Fleets.
The members of the Society, while " endeavoring to get wis
dom and acquire knowledge," must of necessity have vent for
their boyish exuberance of spirits. And their time being almost
wholly occupied in their various employments week days, little
opportunity was afforded for recreation excepting Sundays and
an occasional half holiday. In those days the barbarous custom
prevailed of keeping those employed as merchant's clerks, ap
prentices and young students, from early dawn till nine, ten, and
eleven o'clock at night, in order, as was then the saying, to " keep
their noses to the grind-stone." And holidays were the best days
for trade; so that the boys, who must have their fun, did not al
ways " Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy," but would
make a holiday of it by a vigorous game of ball, in some seclud
ed spot in the suburbs of the town, or engage in other manly re
creations, chief among which was
Yachting.
There was a considerable fleet of stanch and well equipped
small yachts at that time kept here, and to which leading members
ofthe Apps' Society composed the clubs, or had controlling owner
ship in them. And a good deal of rivalry existed as to their speed
and other sailing qualities, and brightness of appearance. The
Dolphin, the Champion and the " Ranger," were the leading
yachts. There were also the "Arrow " and others of less note,
but the first three named carried the reputation of the fleet. Af
ter various changes of " rig," the real competition became centred
between the Champion and Ranger. The Champion was a
schooner rigged saucy style of craft, of which our friend Cutting
was Captain, or their " Skipper," as the boys of his crew liked to
call him. Ever an eye to " the fitness of things," he had a fancy

The Buffalo Apprentices' Society. 221
at times for trigging out in full sailor's costume, with glazed tar
paulin hat, with wide, flowing band, blue jacket and " togs," white
stockings and pumps.
The Champion led the fleet in light breezes ; when heavier,
with considerable sea on, the Ranger being the better sea boat
would oftenest " take the wind out of the sails " ofthe others by
maneuvering for the weather-guage. Less crank than the others
she could lay a point or two nearer to the wind than the others
\n rough weather, thus leaving the Champion astern on several
occasions, the club decided to change her rig to sloop, with in
creased canvas, with great hoist of main sail, very large main jib
and a flying jib, to facilitate " coming in stays." Then, when all
ataunto, the club dared the Ranger, whatever the weather, when
ever it suited, to show them her heels, if in her timbers and can
vas to do it ! "
The Ranger, of which the writer was a joint owner, was a
Whitehall row boat, with " bow deck and water boards," schoon
er rigged ; twenty feet long by five feet beam ; carrying about
forty square yards of canvas. When challenged to a final test,
we increased the spread by the addition of a flying jib. (Rath
er for advantage in " staying " than for greater speed. Race some
times lost by making lee way in necessary tacking.)
The day set for the trial, a strong gale was blowing ; " the bay"
quite rough, with no thought of surrender, on finding it " only
outside," our first concern involved the prime question : " Is the
' Agnes Barton ' in ? " " Dave " Wood was mate of her and the man
of all others to comimand our craft at that crisis. The Barton
had come in that morning ; he was soon found, glad enough to
command the Ranger, knowing so well her qualities for a gale.
As ready to square yards with Cutting on the water as to meas
ure lances with 'him in the arena of the Apprentices' Society.
No time was lost in final preparations. It had gone abroad
that the boys were to have the sail-boat race, sink or swim ; the
docks and vessels in harbor were thronged with excited specta
tors. " Those reckless boys will surely be drowned, if they are so
fool-hardy as to venture outside, in such a gale! " was the oft re-

2 22 Recollections of Buffalo.
peated expressions among the spectators, differently formulated.
Old citizens, old sailors, besought the boys not to tempt those
treacherous waters. " Even the steamboats and vessels will not
venture it!" [The steamboats of that day were comparitively
frail and slow; the best of them making scarcely nine miles an
hour in quiet waters ; sail vessels could make nothing beating up
the lake again.st that wind and sea.j
Captain Wood at once set about disposing and instructing his
crew: ist, strict and instant obedience to commands ; 2nd, every
one to be his alertest at " Ready About ! Ease off" Jibs ! Aft Main
Sheet! Tacks and Sheets I Mains'l haul!" greatest danger in
making " Stays." In such a gale, " haul taut and belay must
mean omit belay sheets in hand at a turn, to ease off", at an instant,
according to shifting direction of wind, or sudden gusts liable to
capsize us. " Let fly jibs and fore sail," as in good weather,
meant capsize to windward. 3d, No rock ballast as used in
steady, stiff" breezes, liable to fill and sink us; must be living hu
man ballast, for instant, intelligent shifting. Each tack and sheet
assigned to the most reliable boys, strong enough to handle
them. Added to our regular crew were some tried and trusted super
numeraries, with "hearts for every fate," to act as ballast — duly
instructed. We rowed out to the end of the " little pier," of piles and
rocks at the edge of the lee of the great one, for an even start,
and sails were set. Every man at his post : Captain Wood at
the helm : the ranger laying as straight a course for Fort Erie
landing place as the surging waters permitted. Wind nearly
abeam: Haul taut! Sheets in hand! Mind your eyes and ears!
Fourteen of us ! on the windward gunwale barely keeping her
trim and off her beam ends. It was a wet boat, that time.
Rode the sea beautifully; but the dashing spray from their
resistance, with occasional dips, drenched all fore, and aft ; the
boys at the jib sheets and tacks taking the heaviest baptisms.
It followed that every boy, when he could lend a single hand,
must industriously use it in bailing, with such old cups, pails

The Buffalo Apprentices' Society. 223
and dishes as we were able to provide ourselves beforehand, else
the boat would shortly fill and swamp.
Distinctly remembered, though more than fifty years since,
that all having to " look alive " for the welfare of our own craft
after the instant of starting, we could cast behind us but the
slightest, occasional glances. We were soon conscious of rapidly
increasing the distance between us and our rivals ; and very
shortly that we were quite " alone on the wild waste of waters !"
It was told us, on returning that we were no more than " down
to our bearings " and on our course till " we had it wholly to our
selves." The Champion was scarcely beyond the lee of the " light
house pier," when that great main sail laid her on beam ends,
and she filled, and spilled the crew. And then to the other craft
near by, in company, it only remained to rescue them and help
them to get their boat righted and back to its moorings in " Clark
and Skinner's Canal," was otherwise housed, at that time on the
recently constructed " Main and Hamburgh Streets Canal," be
tween the Washington and Michigan Street bridges, the canal not
then used except as berths for the boats of our several clubs,
while not in use.
The Ranger made the run to Fort Erie, three miles (then
called four), \n fourteen minutes ! "The tempest still was high"
at the return, but the wind being more on our quarter, it was a
feat less difficult, and we made even faster time. It was fortunate
a no worse accident attended the madcap performance. No one
was hurt.
The " Dolphin " before the advent of the " Champion " and
" Ranger," had " carried the broom " of all the sail-boats ; but her
day was then past. Besides the shadow of death brooded over
her thenceforward, for she capsized one day, drowning one ofthe
party on board ! Robert Holmes and Heman Clark were of that
club; good natured, handsome; B. Frank Whittaker was her
Captain at the time, and a first class sailor — as was also his fath
er, who was a gentlemanly, popular commander of different steam
boats, during those days.

2 24 Recollections of Buffalo.
By those exciting and invigorating amusements the boys pre
served their health and spirits, which had otherwise failed them
under the taxing pressure of the protracted uninteresting labors
of the week. And though they did encroach upon what some
assume as the sanctity of the Sabbath, it was from no want of
due respect to the doctrines of those, who conventionally united
in reverently observing it as a holy day ; nor was it an interfer
ence, annoyance, nor scandal to them, in any way. For I have
known not one of those Apprentice boys who has not lived and
walked in all the paths of rectitude and honor. Those very ex
ploits, effervescence of vigorous affluent youth, were faithful indi
ces of what was later to develop into all that was most efficient
and excellent.
These memories are recollections of boyhood and may be, in
some particulars, inaccurate ; all written history is more or less ro
mance. Nevertheless, they are among the incidents in the lives
of some of those, who are now worthy members of your
Historical Society ! Or walk our streets dignified with age and
gray hairs, and honored, or have gone to that " undiscovered
country from whose bourne no traveler returns."
During the period while I was a member, from 1838 to 1843,
there were in all about sixty members, almost entirely mechanic
or manufacturers' apprentices, clerks in stores, office boys, stu
dents, embyo lawyers, doctors and ministers. Mostly obscure
boys ; I cannot call to mind, among them all, one who has not
lived a life, as far as I know, of respectability, members of the
professions, bankers, merchants, etc. I will here following give
the names of those I can call to mind, having no data from which
to make up these notes, except my memory :
Members of the Buffalo Apprentices Society.
Hon. Charles Daniels, Judge of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.
Wm. H. H. Newman, Merchant, has been President of the Buffalo Historical Society.
David L. Wood, Editor and Journalist, Commissary General of the State of Ohio.
during the Rebellion.
General Innis N. Palmer, United States Army.

The Buffalo Apprentices' Society. 225
Samuel M. Chamberlin, 1
David Wentworth, I Editors and Journalists.
Owen A. Stafford, )
Charles E. Young, Printer and Merchant.
George V. Brown, Printer and United States Consul to Tangiers.
Robert D. Foy, I
Matthew Bertrand, I Printers and Publishers.
Nathaniel W, .\dams, )
Gilbert S. Brown,
William H. Clark, Baker.
Albert T. Norton, Printer.
Rev'd William N. Irish, Episcopal Clergyman.
Rev'd Albert Bigelow, Presbyterian Clergyman.
Richard Liddle, Printer, and was proprietor of a line of Steamers, .''the Diamond,
Fashion and Barcelona, in the Coasting trade of Lake Erie, South
Shore, afterwards called Walbridge's Line,
^ fjf^"!'!'" Whittaker, Vessel Owners and Captains,
DeWitt C, Hoag, J '^
Dan M. Gillett,
William B. McCredie, Printer and Publisher.
Jacob Schwartzenbergh, "]
Stephen M. Ratcliffe,
James H. Cue, |
Robert M. Eddy, ^ ,, ^ , «t ^- ¦ .
Robert Donellv ' "'¦' Manufacturers and Machinists.
Robert Knight,
Frederick C. Hill,
Everard Palmer,
,, , i, , ^' I Leather Manufacturers.
Harlow Palmer, J
Robert Denton, Music Merchant.
Hon. Harmon S. Cutting, "j
Hon. David F. Day, [• Counselors at Law.
Hiram C. Day, J
Pierre B, Cornwall, California Millionaire,

Doctors of Medicine,

William W, Welch,
Christopher Pearson,
Ebenezer Day,
John Hauenstein,
James M. Newman,
Samuel G. Bailey,
Nathan Whitcomb, ">
Charles H. Quinlan, I Dentists and Doctors of Medicine.
Frederick Oliver, J

226 Recollections of Buffalo.
Albert C. Hooker, "j
Guy C. Martin, [• Tanners.
Zadok Martin, J
James Adams. Merchant and General Business Operations.
Nathan H. Tafft, Manufacturer,
F, Augustus Georger, President of the German Bank.
S. M. Welch, 1
B. W. Thomas,
George Gage,
John Greiner,
Thomas Dickinson,
Jacob v. Hoag Merchants.
John G. Guenther,
William C. Sweet,
Charles Georger,
William C. Dinwoodie,
William C. Prescott,
Samuel Hayden,
James H. Richardson, ]
Carnot Carpenter, I , .¦ i j i^
Nathaniel Orr, | -^"'^'^ ^'"^ Engravers.
Samuel Comstock, J
Alexander J. Sheldon was Librarian of the Grosvenor Library.
I assume and maintain, that the primary and ruling cause for
their later success in life of these boys, their position and social
standing in the world, is due in great measure and attributable
to their connection as members of this institution. The remark
able fact pertaining to it, was its establishment and maintenance,
conducted and persisted in by minors.
Where are those boys now ? all men of middle age and more,
and many of them are yet alive, honored, respected in the com
munities in which they live ; and not one of them, but when he
thinks of the history of this young Society and the record of its
members, kindly regards his old associates; and all unused though
I am to Historical writing, yet I deem it fitting that this or some
other record of its existence should be placed among the archives
of the Buffalo Historical Society.

CHAPTER XIII.
Early Churches.

St. Paul's.
What old or young citizen who has lived here long enough to
be able to distinguish the different churches and identify them,
and is imbued with sufficient sentiment to have gathered an
affection for inanimate things, does not look upon this particular
church as a sort of Alma Mater, in matters spiritual, for the
entire community? They may have a special love for the church
of their adoption, or feel a loyal duty paramount towards some
other church; it may be the "old First," "The Church of Our
Father," or " Trinity," yet when generalizing on the local
history, make-up, influence, and all matters appertaining to
individual churches, " St. Paul's " would be very likely to take
precedence. It stands like "Old Trinity" in New York, in the midst of
our business interests, facing and looking down towards our
great commercial port ; a monitor, as it were, warning its chil
dren, and admonishing them to be just and honorable in their
dealings. A poem in architecture, one of Upjohn's triumphs. Its
Sunday services a rare pleasure, to participate in which by the
casual visitor, as well as to the " native here and to the manner
born." The original St. Paul's church building which stood on the
site of the present structure, was a frame building,, of " Gothic
mould," as nearly as anything without special architectural
supervision. The steeple, or tower, did not " pierce the skies ; "
was of modest proportions, with four spikes one at each corner,
of the top. Seemingly, copied from the picture of some Norman
building. The whole painted in shades of sky blue. It was not
very grand, but pleasant to look upon ; interesting to the rural

Early Churches. 229
amateur antiquarian, as well as the lover of simplicity. Finished
like the rural parish churches of England imitating the grander
cathedrals, with high pulpit and Rector's desk, its background
and seats cushioned and curtained in bright red as high as its
chancel window might have been, had there been one; beneath
the pulpit in its foreground, was the Curate's or "Clark's" reading
box. With high back pews and family square seats along either
window or wall side, each with its table to rest their books
of " common prayer," (a misnomer to me, I think they are uncom
mon prayers), and their Bibles and hymnals during service. It had
a full gallery all around the three sides, an organ, and the bell,
whose old familiar ring, I hear occasionally coming from the
low belfry ofthe modern church, like sounds from home, while
the more exalted place in the later steeple is given to the chimes.
The old church resembled in its make up the almost ancient one
of Bishop Berkeley, built in the last century in Newport, R. I.,
which is one of the objects of interest in that delightful summer
resort and naval station.
How we boys and girls loved that little old unpretentious
church ! And when it was moved away off, down Genesee Street,
to make way for a more solid and grander building, we
realized with a sorrowful sigh, that our boyhood days were
indeed over.
Rev. William Shelton, D. D.
And what of Doctor Shelton, St. Paul's Rector for more than
fifty years ? Who of Buffalo the past half ceiitury has not known
him ? We could have hardly got on without him, nor he with
out us. I always seemed to look upon the Doctor and fancy he
imagined that all Buffalo was his Parish, that all the other
Episcopal churches were his chapels, offshoots of St. Paul, chil
dren of his rearing. This was in a measure true. I was in the
brood that first left the parent nest to form Trinity Parish. It
did not matter if you were counted as belonging to some other
parish, he appeared to act as though you belonged to him and
had escaped out of bounds. Dr. Shelton's enemies were very

230 Recollections of Buffalo.
few, but he had a way, characteristic of him, of scolding his
friends and having his own way, which sometimes his friends
practically, resented. He frequently reminded me of anecdotes
told of the noted Dr. John Abernethy, of Aberdeen, Scotland,
for his brusque and abrupt manner of replying to a salutation or
answering questions from his best friends. It was so natural to
him, that we did not heed it, except only to enjoy the fun of it.
The spire of the new church was delayed for some years ;
meeting the Doctor one morning shortly after a " New Year" near
the church, I saluted him with a " happy New Year, Doctor," and
to say something else, I inquired of him, " are you going to
be able to finish the spire this year?" He replied, " Have'nt
you got eyes? Don't you see the stones lying there?" I think
the stones had been there nearly all the previous year.
I remember the summer following my marriage, my wife, who
was quite young then and guileless, had a sort of reverential
awe of Doctors of Divinity. We were starting, on a journey west.
When we entered our car (no drawing-room cars then), we found
a couple of seats facing one occupied by Dr. Shelton, who was
about starting on a journey to the Nashota Mission. I was
much pleased to have him for a companion du voyage, as I had
always loved the Doctor and was glad to present my wife to him>
whom he had never met. Soon after we were seated she said to
him : " Your wife is not traveling with you to-day?" " No ! I
would as soon have a panther with me as a woman ! "
That Dr. Shelton was unaware of this personal peculiarity, we
learned to know some years later. A party of Buffalonians a few
years since, which included Bishop Coxe, Dr. Shelton and other
church people, and among whom were my wife and daughter as
invited guests, attended commencement at Hobart College,
Geneva. During their visit a sort of State dinner was given by
the faculty and good people ofthe town. The dignitaries of the
church and a number of visiting guests were present, among them
my wife, who sat at the table near the Bishop, Dr. Shelton, and
other friends. The conversation became lively; some allusion
was made about personal peculiarities and eccentricities. The

Early Churches. 231
incident in the car at once occurred to my wife. She remarked,
" I could relate something of your personal peculiarities Dr.
Shelton." " What's that ?" " What's that?" said not only the
Bishop, the Doctor, but several others, all alive at the idea of
bringing the Doctor to book. Attention was immediately drawn
to her by all those within ear-shot, several demanding that she
should tell the story. And not to spare the Doctor she com
plied, no doubt embellishing the story for general entertainment.
The company, all fast friends of Dr. Shelton, were almost boister
ously hilarious over it. Doctor Shelton appeared chagrined and
thoughtful. A day or so after their return home Dr. Shelton
called and said to Mrs. W. : " I came a great, many years too
late to apologize for my gruff reply to you, at the time of our
meeting in the cars, . which you mentioned at the dinner in
Geneva the other day. I am very glad you told the story ; glad
I was present to hear it, and very much wish you had told me
of it years ago, that I might have reformed earlier."
The Doctor passed away in '83 after a Rectorship of St. Paul's
of fifty-four years ; the memory of him will linger with all
Buffalonians of his era as long as their time lasts, as if he were one
of their own family, and ever after in tradition.
I wonder if any of our people in passing to and fro in their
daily avocations, ever linger to enjoy the picturesque beauty of
St. Paul's'. Often have I stopped in passing it, when the, old
home-like sound of its belfry bell rang to vespers ; and as the
sounds fell upon listening ears it would arouse an unruly
chattering among the thousands of sparrows, who made it their
home among the thrifty vines and leaves that veiled the chancel
window. One evening on passing down by the corner of Main
and North Division Streets, I was struck with the appearance of
the gilt cross above the spire. A little above the north-eastern
horizon a brilliant, silvery moon was shining full upon the cross,
reflecting its beams; the back-ground, or rather the space
beyond the cross, was deep azure, the steeple itself had vanished
out of sight, leaving the cross a bright object in the sky above,
and hovering over the church like the star that hung over

232 Recollections of Buffalo.
Bethlehem. It was awe-inspiring as well as beautiful and gave
me food for thought.*
I have attended baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals
in that church. I have listened to Bishops, Doctors of Divinity,
eminent Divines and its long-honored Rector, preach eloquent
and thoughtful sermons and make feeling prayers. I have heard
sweet voices chant Gloria in Excelsis and grand Te Deums. I
have listened to the soft and grand tones of its organs. I have
looked over its congregations and seen many of the familiar
faces of my youth and old friends now gone. I could not help
loving that church !

Trinity.
My Church home; the Church of my preference and adoption,
for the past fifty years, has been and is
Trinity Church.
The first to swarm from the parent hive of St. Paul's. It was
organized in 1837; it very soon became a vigorous Parish, for
tunate in having for its original Rector, Cicero Stephens Hawks,
who afterwards was selected as Bishop of Missouri.
This Church held its first meetings in the auditory of Duffey's
old " Buffalo Theatre," on South Division Street, southwest cor
ner of Washington Street. After a time the vestry rented the
church building belonging to the " Universalist Society," which
then stood on the ground now occupied by the stores of Powell
& Plimpton on Washington Street, between South Division and
Swan Streets. There Trinity Parish worshipped until about 1841
or 2, when they moved to their new edifice, on the south-east
corner of Washington and Mohawk Streets. I saw the corner
stone of this church laid : a box like structure, a modern and
moderate Parthenon, minus the pillared columns. I was present
*This sketch was written in 1887; since then the main body of the church has
been destroyed by fire, in consequence of an explosion of Natural Gas, by which it
was heated, (Ascension Day, 1888.) It has been rebuilt much more beautiful than
before.

Early Churches. 233
at the closing valedictory, when Bishop Coxe gave the address
of its relinquishment, immediately previous to the Parish emi
gration to Christ Chapel, adjoining the new and handsome Trin
ity Church on Delaware Avenue, not then quite read)- for oc-
upation. Rt. Rev. Cicero Stephens Hawks,
Bishop of Missouri.
The very few remaining parishioners of the Rev. Mr. Hawks,
cannot but remember those young days in the history of Trinity
Parish ; the pleasures we enjoyed in that, then new church, in
our intercourse with its Rector and each other.
Mr. Hawks was a Virginian by birth and prided himself in ha\'-
ingthe blood of Pocahontas coursing through his veins. A
gentleman in all his instincts, a scholar, with large social acquire
ments, self-reliant and self-sacrificing, and beloved by all who
knew him ; colloquially, entertaining, at times merry, without des
cending from the dignity to be expected in a clergyman. He
was all in all a Christian gentleman.
He was nice about his person, dress and habits ; of medium
size : say about five feet nine in height, well formed, compactly,
but lightly built ; full of aristocratic stamina, but not haughty,
his personal demeanor giving the impression of a man of larger
proportions. Always smooth shaved, his clear olive complexion
and very dark hair, convinced you that his claim of consanguin
ity with the original blood of Virginia was correct. He was per
haps a little vain of his small, well-formed feet, with high instep,
upon which he wore the trimmest and neatest of boots, imported
expressly for himself from a fashionable bootmaker in Paris, who
had a model of his foot. This would be quite a stretch for grat
ifying personal vanity, even for now-a-days ; but think of a cler
gyman in the " Far West " doing so in the primitive days of the
thirties, before the age of steam on the Atlantic, when a trip to
France, (Paris), gave a traveler notoriety.
He was energetic in urging on to completion the church build
ing, frequently sacrificing his own limited salary to help on the
work, and eking out his living, by writing books for publication.

234 Recollections of Buffalo.
particularly Sunday School books, in which he greatly excelled
and which he accomplished with great facility.
Mentioning his " limited " salary reminds one of an anecdote
told of his elder brother. Dr. Francis L. Hawks, at the time he
was Rector of St. Thomas' Church in New York City. Finding
his salary too limited, he applied to the vestry for an increase,
giving as a plea, that it was difficult to maintain a family of young
children without adequate means for their support. A member
ofthe vestry thereupon remarked that God would provide for the
young ravens. Yes, said Dr. Hawks, "but God says nothing
about the young hawks ! "
I think the Church was never completed as originally designed,
the front entrance should have had a Doric Portico, the founda
tions for its columns having been prepared and are there to this
day, never having been utilized ; had the Portico been built, it
would have improved the appearance of the building and relieved
the monotony of the front facade and given it a more classic
and complete look in accord with its style of architecture, (if it
had a style). The interior of the church had at that time the
old fashioned high pulpit, without a chancel, the wall back ofthe
pulpit was painted to represent a window with draperies, and
having the look of being partly covered with creeping vines out
side. Subsequently this was all changed to a recess chancel,
built through the rear wall of the building, and it apparently sup
ported by large fluted columns, thus extending the seating capac
ity on the floor of the church. When this change was made the
parsonage was added on to the rear of the Church.
Mr. Hawks very soon left us for a wider field of action as Bish
op of Missouri. His addresses from the pulpit expounding the
texts of Scripture were clearly expressed in pure, classical lan
guage, with silvery tongue and voice, while listening to which
his auditors never wearied.
It was in this Church on one occasion 1 saw " the old man el
oquent" when a visitor here, John Quincy Adams, who in his
last days, remarked to a friend : " He wished he could have the
engine out of the old hull and placed in a new one, with new

Early Churches. 235
boilers, as his old ones were growing wheezy and were about
worn out." Rev. Edward Ingersoll, D. D.
Mr. Hawks was succeeded in his Rectorship of Trinity Church
by our esteemed and much beloved Dr. Edward Ingersoll, a man
of high intellectual endowments, purity and guilelessness of char
acter, filled with generous charity and benevolence, qualities un
mixed with any suspicion of selfish purpose. He was dearly be
loved and venerated by all those who sat under his teachings,
the thirty years and over of his pastorate.
Dr. Ingersoll was noted for his remarkable and beautiful read
ing of the Scriptures, and the Liturgy of the Church ; his musi
cal sympathetic voice, clearness and correct pronunciation and
punctuation. I have heard him read the Litany, when I could
imagine a voice from Heaven was speaking to me. Indeed I
have seen tears dropping from the eyelids of strong men, who
were responding to him during the Litany. I have listened to
him as a sponser in the baptism of an adult friend, and at the fu
neral of a friend; in both cases I was within five feet of him
when he seemed to me like one inspired, his beautiful dark eyes
glistening with angelic beauty and his utterances thrilled me with
electric magnetism.
His sermons were ofthe most scholarly character full of bibli
cal instruction, his texts well chosen, and their application appro
priate and sound of doctrine. His perorations were given in
the eloquent language of an accomplished orator, in the sympa
thetic tones and modulations of his melodious voice, which
chained and engaged the rapt attention of his hearers with such
intenseness that you would at the climax of his periods, sigh,
with a relief of suppressed breath, as you sometimes will at the
denouement of the playing of a wrought up tragedy by some
eminent actor. Occasionally when the Doctor thought it his du
ty, to preach a studied doctrinal sermon, it would perhaps weary
the ordinary listener, and may be it did the doctor !
Dr. Ingersoll was a singularly handsome man, and of dignified
bearing. A stranger meeting him on the street, was sure to have

236 Recollections of Buffalo.
been attracted by his personal appearance. His intellectual look,
his kindly and considerate recognition, together with his modesty
of deportment, all denoting the educated and refined gentleman.
" A man, take him for all in all,
We ne'er shall look upon his like again."
Many of my associates and friends contemporary with myself
were identified with this same church ; I have missed them one
by one, as they have been called away. I see the frosts of time
whiten the heads of those that remain ; I have watched the
growth of their children and their children's children ; why
should I not look upon the old Church as on an old valued
friend; a dilapidated one perhaps, yes ; an abandoned one. I went
there during most of the best years of my life.
The new Trinity Church has opened a new era, as it were. A
new church, a new rector, and almost a new congregation. I look
around the capacious and handsome new Church in vain for the
old familiar faces ; now and then, here and there, do I recognize
one, but we of the old regime and parish, appear as if we were
strangers in a strange church, but thankfully in God's House !

St. John's.
In enumerating the early churches of Buffalo, in this sketchy
manner, it was not the intention of the writer to mention more
than one of either denomination, except perhaps in the cases of
St. Paul's and Trinity, being more personally interested in those
and familiar with their histories, than of those of other denomi
nations. Having had also at one time a personal interest in St.
John's, I have determined I would add it to the number, making
a Trinity of sketches for the Episcopalians. St. John's belongs
to the decade of the forties ; yet it is, as it were, the grand-child
of St. Paul's, or the youngest of the three prominent Episcopal
Churches established here.
Soon after Dr. Ingersoll became Rector of Trinity, the seating
capacity of that Church was found too small for its increased
congregation. At Easter, in 1844, at the annual sale and renting

Early Churches. 237
of pews, certain square pews accommodating eight or ten
persons with sittings were sold for the occupancy of families.
One of these large pews, which belonged to Colonel W. F. P.
Taylor, had been rented to a party of Bachelors, who were sold
out, and they had to quarter upon friends. This was not agree
able as a continuous engagement, to them or their friends. If
I remember correctly, this party was composed of Thos. C.
Welch, Dr. S. F Mixer, Dr. John S. Trowbridge, Ai Rollins,
E. P. Pickering, Jas. L. Butler, Chas. Pickering, P. S. Sheldon,
and Samuel M. Welch. Soon after Easter, most of these then
young gentlemen, happened to meet at a champagne supper
given at a noted restaurant of the day, called the " Pantheon,"
which occupied the entire basement ofthe " Granite Block," and
of which Grant P. Robinson, an amateur poet, (not without
merit), was the proprietor; and the popular caterer of that time.
T. T. Bloomer was the superintendent. During the evening one
of the topics of discussion was : What were they to do, for
sittings, at " Trinity ? " After much talk, one of the gentlemen
present offered the suggestion that they then and there organize
a new church !
The idea was a novel one to proceed spontaneously from a
party of rollicking young men, under the prevailing circum
stances ; as no one of them had been confirmed into the church !
The matter became earnest. They resolved themselves into a
committee of the whole, to undertake this interesting work.
The next day they procured pass books, writing in each a head
ing, for a subscription list for the purpose, and sallied forth to
procure signers for the support and maintenance of a new
church organization. The efforts for the first week resulted in
subscriptions amounting to fourteen hundred dollars. The baby
was born ! These gentlemen and those who became associated
with them began to consider the method of organization. It
was necessary, as they supposed to have confirmed church mem
bers, to act as Wardens. To do this they persuaded from their
allegiance to St. Paul's, Selah Barnard, a Justice of the Peace,
and Richard Sears, a Commission Merchant, to become Wardens.

238 Recollections of Buffalo.
They also strengthened the association by obtaining new
adherents and Proselytes ; among them Judge Joseph G. Masten,
Dr. James P. White, Dr. Thomas M. Foote, Dr. Josiah Barnes,
and others who became prominent members of the Parish.
They first rented the lecture room of the " Young Men's As
sociation " for their Sunday services. This done, a Clergyman
came next in order. He was obtained through Bishop DeLan-
cey, in the person of Charles Piatt, who just suited the " young
men," for he was a young man and we all liked him for it, and
being in hearty accord with us, thus St. John's Church came in
to existence. The young men were zealous ; enthusiastic in
building up the Church. The founders and those who engaged
with them did not falter in the good work. They all rented for
Sunday use, and for the support of the Church, the plain wood
en settees of the lecture room, at expensive figures, but used them
very little, themselves acting as ushers, standing near the thresh
old, inviting new people to come in, hilling their own seats first,
until the meetings filled the room to overflowing; thus encour
aging the attendance of additional paying members and adding
to the congregation.
There were some remarkable circumstances attending the build
ing of the Church edifice at the corner of Swan and Washington
Streets. After St. John's Parish was fairly established, came talk
of a lot for a Church building; the present Church lot was pur
chased. The architectural plans, which were drawn by Calvin
N. Otis, were exhibited and adopted. The floor plan shewing
the arrangement of the pews as they were to be, which were to be
sold to obtain the money to build the Church. The choice of
pews of which the valuations had been fixed by the committee
having that matter in charge, were sold at a premium to the high
est bidder, upon the foUowing terms : the premiums bid to be paid
in cash ; the valuation or upset price of the pew, the buyer to
give his promissory notes payable in three, six, nihe, twelve, fif
teen and eighteen months, thus giving him time to make easy
payments and providing the money for building purposes about
as rapidly as it would be needed. The writer, quite young at

Early Churches. 239
the time, together with his brother, paid a premium of ten dollars
to enable us to buy a certain pew, (number fifty-five, in the cen
tre aisle I think), of the nominal value of three hundred and fifty
dollars, which we had selected as our choice. Surely a good fi
nancial scheme for building a church without begging the money
by subscription.
At the two first meetings for the sale of pews, the sales amount
ed to over twenty thousand dollars, and this, too, before ground
had been broken for the foundation.
Another noteworthy matter commendable in the persons who
had the building of St. John's in charge, was the fact that the ma
terials, building and completion of the church, together with its
fixtures, organ and adornments, were all of Buffalo production.
Our " Black Rock " stone was used in the superstructure ; the
stained glass which decorated the windows was designed and
made here, the gas chandelier, (a minature Sun), was originated
and constructed here, as was the first Grand Organ, manufac
tured by Gerrett House, and a splendid organ it proved to be ; it
was destroyed in the fire, when the Church was burned on a
fourth of July night, caused by a sky-rocket.
Soon after the New Church building was opened for Divine
worship, or about that time, our young clergyman, the Rev. Mr.
Piatt, whose arduous duties so told upon him, (never having been
physically a strong man), that his failing health gave way and he
had to give up his pastorate.
The vestry called the Rev. Montgomery Schuyler who was
installed our permanent Rector. He had been a merchant be
fore he became a minister and had acquired those social qualities
which made it easy for him to become a favorite with all the
people of the parish. He had an agreeable and pleasant address
in his intercourse with the people. In the Church he was a clear
reader and preached good practical sermons. He was enterpris
ing, sometim'es to aggressiveness ; possibly acquired through his
early experiences in the business world. This personal charac
teristic is considered a good quality in temporal matters ; but in
a clergyman his zealous ambition may lead him out of his prop
er sphere.

240 Recollections of Buffalo.
St. John's became popular, Mr. Schuyler was generally liked
by the people and drew full congregations. He was well sup
ported by having a good choir, a fine organ, and first class or

ganist.

In a few years, owing to causes above aUuded to, most ofthe
young founders and their hearty supporters quietly withdrew from
the Church, returning to their former loved Trinity and Dr.
Ingersoll, and to St. Paul's and Dr. Shelton.
St. John's Church has had several rectors since the Rev. Mr.
Schuyler's pastorate — but I will not attempt to follow its history
to a later period.

"The Old First Church."
Approaching Buffalo in the early days, that old Presbyterian
Church was the first discovered object to welcome you ; a
beacon light, indicating the central portion of the town, many
times to the w^ary traveler a light and guide to a haven of rest,
physically and spiritually. It was the tallest structure and tower
in the town ; it was not cribbed and confined by its surroundings
as it now is, and overshadowed by more beautiful and grander
architectural buildings. This plain structure was decorated with
little wooden spirals minarets, or like brobdingnagian chessmen,
placed at intervals along its balustrade round the main building,
and upon its tower and steeple. These supposed ornaments are
gone, otherwise the edifice is not much changed from what it
was in the thirties. Along side of it was the brighter St. Paul's,
looking for all the world as its gayer, more cheerful wife or little
sister. How many old memories cluster around this old substantial
fact, but a fact only for the time being. It is bound to pass
away, therefore, is it a fact ? I have fancied a fact to be some
thing fixed, reliable, that will remain, not subject to change;
"we want facts, stubborn facts," said " Mr. Gradgrind." How
ever, it is "The Old First Church " of to-day, 1889. It was the
first Church of Buffalo although its present ground hold was not

Early Churches. 241
secured to it until 1820. Take it away; scatter its congregation;
what have we left to remind us of the youth-time of Buffalo?
If it be an orthodox Church, its purposes heavenly, meaning a
fact forever, its material, visible facts will become changed. We
call it old. What is old? Our city? It's name? Our history
in its primitive incipiency? We cannot count a century; and
yet we write of matters we call old; that are almost closed
books, unknown to the present generation of Buffalonians, and
therefore new to them. I am not an old man : and yet my name
sake who died the year I zvas born was himself born in the
reign of Queen Anne. (The record may be found in " Blake's
biographical dictionary.") Only reflect, nearly one hundred
years before Buffalo was born, but two lives; the second not
ended. We came to Buffalo, that is, my mother's family, in 1830.
Her proclivities were respectability and inclination to churchly
, example. For a short period she adopted the "Old First" as
her place of worship, sending her children there to Sunday-
school. One of my first experiences in that old Church was to
me very grievous. I was a child; but the recollection is as
vivid as if it were yesterday. My mother, vain of the nice
appearance of her children, rigged me up in my first boyish
attire, for a summer Sunday suit, more like a popinjay, than a
human boy, very much to my infantile disgust and mortification;
in short breeches, which are now commonly worn by young
boys, but then an extreme fashion for the pampered children of
the wealthy people of the east. The garments were of a bright
straw color, made of light, soft, wool texture, to the breeches of
which was sewed a white watered silk, as a vest, over which a
short coat or jacket, with short bunched flaps behind, sticking
out like a bobtailed pony, the front covered with numerous pearl
buttons, which were also down the sides of the knee breeches,
below which, were ring-stripe silk stockings, little pumps, and
very thin soled, light, low shoes, without heels, tied with double
bows of ribbon. Moifhted on my head was a shiny black silk
hat of the Sicilian bandit style; thus complete, I was the

242 Recollections of Buffalo.
observed of all observers, more like a handsomely tricked out
monkey than a rollicking bo^^. I dreaded the approach of those
bright summer Sunday mornings, when I had to go to this
Church, in this guise, with swollen eyes and tear-stained cheeks,
from grief and mortified pride. I shrank from the broad grins
and jeers of the street gamins and gutter snipes ; shunned the
leers and mockery of the more plainly dressed children of the
Church, while crouching close under my mother's dress wings.
At last I conquered the parrot uniform and it disappeared.
Later on I used to be sent to Sunday-school to study the old
Calvinistic catechism, and was taught to believe that God was a
cruel tyrant. I was sent to Church to sit in the gallery seats, as
many other boys did. I used to run away sometimes, with the
bad boys in the Sunday-school, down to Black Rock to see the
glass blowers, and to avoid my Sunday-school and teacher, to
get licked when I got home.
There was at that time a Sexton of the Church named New-
land, who was to the children who frequented the gallery a dread
ed ogre. I was one day in the gallery a victim to those detest
ably long prayers, suffering the tortures of forcing nature, fearing
to go out until compelled. I tried to steal quietly out on tiptoe,
when I was confronted on the stairs by that slippered ogre and
driven back with Newland's unmerited rebuke : " I won't have
you boys stealing out of church during services." As I thought
in my childish mind, that he owned the church and all that therein
was, and kept the keys of heaven, I must obey, but in my pain,
I mentally vowed that no earthly power would ever catch me in
side those portals again. This was confirmed by the crushing
fear I entertained for those to me, austere and severe Deacons,
" Callender," ',' Goodell," " Bryant and Stocking," of those days.
I kept my vow until long after I reached manhood, and gave the
" Old First " a wide berth, while voluntarily going ever after, or
until the organization of Trinity Church, to the little gothic
blue church of St. Paul next door, and being patted on the head
and lugged by the ear, (his habit), by good, rough spoken Dr.
Shelton, whom the boys loved and love his memory still. Years

Early Churches. 243
after, when whiskers fringed my face, when I used to see old
Newman detecting round about the Church, those old childish
feelings of resentment came back to me, and I mentally ex
pressed my disgust of him, thus : " You old Quilp, you." I how
ever did not fear the genial Pastor, the Reverand Sylvester Eaton.
There was one bright episode that sometimes relieved the irk-
someness of my compulsory attendance in that gallery of the
Church. It was the presence in the opposite gallery and the
marching in and out, to the drum and fife, of Col. McKay's
" High-School " boys.
At a later period my memory revives another scene, in and
about the "Old First." In the month of April, 1841, funeral
obsequies and ceremonies were observed in numerous cities and
towns, in honor of the dead President William Henry Harrison.
Only one month previous to his death, he had been inaugurated
President of the United States after almost a year of Jubilee,
which the campaign of his election, and the interregrum between
his election and inauguration might be called.
When the good old man died the whole country was in mourn
ing. In Buffalo we had an immense funeral parade and cortege,
considering the size of the town. All the military organizations
which then were in greater numbers than to-day ; the volunteer
firemen, civic societies and civilians all turned out. The solem
nities were held in the First Presbyterian Church. Although in
April, the day was sunny, with a summer heat. The long pro
cession, which took a prescribed route of some two miles arrived
at the Church, travel worn, in the heat and dust. The Church
would not contain a moiety of the people gathered there. The
Military and Firemen opened ranks for the passage into the
Church of the Government and City officials, Civic Associations
and the long escort of civilians, and filled the Church to over
flowing. The Pastor of the Church, the Rev. Dr. A. T Hop
kins, after the opening exercises made an extemporaneous prayer,
the length of which no man of this after generation can conceive.
After which the orator of the day. Judge Horatio J. Stow, who

244 Recollections of Buffalo.
presumably, was suffering from a temporary aberration of mind,
brought on perhaps by the heat of the day, and the intensity of
his grief, delivered himself of his oration, which had in it noth
ing to commend, but much to condemn. A multitude of words
strung out almost to the " crack of doom," without rhyme, rea
son or common sense ; it was a burlesque, I give you one or
two lines of this extraordinary drivel :
•' William Henry Harrison, whose death we this day deplore,
was born very young."
" William Henry Harrison was born in his cradle and rocked."
Three mortal hours did that weary multitude listen to that
elongated prayer and that travesty of Marc Antony's oration
over the dead body of Csesar.
It was sometime in the thirties that a popular preacher named
Phinney, held a protracted meeting at the "Old First" and
crowds of worshippers packed the Church, notably at the even
ing sessions. One evening during his exhortations, there was a
sudden shock or cracking, as if the galleries were giving way,
creating a panic in the Church. Some of the people not having
sufficient faith in the stability of the Church, rushed out, and
others jumped from the upper windows. I can only recall the
name of one well known, highly respected fellow citizen who it
was said, did so ; the initial letters of his name are P. P. p.

Dr. Lord's Church.
On the north-west corner of Genesee and Pearl Streets, was
erected during the decade of the thirties an edifice, known as
" Dr. Lord's Church."
It was an unique structure; the outside was designed from
some Grecian model, formed like a miniature Parthenon, stripped
of its columns. The front elevation, of hewn stone ; on the en
tablature above the architrave was a Greek inscription in raised
cut letters on the stone, thus :

Early Churches. 245

'EPii 'EIMI

TO A KAI TO 'i?

'//

WPXH KAI TO TEAOl'

Translation :
" I am (The) Alpha and (The) Omega, The beginning and the end."
The entrance was from broad, high, stone steps on either side
into two front doors, otherwise the main front wall was blank.
Within the Church or the auditorium were the distinctive features
of the building. It was elliptical, or egg shape ; that form being
adopted for its supposed good acoustic qualities. The speaker's
platform and desk was just within and between the two entrance
doors ; from which he spoke, as into the hollow of the e^^ ; front
ing the speaker's platform at the opposite pole of this singularly
shaped room, was the choir ; a low semi-circular gallery. The
roomy front seats or chairs, nearly on a level with the congrega
tion, like the orchestra of a theatre, were reserved for the band,
with their music stands. There was no organ, but there was a
brass and string band to accompany the voices of the singers.
On the wall above the balcony and choir was lettered :
" As well the Singers as the Players on instruments shall be there."
In speaking to a friend who formerly attended this Church he
was kind enough to send the original bill or proposition for the
instruments of the band, of which the following is a verbatim
copy:

40,

,00

20

,00

15.

,00

40.

00

IS

.00

20,

00

40,

00

30.

00

246 Recollections of Buffalo.
One Double Bass or Viola, $ 25,00
{Violin and Violone — a Tenor Viol, are goood instruments, 1
but difficult ones to play — and it is somewhat questionable [¦
whether they had better be attempted.
One Clarion, "I
One Bassoon, J
One Kentish Horn (or Bugle, keyed).
One Trombone (not important except on rare occasions).
Two Six-Keyed Flutes, J20.
One Oboe, -
One Serpent,
Chinese Bells,
Cymbals, $ 245.00
" There is an instrument about the size of a Piano — combining the excellencies
of the Organ without being so expensive — and also destitute of some of its defects. —
In your church I think it would be highly useful as an accompaniment to the voices.
I have never seen one entirely perfect, but they are to be found in New York. The
instruments above named cannot always be used to advantage, with the choir, except
the bases and flutes and violins. The name of the last instrument I believe is " Ter-
aphima " but it may be known generally by another cognomen of which I am ignorant.
It will cost from ^150 to ^^200.
The Church was lighted by day, by a long, oval dome, of
colored glass, corresponding with the unusual form of its
interior construction, which gave a brilliant crowning effect to
the unique interior, which was further enhanced by an artistically
beautiful chandelier conforming to the shape of the dome, which
shone with sparkling, colored rays of beauty in the evening.
High upon the sides and around the Church, under the frieze,
was this hand-writing on the wall :
" Keep thy foot, when thou goest to the house of God, and be
more ready to hear, than give the sacrifice of fools."
At this time Dr. John C. Lord was in his young manhood
(about thirty), and used to discourse some most logical and bril
liant sermons ; a man of splendid talents. He had a national
reputation for wisdom and ripe scholarship, with the impressive
dignity of cultivated and enlarged intelligence. He was a lead
ing man among our list of eminent clergymen. It would be just
and proper to give him a more eulogistic chronicle of his many
great points of character.

Early Churches. 247
During the " irrepressible conflict " prior to the " Great Rebel
lion," when anti-slavery or pro-slavery was the all important ques
tion of the day. Doctor Lord became widely known through his
lecture or sermon on the " Higher Law."
This Church was built for Doctor Lord by the liberal contri
butions of his friends, in which he himself and Doctor Ebenezer
Johnson largely assisted.
It was an attractive Church for its singular construction ; its
music, the social character of its people and particularly for its
Pastor. The attendance became too large for its seating capacity ;
the lot on which it was built was too small, and the Church so
constructed that it was soon found necessary to build a larger
building. The sequel was and is : the " Central Presbyterian
Church " of to-day, on the opposite or north-east corner of Gen
esee and Pearl Streets.
There is a couple of episodes in Doctor Lord's career, for the di
rect truth of which, I decline to be held responsible, yet they are
spicy and amusing to relate. Possibly I may be guilty of an im
propriety by inserting them here, but they were current verbal
" yarns " ofthe gossipers of that time :
When a young man he was a student at law. I am not sure
but he had been admitted to practice, at the bar. I believe he
was also a theological student. He had a companion, also a
young lawyer, George P. Barker; both bright, eloquent young
men, with an abundance of "cheek" or confidence to carry
through whatever they desired or designed to do.
It was said of them that when their exchequer began to show
signs of depletion, they would improvise some scheme for its re
plenishment. As on an occasion they would organize a mission
ary expedition of which the missionaries were composed of them
selves, and hie them to the country, or Canadian villages round
about Buffalo, (perhaps Waterloo, U. C.) of a Saturday, and by
giving out notices of the holding of religious services next day
in some meeting house having no stated minister, they would
call together quite a full congregation of the faithful and those

248 Recollections of Buffalo.
suffering for need of gospel food, or evangelical curiosity. One
would do the reading and the other the preaching. Both being
young men of handsome appearance and eloquent speakers, their
mission was sure to please and satisfy their congregations of good
people. Among them, perhaps a local Elder or Deacon, who
would rise at a proper moment, and with slow dignity propose
that a collection be taken up for the " spread of the gospel,"
and in aid of the good men, who had that day given them so
much comfort and satisfaction. The usual collections on those
occasions gave them considerable satisfaction.
It was said, that the marriage of Doctor Lord with Miss John
son, a daughter of Dr. Ebenezer Johnson, our first Mayor, was
a case of elopement. Their union not being approved by the
Governor at the head of the household, they fled from the pa
ternal mansion, (the Italian cottage on Delaware Street). The
evening was drizzly and dark ; the young lady escaped out of
one of the rear windows. It seems that directly beneath the
window was a covered cistern of rain water; that in jumping
from the window into the arms of her lover, she slipped through
his arms, and one of the loose covers of the cistern into the
water. Here was a complication of difficulties, which must be
met ; the lover was compelled to haul her out in a very moist
condition. This did not dampen their ardor: getting instantly
into the carriage in waiting for them, in the Park Lane, wet and
bedraggled as they were, they drove to the house of the Misses
Kimberly on Main Street, and by their aid and sympathetic
maiden assistance, the bride was arrayed in dry, borrowed, im
provised finery, fit for the ceremony, and before the morning
watch, they were launched into matrimony.
Before leaving the home of her childhood. Miss Johnson
penned and left the following note as P. P. C, for her cruel
parent : " The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away ;
blessed be the name of the Lord."

Early Churches. 249
Baptist.
The first Baptist Church of my recollection, was situated at
the north-east corner of Washington and Seneca Streets. A high
basement, red brick affair, with a small round steeple or tower,
surmounted by a bald headed silvered dome, the silver part chron
ically tarnished. This tower portion of the building was its only
apparent mark of ostentation, and that might have been dispensed
with, for any architectural beauty it added ; even with it, it rivaled
in plainness all the other ecclesiastical structures of Buffalo in
the thirties.
Neither my researches, nor my stock of reserved information
tells me when this church building was erected ; I think howev
er it must have been early enough to have competed with the
oldest societies ; neither can I remember but few of its members
or attendants at that time.
Among the gifted Clergymen that Buffalo was honored with
during the period of which I am writing, were the " Tuckers,"
(Baptists.) There must have been quite a numerous class of that
name ; as their clerical representatives in this vicinity numbered
at least four. There were the Reverend Lucius H. Tucker, M. D.,
the Reverend Doctor Elisha Tucker; Reverend Levi Tucker,
and the Reverend Anson Tucker of Lockport, who was occa
sionally called to supply the Buffalo pulpit in the absence of the
other " Tuckers."
When this society had completed its new home, the " Wash
ington Street Baptist Church," between South Division and Swan
Streets and but one square north of its old home, the old build
ing was appropriated to business purposes, small shops occupied
the basement, underneath what had been the audience room of
the old Church, the shops facing Seneca Street. The auditorir
um of the Church which was reached by ascending some high
steps facing Washington Street, was converted to the use of the
United States Branch Post Office. By a still higher approach
the outside steps attained the third or gallery floor, which had
been converted into offices. The diminitive tower and dome
were permitted to remain. Thus it became a useful and thrifty

OLD BAPTIST CHURCH.
transformed to old post-office.

Early Churches. 251
structure, if not an artistic one, nor an entirely safe building for
the United States Mails.
Our old friend Thomas S. Hawks, who so long presided over
the Miscellaneous News and Book Store on Seneca Street, first
commenced his business here. By permission of our good natured
Phillip Dorsheimer, Postmaster at the time. Hawks was allowed
the use of a space within the outside or lobby ofthe Post Office,
where he placed a table, (it was an old fashioned two leaved din
ing table), which he called a " News Stand." The table was served
up daily with a few copies of the Buffalo dailies : the " Commer
cial Advertiser," the " Buffalo Journal," and the " Star; " a half-
dozen New York Heralds, Courier and Enquirer,Journal of Com
merce, and the Mammoth New York Weeklies, "The New
World," and "Brother Jonathan," (these last were in one folio,
but they were gigantic in size, nothing like them in these later
days); with a box of pencils, another of pen holders and steel
pens, comprised Hawks' stock. If I do not err, this was the pi
oneer introduction to the business known as " News Dealers,"
which has since grown into considerable proportions.
Hawks was very much annoyed, worried and bothered by the
street boys, idle scamps running in and about the Post Office,
shouting to him "Tommyhawk! Night-hawk! Tommyhawk ! "
However, he lived through it, and died very much respected, with
a comfortable fortune made from this small beginning.
The property was subsequently purchased for the Government
,and a Government building built on the site of the old church.
The United States Government has recently, after protracted and
laborious endeavor, completed a lean-to addition to it, to
accommodate the ever-increasing demands for room to transact
its business.
When the Baptist Society exchanged houses of worship for
their new Church building, there soon began to be a consider
able increase in its number of worshippers and in the wealth and
prominence of its people. There were also changes in its pastor
ship. The Tucker dynasty continued in another Doctor of
Divinity of that family, who presided over its welfare. Soon

252 Recollections of Buffalo.
also came the Rev'd John Overton Choules. Dr. Choules was
an Englishman by birth but a first-class American by adoption.
It was not long before Dr. Choules became a deservedly
popular citizen, as well as clergyman, attracting many outsiders
to the fold of the Baptist Church. A man of pleasing manners,
hearty in his greetings, entertaining, and agreeable in social
intercourse, which was not cramped by sect or clanship, but
hberal with all. As a preacher he took rank with the eminent
men who at that time were with us, presiding over other
denominations. In person. Dr. Choules was the typical polished Englishman ;
in appearance and manners, more bland than blunt, with the
grafted geniality of the American gentleman. He was rather
under the average stature, but quite full in form, clear, intel
lectual countenance, so pleasing as to invite your intercourse; a
bright eye behind his gold spectacles. A brother of the writer,
when in conversation with me, used to call him : " that little
round, oily man of God."
Dr. Choules was so desirable a companion, that, when
" Commodore " Cornelius Vanderbilt made his four months'
trip, in his private yacht, the steamship " North Star," touching
at all the principal ports of Europe from St. Petersburg to
Naples, not forgetting to land in Asia and Africa, he selected
Dr. Choules as one of the party of twenty-five; all the others
being connected with the " Commodore " either by the ties of
consanguimty or marriage ; and they were a merry party.* Dr.
Choules was at one time a Chaplain in our Navy.
There were in the congregation of the " Washington Street
Baptist Church " quite a number of our prominent citizens :
professional men, merchants and other business men, some of
whom are with us now and in active business, after an experience
of fifty years. Notably, Sherman S. Jewett and Daniel C. Beard.

* It is worthy of record, here or elsewhere, that at the outbreak of the Civil War
in 1 861, " Commodore" Vanderbilt gave to the United States Government a steam
ship, " The Vanderbilt," costing one million of dollars, to aid her Crippled Navy in
a time of need.

Early Churches.

253

Methodist.
The first of the Methodist Churches which the writer remem
bers, stood a little way down Niagara Street, on the block on
the south-westerly side, west of Pearl Street. A large framed
and clapboarded buUding, barn-like, with its gable end flush
with the limits of the sidewalk.
It was a prosperous and a popular meeting-house. Being
quite centrally located, it drew to its fold many new acquisitions
of worshippers from our increasing population ; though they
might not have been previously of the Methodist persuasion.
The late Reverend Gleason Fillmore, who died recently at
nearly one. hundred years of age, frequently preached in that
Church building or meeting-house to many gratified listeners ;
his presence here, was always warmly greeted by his many
friends, many of whom belonged to other denominations than
Methodists. He was a man much respected and revered by all
who knew him. The Centennial birthday of his widow was
celebrated in one of the towns of this county in 1887 by a
numerous assemblage of old friends.
The membership and attendance overflowed the capacity of
this primitive meeting-house; its members became ambitious for
a new and larger and more attractive edifice wherein to worship.
The outcome of that progressive spirit was the erection of the
stone building on the opposite block, on Niagara Street lately
belonging to a Jewish Society and used by them as a synagouge
but which this year has been sold for a new Masonic Temple,
now in the course of erection.
Soon after their desires were accomplished, or so much as
seemed to them ever possible, with an unfinished tower or
steeple, (which remained until the building was taken down the
past year), and which was a continued reproach to those aspiring
methodical Christians. The prosperity of that society began to
wane. Dissensions and divisions in the congregation arose; an
unsettled feeling became manifest, which finally resulted in a
swarming off from the parent stock, for new fields, and more
united purpose of the larger part of its adherents. To stem this

254 Recollections of Buffalo.
current of disaffection the remaining members, loyal to the old
original organization, renewed with more zealous fervor their
spiritual exertions for the general welfare ; with faith in their
hopes and expectations, they battled to maintain the old society
and more recent church building.
Protracted meetings were instituted, with continuous prayer
meetings and exhortations, which were almost unceasing. This
unusual spiritual excitement continuing so long attracted the
attention of the outside world ; who were drawn there by
curiosity, rather than religious sympathy, and who went to the
prayer meetings and attended the services in considerable
numbers. Among the members was a stalwart man, an earnest and faith
ful worker in the church, a man whose feet were of unusual size,
who was known to most every one as " Big Footed Madison,"
who kept a " Temperance House," at the corner of Main Street
and the Canal bridge, west side. There was also a lusty Negro
who was an ardent member of this society, who now and then
became quite excited with the so called " power." Both of these
persons were constant in their attendance at the evening prayer
meetings, where Amens were scattered about promiscously in all
tones and expressions of voice ; some in those of satisfaction, some
in appealing ones ; some dwelling on the A ! men ; some short,
sharp and decisive Am'n; again in a dictatorial, peremptory
AMEN ! These were interspersed by a variety of ejaculations.
The irreverent young men in town, had dubbed this meeting
house the " Eel-Pot ; " meaning many eels, squirming in a boiling
pot. These young scape-graces, for lack of other entertainment
would attend these prayer-meetings to the great disgust of the
praying members, who would occasionally hear their sacreligious
allusions to a boiling cauldron.
On one occasion the stalwart with the exaggerated pedals,
prayed warmly that the devil might be curtailed, in the sinful and
ungodly young men in their midst, when the greasy shining faced
member from • Africa, with upturned face suddenly broke out in
vetoing voice :

Early Churches. 255
Yes! bress God ! cut 'em taUs smack, smove off! Thereupon
the scoffers or young men in the tail end of the Meeting House
cut off and away.
I hope and trust the reader will forgive the writer of any seem
ing intention of irreverent levity, in writing the foregoing, as I
am only picturing the occurrences and gossip of the period.
This church or congregation continued to drop away and fi
nally, wholly disbanded; and the scattering members were gath
ered into other societies of the same persuasion, so that good
came of it at last ; for, from the seed of the old Mother Church
sprung up three quite vigorous churches.

Unitarian.
The building standing on the corner of Eagle and Franklin
Streets, directly north of the City Hall, now known as the
" Austin Building," owned by the heirs of, and named for one of
our early settlers, (Stephen G. Austin), was formerly the site of
the " First Unitarian Society " Church. The building was the
same and yet not the same. When used as a Church, it was
much smaller and more plain in appearance. Architecturally it
was much like an ordinary trunk with an elevated top, with a
high narrow door at one end ; in fact, like most of our early
churches, the non-attempt at any known style of architecture,
made them of an anomalously uniform, nondescript character.
The box form seemed to be the prevailing taste of our local build
ers during the period of those old thirties.
Instead of an architect to guide them, builders mostly depend
ed on the square, compass and chalk line.
Architecture as a profession was very little known here, prac
tically, in that decade. The first regular or professional architect
I remember here, was Henry G. Harrison. He designed the
North Presbyterian Church, and the dwelling of Gurdon C. Coit,
now owned by Mrs. William H. Glenny and where she resides.
The "Unitarian Society," or Church, numbered among its
members and people, some of our most reliable and honored cit-

256 Recollections of Buffalo.
izens ; cultured, refined, and giving a high tone of character to
our community, in public matters, business and social intercourse;
together with practical charity and their efforts to improve gen
eral education.
The writer used to observe among its members the old law
firm of Fillmore, Hall & Haven. They were in public office in
Washington at one and the same time, as President, Postmaster
General, and Member of Congress. It was an appropriate re
mark frequently uttered, at the time : that the firm should take
down the old sign from their office door here, and place it over
the door beneath the porte cochere at the " White House."
In the decade of the thirties I would see at that Church the
three brothers, Macy, John B., Sam., and Frank, as they were
then known, active Buffalonians ; Isaac S. Smith a widely known
man, I believe more of a Quaker than Unitarian. He was once
a candidate for Governor of this State. Also the families of Noah
P. Sprague, William Lovering Sr., Oliver G. Steele, Sr., John W.
Beals, Samuel W. Hawes, C. H. Coleman, John H. and Charles
Coleman, A. G. C. Cochrane, C. F. S. Thomas, Charles A. Milliken,
George W. Houghton. William Fiske, Ethan H. Howard, Henry
G. White, Samuel N. Callender and others.
The first, or one of the earliest Pastors of the flock, was the
Reverend George W. Patterson, who afterwards became a seceder
from that faith and entered the ministry in the Episcopal Church ;
after him, they had for many years that much loved minister
Doctor George W. Hosmer ; a man justly esteemed and honored
by all our citizens of whatever denomination, sect or class. A
man marked by his benevolence, amiability, and genial kindness,
who always endeavored to do his whole duty to himself, his
Church, and the community in which he lived. An arduous
worker in the cause of education and the improvement of our
educational system, and doing much to help and advance benev
olent objects. A portly, finely appearing man, of handsome and
benignant countenance, and with good address in public or pri
vate. His sermons scholarly, finished lectures, you listened to
them with a feeling of home influence hovering around you. Af-

Early Churches. 257
ter a long pastorship when he left us for other fields of useful
ness, we all felt as if parting with a long tried personal friend. It
must have been much more of a trial and regret, his parting with
those of his immediate church flock.
Universalist.
To my mind, grounded and early taught in the catechism of
the orthodox Calvinistic Presbyterian faith, having been baptized
in a Church of that sect, I believed that every one who was not
bqrn the second time, and who did not believe and comply with
that doctrine, would most assuredly not reach the Kingdom of
Heaven, but be sent, on his or her demise, forthwith to sheol.
I will say right here, that the terrible fear of death, that children
and young people held in those days, was almost entirely
caused by their religious teachings. Of course to hold to any
heretical doctrine or belief like that of the Universalists : that
all were eventually to be saved, the propagators of such a
doctrine, would all, indiscriminately, go forever to an ocean of
burning fire, " Tempest tossed perpetually,
Burning continually yet unconsumed ;
Dying perpetually yet never dead."
Therefore we children were wont to look upon the Universalist
Church with fear and horror, as the entrance to the gates and
mouth of hell !
The first Universalist Church which I remember, stood on
Washington Street between Swan and South Division Streets, in
the intimate neighborhood of the " Washington Street Baptist
Church," which was next door; thus anticipating the time when
universal peace would reign : -when the lion would " nest hide "
with the lamb. This Church was a frame structure with a
steeple and spire pointing to regions where all its members ex
pected to go. Many of the so-called Christians of the evan
gelical denominations were in the habit of calling this Uni
versalist Church the " Assurance Office." Among its members

258 -Recollections of Buffalo.
were a good many honorable people, good citizens, whom I
remember, whose known probity of character was unquestioned.
It was characteristic of the members of this Church, that they
were not hypocrites ; as were many counterfeit Christians attend
ing other denominations.
About '38 or '39 the congregation of this Church being too
small in numbers and too limited in means, to give it ample
support, and rather than go in debt, the Trustees rented it for a
time to the newly organized "Trinity Church," which had been
worshipping in Duffy's old " Buffalo Theatre."
I was an attendant at Trinity Church at this period, and occu
pied a seat in the body of the Church within two or three pews
and directly in front of the high box pulpit with its double
diverging stairs sweeping round each way, forming a curved
semi-circular inclosufe to the platform beneath, in its front. On
the panel forming the center front of this high pulpit, which was
painted in mazarin blue and sanded, and which sparkled in the
rays of a bright sunlight or the reflection from the chandeliers,
was this inscription in gold letters : (not, " To the Unknown
God ") but :
"GOD IS
LOVE."
I have read this sentence a thousand times and my young
mind would often reflect upon its significance.
If the Universalists taught this as one of their primary,
fundamental principles, they could not go far wrong. Instead
of teaching that nine-tenths of the human race were to be cast
into outer darkness, where there are weeping, wailing and gnash
ing of teeth, in that burning abyss to be tortured eternally.
Oh! Horrible doctrine! Fear God? Why no! He is my
Heavenly Father!
Later on, after " Trinity Church " occupied their own building
and the Universalists had returned to their own home, I occasion-
y would go there, to hear that eminent preacher Stephen R.

Early Churches. 259
Smith, expound certain mooted passages of the Bible and prove
them in accord with other and seemingly contradictory passages.
He was a man of impressive appearance ; strongly resembled
Henry Clay, and a marvel of eloquent erudition in explanation
of the Bible. He was the father of Junius S. Smith, of this city.

St. Louis.

Last, though not least, among the historical churches of Buff
alo, we cannot omit to mention the most representative of the
largest numerical denomination in Buffalo or America.
When the City of Buffalo was in its babyhood days, there
lived in a substantial brick dwelling on a large lot at the corner
of Main and Crow Streets, facing the old " Mansion," (the open
side lot being on Main Street and used for a flower garden,) one
of our early settlers, a French gentleman and his family, who was
familiarly known as Mr. LeCouteulx, whose full name and title
was Count Louis Stephen LeCouteulx de Caumont. He first
came to this country just subsequently to the American Revolu
tion ; and in 1787 made his declaration to become a citizen pf
the United States. He established himself in business in Albany
but finally came to reside in Buffalo in 1804. He was a family
connection of LaFayette,. He held several public offices : among
them County Clerk of Niagara County, which at that time in
cluded our County of Erie. He died in 1 839, at the age of eighty-
four. I distinctly remember as a lad the appearance of the old gen
tleman on our streets on fine summer days. I often gazed upon
him as a picture of a refined elderly gentleman, dignified and
genial, with a benevolent countenance, elegant in dress. I call
to mind one occasion when I saw him on Main Street, passing
leisurely by " Cheapside," (westerly side of Main Street, below
Seneca), it could not have been but a little while before his death.
It was in the afternoon of a soft summer day; he was tall and
erect and faultlessly dressed, wearing a long, black French surtout

26o Recollections of Buffalo.
unbuttoned, showing the finest of linen cambric shirt front,
with ruffles and ruffled wristbands with jewelled links, black cloth
knee breeches, silk stockings and high-low shoes with wide sil
ver buckles ; his chapeau in one hand, an exquisitely fine and
white linen cambric handkerchief, held delicately in his left hand,
while between the thumb and forefinger he held his jewelled gold
snuff box, and seemed to take much pride, while offering it to
all who addressed him, in explaining that it was the gift of his friend
Louis XVI. His silver gray hair was tied as a cue ; his deport
ment and demeanor were singularly very attractive, seemingly
desirous of recognizing every familiar face he met, and offering
the compliments of the day, with a pinch of snuff from his his
torical box and conversing with his many friends, thus embody
ing all the attributes of a polished French gentleman of the old
school. He was the founder of St. Louis Church, and perpetuated it by
the generous gift ofthe large lot upon which the church stands;
which gift was enriched by aU the land extending west of it to
Delaware Street. That portion of the property not directly need
ed for a church. Priest's residence, and schools, was given for the
'support of the Ministry in that Church.
The first Church structure on this site, built in the early
thirties, was a large rough-cast, very plain, building without
steeple, tower, minaret or belfry, an imitation of an old
Normandy Church, showing through the stucco its sustaining
and strengthening, smoke-dark beams.
The second St. Louis Church was a very capacious building;
it was built entirely over and around its predecessor. It
was a substantially buUt, plain, brick structure ; the old
one was continuously used for Church service during the
progress of building its extinguisher. When the second build
ing was covered in and finished for use, the old first building
was taken down and literally pitched out of the windows of the
second. Mr. LeCouteulx was conservative and moderate in his ideas
ofthe future of Buffalo, yet he believed in its substantial growth,

Early Churches. 261
and loved the place of his adoption, with the confiding faith and
love of an early settler, and therefore provided liberally for the
future of this Church. But, he builded better than he then
knew. The site for the Church was a good one. On the Main
Avenue of the town, out of hearing of its congregated noises,
at considerable distance from the centre of the town as then
established for business purposes, and for private residences. No
doubt, in naming this site for the Church, Mr. LeCouteul.x
thought of the rural Churches and their romantic surroundings
in his far-away early home in Normandy.
When this property was deeded for the uses of the Church,
which was in 1829, Franklin and Delaware Streets were not at
that time improved from ordinary country roads, as far up-town
as that locality ; Franklin Street was the most used of the two,
extending northward to a road which turned to the north-east
about where Virginia and Carlton Streets are now. The western
portion of the property included in this gift, is at the north-east
corner of Delaware Avenue and Edward Streets, upon which
are six private residences subject to a ground rent to th'e Church
corporation ; the land having been leased on renewable leases
from period to period according to re-valuations ; thus giving
increased incomes for the support of its ministry. Certainly if
' the dDiior had foreseen the wisdom subsequently developed in
making this entire gift for the Church and its endowment, he
would have been most happily gratified.
The Trustees of St. Louis Church and its members, were
always of our most respectable and honorable citizens, among
our German and French residents and their descendants.
It is a noteworthy circumstance in connection with " St. Louis
Church," that the Trustees and congregation have built and
occupied four different Church buildings on the same site, since
the thirties ; or in the past fifty years. The third, a temporary
structure, but of large seating capacity, was erected for occu
pancy during the interim while building the new Church to
replace the one destroyed by fire.

262 Recollections of Buffalo.
The present edifice which was completed and dedicated on St.
Louis Day, August 25th, 1889, has proven to be one of the
fairest architectural ornaments in Church work in Buffalo.

Revivals.
The Presbyterians, Methodists and other Church organizations
had their seasons of excitement, mostly in winter, when the
minds of the people were not so much engrossed with business
affairs as at other times. The revivalists and exhorters also had
more time to devote to these special missions and the harvest of
souls was sure to prove greater during the dark and stormy
seasons, than in the bright and happy ones when clouds did not
hang heavily o'er our houses.
Protracted meetings or religious revivals were not uncommon ;
they helped in their way to shorten the winter, by the peculiar
interest and excitement that their long evening sessions afforded
to many.
I remember the blatant Burchard : a notorious hypocrite and
backslider, a demagogue in religion, gained many proselytes at
the old Lafayette Street (frame) Church, through his fanatical
charlatanism. The crowds that attended his sacrilegious mounte
bank exhibitions, literally, nearly " brought down the house."
Anyhow, it needed considerable repair after the winter's
campaign in saving souls. The Jesuitical motto, " The means
justify the end," will apply here.
One notable instance of Burchard's success in saving sinners
was his bringing to the anxious seat one of our very well-known
citizen.s, one N. D., who was persuaded to think himself a sinner,
and through Burchard was brought to repentance; and who
secured his adhesion to the Congregational Church. After the
winter's conflict with the devil, this gentleman presented
Burchard with a team of horses and a family carriage, complete,
as an acknowledgment of the giver's gratitude in turning him
from the paths of sin. This man died here in 1887 at the age of

Early Churches. 263
87, having been born with the century. Nor do I know but the
man had been a good Christian since Burchard's time.
When Burchard was laboring with his usual gymnastic fanatic
zeal in Lockport one winter, a lawyer, who was then resi
dent there, who subsequently resided here, (Robert H. Stevens),
was in attendance at the Church where Burchard performed, and
who pleaded with Stevens to come up on the anxious seat and
join the Lord's side. He replied, " Thank you, but I am re
tained for the other side ! "
There was also during one season a protracted revival at the
old First Presbyterian Church, led by the celebrated revivalist,
Phinney, which was a gratifying success. The revivalist was an
educated, earnest man, who stood on a higher plane of character
than Burchard — a charlatan whose life was grossly inconsistent
with his professions.

CHAPTER XIV.
Cholera.
Rather a gloomy chapter heading, for a chatty book of this
sort, written with the idea of reviving pleasant memories. I
promise, however, that the chapter shall be a short one. I could
hardly overlook the subject as one of the eventful occurrences of
the thirties.
When it began to be rumored here in 1831, that the people of
Europe were being agitated by the approach of the
Asiatic Cholera.
The supposed " black vomit," and " Plague of India," was
again ravaging its indigenous country and had started on its pro
gressive march towards Western Europe, and so onward it was
coursing its blighting way. We little thought it would reach our
embryo western city, then almost on the confines of the wilder
ness of the unpopulated West. Nevertheless we trembled as it
came nearer and nearer to us ; now sweeping the steppes of Rus
sia ; now on the shores of the Bosphorus and sounding from the
" Golden Horn." It began to approach the German Ocean, and
Great Britain, via the Rhine, while through the Principalities of
Austria and Italy it reached Paris ; Madrid and Lisbon did not
escape ; nor the beautiful women of Cadiz. The Bay of Biscay
was its first barricade.
At last this devastating scourge was landed from some Irish
emigrant ships at the Port of Quebec in the Spring of 1832. Af
ter passing up the St. Lawrence, attacking the settlements of the
French habitans in Lower Canada, it soon struck Kingston and
the North Shore of Lake Ontario and came to Little York, (To
ronto,) in Upper Canada; thence it shortly reached Detroit,
where it made sad havoc among the United States soldiers
mustered there for service in the
"Black Hawk War!'

Cholera. 265
[Black Hawk ! was a quite celebrated Indian Chief of the con
solidated tribe known as the Sac's and Foxes ; a warlike tribe of
which he was its hereditary chief, with its ranging home in what
is now lUinois and Wisconsin, for several hundred miles on the
eastern shore of the Mississippi River. The tribe were incited
to war by their chiefs led on by Black Hawk, for the old griev
ance of a legal robbery of their lands bordering the great stream.
General Scott was sent with troops against the Indians, but the
cholera hindered him and his operations. They were finally
driven to the Wisconsin River, the war quelled, and Black Hawk
and his warriors captured.
After the short war was over. Black Hawk and his two sons
with several of his warriors were taken under military guard and
conducted to Fortress Monroe. They were publicly paraded
(exhibited) on horseback through the various towns through
which they passed, in warrior and chieftain war costumes. I had
a good look at them as they passed through Buffalo under the
escort of the late rebel General Twiggs, who at that time was an
officer of United States Dragoons.]
Meanwhile, the Cholera was spreading overthe West and South-
West, particularly among the troops at the forts and military sta
tions, through their interchanging, in their line of duty, in con
nection with the war.
Buffalo was reached by the dreaded destroyer, and found our
people thoroughly demoralized with fear. It may be said, that
at the first visitation of the epidemic pestilence, one half of its vic
tims were carried off by fear and fright.
Among its victims were a number of citizens who were well
known and stood high in the community. Mr. Chittenden, a law
yer of marked ability, a brother of the then Governor of Ver
mont. He died in the house of Joseph Clary, on the north-west
corner of Franklin and Mohawk Streets, in a square frame struc
ture, built anterior to the brick one, now there and occupied by
Dr. A. R. Wright.
I particularly remember the event, for I lived only one block
away, a child, attracted by the very long line of carriages at the

266 Recollections of Buffalo.
funeral. Another lawyer of reputation, Henry White, the then
District Attorney, died at the time. The.'Je two gentlemen were
noted for their fine abilities and splendid appearance among men.
— Mr. Chittenden, was I think, a bachelor. Mr. White left two
sons, Rufus, the elder, was a Minister. I have heard him preach
in our old Trinity Church. Henry, the younger, became a law-
5'er and promised a brilliant career ; but they both passed away
in early manhood ; they were companions of my early youth.
The writer's mother was severely attacked with cholera at this
time and her life only saved through careful nursing and freedom
from fear. Her agonies, her appearance, and the general gloom
of the people at the time, left a marked impression upon my
childish mind. Buffalo was severely afflicted by this visitation,
and there were no class exceptions, the Cholera claimed its vic
tims among all ranks of society alike.
The treatment of the disease was mostly experimental, its na
ture not being understood ; Indeed the epidemic, at times, seemed
to have full sway, without check. A man might be in apparent
good health in the morning and in his grave the same night. Of
ten people were taken away for burial in the night, of the day of
their death. " In the morning it is green, and groweth up ;
But in the evening it is cut down, dried up, and withered."
The death carts would patrol the streets, and when there would
seem an indication of a death in a house, the driver would shout
" bring out your dead." Bodies were not permitted to remain
unburied over an hour or two, if it were possible to obtain car
riers or a Sexton to bury them.
[ Loring Peirce. ]
[Most of this business was performed by Loring Peirce, who
for many years was our only Sexton for burials. It was said of
him at his death that he had buried over twenty thousand people.
Characteristic stories are told of him, applicable to his voca
tion, but they are uncanny and will not do to relate here.J

Cholera. 267
In later years when the epidemic prevailed, it was better under
stood, and was not so much feared as formerly. It visited us in
1834, but was not so virulent as in '32. In '34 we lost by chol
era our Mayor, Hon. Major A. Andrews. It came again in 1849.
The cases were much more numerous than in the previous years,
but our population meantime had largely increased, so that the
percentage was not as great as in '32. In '49 we lost quite a num
ber of well-known citizens. The last time it came in epidemic
form was in 1854.
Previous to its first appearance and during its prevalence in
'32 and '34, it was almost the universal custom of our people to
wear a little bag of gum camphor, suspended about the neck un
derneath the clothing as a preventative. Subsequently, Dr. J. H.
Bird, of Chicago, a son of the late Colonel William A. Bird, of this
city, was said to have discovered or invented a specific treatment
for Cholera. How effectual it proved to be, I have never learned,
but at the time Dr. Bird became famous.
A specific for Cholera was published in the New York Sun,
many years ago, which took the name of
" The Sun Cholera Mixture!'
It has been commended, for several reasons ; it is not to be
mixed with liquor, and therefore not to be used as an alcoholic
beverage, "in plaii? terms."
" Take equal parts : tincture of opium, red pepper, rhubarb,
essence peppermint, and spirits of camphor, and mix them for
use." In cases of diarrhoea, take a dose of ten to twenty drops
in three or four teaspoonfuls of water.
The Albany.
In '49 the writer occupied a suite of rooms in a building on
Lloyd Street, directly opposite what was then known as the
" Merchants' Hotel," the building then newly erected by our
much respected townsman the late Hon. Geo. R. Babcock, all the
upper rooms of which were fitted up as bachelor apartments and
were fully occupied as such. The building was christened by the
bachelors in the customary manner, " The Albany ;" taking its

268 Recollections of Buffalo.
name from a well-known apartment house for swell bachelors in
London. Dr. Samuel C. Warren, author of " Ten Thousand a
Year," wrote about this time an interesting story entitled " The
Bachelor of the Albany."
During the c:holera season, all my fellow occupants of the
" Albany " stampeded for " Avon Springs," and other healthful
resorts. On the night succeeding a day, when there were report
ed one hundred and four cases of cholera, and eight of which
were in the said " Merchants' Hotel," and a merchant named Al
len had died on the same street that day, I, in prime good health,
began to have a nervous fear come over me, whUe considering
my isolated condition, on the upper floor of the building, in the
deep watches of the night, no person within caU, the janitor gone
until nine in the morning ; this nervous fear increased until I
verily believed I had the cholera.
Having heard that fear was an actual concomitant of the dis
ease, something must be done ! should I dress myself and go
out? but where?
I remembered that I had a demijohn of " Prophylactic " at
hand, which was concocted of certain sanitary herbs and brandy,
and filling a goblet, I drained it to the dregs ; slept soundly after
it, and woke next morning entirely well, nor suffered another at
tack that season. [Writing of " The Albanjji" brings up other
memories and occurrences in those delectable lodgings.]
A Tornado.
In November, following the Cholera of that year, one of those
extraordinary tornadoes, which at long intervals visit us, came
and shook up the " Albany " to its very foundation. It occurred
late in the night, towards morning ; my rooms were on the fourth
floor next below the roof The other occupants of that floor
were Colonel Hiram Johnson and Edward Eckly. I was awak
ened by a prolonged crash ; hearing the roar of the wind, I im
mediately divined that the most exposed chimney was that one
of the Colonel's, and it had fallen ; in an instant more another
crash ! There ! that's Eckley's ! Hearing nothing from them, I

Cholera. 269
started in my robe-de-nuit for their rooms ; in the hall I met Eckly
in a long-bodied night gown ; being slender and tall, it gave him
a weird unearthly look. Fie was bound on a similar errand to
me; a sight of each other was sufficient; we both wheeled to the
right about, returning to our rooms, without either of us uttering
a word, and crept to bed again.
Meanwhile the wind was booming " great guns ! " the tin
roof, over our heads had become loosened, and clattered and
rumbled alarmingly. I had glanced up at my chimney and saw
that it was out of plumb with my bed. Suddenly, down it came
and crashed through my ceiling ! Immediately after, the entire
tin roofing rolled over downward in front of my windows, for a
moment obstructing the dim, cloudy light of early morning;
and there surging in the tempest produced noises like pande
monium ; but finally, with a deafening racket, dropped into the
street below. I began to think it time to rise, as the gloomy
day was showing. Seizing my nether garments I went to the
main wall ofthe building, thinking that if the front walls should
fall, I might be rescued from the stumps ofthe joists in the back
or Main Street wall. As soon as I was sufficiently prepared for
escape in proper habiliments, I went to the window and took in
the situation from my stand-point. I saw a group of men below,
who shouted to me to " come down for my life ! " " The build
ing was about to fall ! " I inclined to their advice and quickly
meeting Eckly and Johnson again in the hall, we descended in
double quick time.
" The Albany " did not fall, but needed chimneys and a new
roof over the fourth floor before it again became habitable.

CHAPTER XV.
Cemeteries.
Without forgetting the gloomy sul;)ject, which is the finis of
all things worldly for us, it is appropriate in this motley collec
tion of odd pictures and curiosities of local history, to include a
short record of where were formerly some of our burying
grounds, as one of the end pieces to these memories.
Either through the thoughtful provision of Grandfather
Ellicott, or at his suggestion, the members of the " Holland
Land Company " provided us a place in which to deposit our
remains, when we could no longer stimulate them with vital
energy. Mr. Ellicott laid out for us in the village of New
Amsterdam, the square bounded by Franklin, Church, Delaware
and Eagle Streets for a burying ground. When the remains of
those buried there were disinterred, the place was denominated
" Franklin Square." It is now as we all know, the site of our
grand City and County Hall. When "Forest Lawn" became a
burial place, or soon after, most of the remains of our early
citizens were transferred to it. Those of extinct families and
strangers, that died within our midst and were buried there, were
transferred to a large lot in " Forest Lawn " set apart for that
purpose. In the Cholera year of 1834, the Trustees of the old
" New Amsterdam " burying ground declined to permit the
victims of Cholera to be buried there. Nearly the last burial in
the old ground was that of Col. Cyrenius Chapin, in February,
1838. Doctor and Col. Chapin was a well-known character here,
in those days ; an excellent physician and heroically known for
his bravery at the Sortie of " Fort Erie," in the war with Great
Britain in i8i2-'i5. He was buried with " military honors." I
saw and heard the three volleys fired over his grave, by a
battalion ofthe old " Buffalo City Guard," which grave was then

Cemeteries. 271
where now would be the place beneath the present City Treas
urer's office.
About that time the three burial places between North and
Best Streets, easterly from and near the then head of Michigan
Street, came into use. They were divided by a street called
Cemetery Street, extending only through the block, making a
division of them. The west of Cemetery Street was used as a
Catholic ground, and West of it, for the " Potters Field," and
to the east of Cemetery Street as a Protestant or general
Cemetery. The "Potters Field " and the Catholic burying grounds, have
recently been discontinued, the remains of their occupants re
moved and the place transformed into a public square or park.
There was also about this time a plot of ground covering the
northerly half of the block bounded by North, Delaware and Al
len Streets and Bowery Place (now Irving Place) formerly belong
ing to the late Judge Ebenezer Walden, and conveyed by him to
a board of trustees for a Cemetery, which was used for many
years by our respectable old families. That ground has been dis
continued for burial purposes and the remains removed to
" Forest Lawn ; " the grounds are now being built upon for
fashionable residences.
Again, situated on North Street (the old " Guide Board Road")
the boundary between the early City and Black Rock, was the
old Black Rock burying ground, situated on the north-west quar
ter of what is now the " Circle," where most of the old " Black
Rockers " were laid away to rest ; most of the remains of these
early dead have been removed. On the southerly half of the
" Circle," contiguous or adjacent to the Black Rock Cemetery,
was the " Poor House Burying Ground," as it was known, where
were buried the paupers from the " County Alms House," which
stood not far away at the junction of York and North Streets and
Porter Avenue. "The Guide Board Road" ran in an irregular
line between these two burying grounds. We will not say much
about the last named ground, its human remains it is to be pre
sumed, have turned to dust.

272 Recollections of Buffalo.
It is a singular co-incidence that in the wisdom of our early
residents, they should have chosen North Street, on which to lo
cate all of our Cemeteries ; it was and is the highest ridge of
land we have. They must have had keen eyes for the picturesque
to have seen the beauties and salubrity of this ridge of land,
then mostly covered with pristine foliage ; all along the lines of
North and High and Best Streets, it was a charming ramble.
Five of the six burial grounds on that street are now discontin
ued and the property converted to other uses.
North Street being one of the lines of demarcation between
the City limits and the towns of Buffalo and Black Rock, may
have been the reason of selecting these sites for burial purpo
ses, to place them as far away from the busy and occupied por
tion of the city as possible, where the lapse of time would be so
great before they would be surrounded and covered in, by the
tenements of the living, that it was not worth while to consider
it. Besides, these mute monitors formed a sort of chain of demar
cation between the towns " which to "o'er-step was death."
Strange mutability in human affairs and want of foresight in
our people, that in one generation six out of seven of our first bur
ial grounds should be abandoned, and the seventh a doubtful
place of permanent sepulture.
Our early citizens did not go to places o{ filial rest, when they
departed, for in one generation they have been hustled out of
their graves to make room for the living. Wherever they may
now be laid, it is to be hoped they may " rest in peace."
" Forest Lawn."
Now so beautiful! a place of abiding interest to us all, but
specially to the good people of the " thirties " that are still left
with us, where many of their friends of that period have been
laid to rest, and where most of them that remain expect to be ta
ken. Only known to us in the thirties as the " Granger Farm."
Where, within all the boundaries of our town, could we find such
another spot of equally varied and picturesque landscape ? Dis
covered in time to save it from the leveling march and Vandalism

Cemeteries. 273
of the living and appropriated to its sacred purposes. May no
requirements nor necessities of the living ever desecrate this ro
mantic home of the dead.
Passing through the Main Street gates, you cross the old
" Granger " grounds over a rural, winding road near the adjacent
stream, and where once the "Red Men" met in council. By
the wayside, in the shadow, stands the little stone chapel with its
belfry, where the " Curfew " might be tolled. Crossing the bridge
where in early summer the water comes roaring and rushing as if
to awaken the stillness — a picture bursts upon you, of rolling
lands, park roads encircling little lakes and streams, a sylvan
scene of pastoral beauty. If it be a fair June day, and you walk
under the fresh new born green of the trees, it becomes truly a
garden of memories, and in your quiet ramble you surely are
not alone, but surrounded on all sides by friends and neighbors.
Over the old part of the varied lawn into the new, each has its
charm, all making it seem almost a pleasure to feel that " at last "
in so beautiful a home you can be laid away.

CHAPTER XVL
" Patriot War."
The winter season of 1837 and 1838 was memorable for the
operations of the so-called " Patriot War."
The City of Buffalo has not existed so long as the Pentateuch-
ian age allotted men ; the incidents of its history are not as nu
merous nor so remarkable, as to have acquired that degree of
interest which a greater growth of antiquity might otherwise ac
cord it.
To the writer's recollection, which covers the entire life of our
said City, "The Canadian Rebellion" was one of the most lively
¦episodes which had entertained us. Of course the war with Eng
land in 18 1 2-' 1 5 was, to our little hamlet of that time, of greater
importance, and our " Great Rebellion " of still more exciting
interest. Both of these events are outside our scope ; we are
simply making record of local occurrences in the decade of the
thirties. Buffalo being in the immediate vicinity of some of its most
interesting incidents, " The Patriot War " created more or less
excitement in the little city, during its continuance.
It is not my purpose to write a history of this Canadian Re
bellion or Patriot War (so called ) ; nor could I write a correct
one if I would, not having the data at command, nor the patient
application needed for research to " look it up; " nor do it just
ice. But it having been one of the current events of the decade,
which I am trying to picture, it is of such importance that I must
not omit it.
Canada was not then known as the " Dominion," coverino- a
confederation of States or Provinces from Ocean to Ocean,
among them Quebec and Ontario ; but these two were then
known as Lower and Upper Canada, with a Governor for the

Patriot War. 275
former and a Lieut-Governor for the latter ; and a Private Council
of several persons, ten, I believe for each. The local Legisla
tures, or Provincial Parliaments, were composed of a Council or
Superior branch, which, together with the Governors and Privy
Council, were appointed by the Crown ; the Houses of Assembly
or Lower House were elected by the people.
At the time of the rebellion. Lord Gosford was the Governor
of Lower Canada and Sir Francis Bond Head, Lieut-Governor
of Upper Canada, with his residence at Toronto, (prior to '34
called " Little York,") the Capital, where the Provincial Parlia
ment convened.
In the Legislatures or local Parliaments of the two Provinces
were parties or factions of turbulent members, seditionists, en
couraging and propagating rebellion and revolution.
The two leading men among these insurrectionists were Louis
Joseph Papineau in Lower Canada, and William Lyon Mackenzie
in Upper Canada. The latter besides being an " M. P. P.," was
the editor of a revolutionary paper in Toronto. Papineau was
the representative of the French element in Eastern Canada,
while Mackenzie was the central figure at the West.
The schemes of the rebels east and west were not entirely in
accord. The people through their Representatives in the popu
lar branch of the Government, in Lower Canada, were much dis
turbed and opposed to the manner in which they were governed,
by the system and personnel of the Government, as being made
up, or a preponderance of it, of the aristocratic branches, they
wished the Council or the Upper House to come directly from
the people and not from the Crown.
Mackenzie and his rebellious patriot followers of the West or
Upper Canada, fraternizing with their brethren in Lower Canada,
had the hope of establishing an independent government, or even
tual annexation with the United States ; hence the bond of sym
pathy then existing with certain classes of people within our
borders. There certainly was at that time a large party of influential
Canadians in Upper Canada, who favored annexation.

276 Recollections of Buffalo.
However, very soon after its incipiency, the rebellion assumed
considerable proportions and the territory of operations widened
out. Unemployed, idle, adventurous men from the United States
and men of some talent and reputation, who sought notoriety,
started for the seat of war, to join the revolutionists. These men
were called "Patriots." FUibustering became epidemic in the
Northern States, gathering retainers from the floating population
of the border States ; a restless, dare-devil, non-producing lot of
tramps. Among these men was a General VanRensalear, a nephew of
the old Patroon of Albany ; and a General Thomas J. Sutherland,
a lawyer, who left Lancaster, in this County, for Lancaster's
good. Among my boyish memories is the visiting of this
village of Lancaster in the summer of 1836 and seeing this man
Sutherland prancing about the village, pursuing his vocation of
stilted pettifogging, wearing a crimson-colored camlet, long
frock coat. He was a tall, rather good-looking man ; the
people .about the village dubbed him in derision the " Duke of
Lancaster," alluding to his red coat and the " Red Rose of
Lancaster." I know not from whence came the military titles
of these men. But they and their followers seized the Island in
Niagara River belonging to Canada, known by all our ancient
black bass and masquelonge fishermen as Navy Island ; which is
only three miles above the drop of the " Horse-shoe Falls," and
in dangerous proximity to its rapids.
This Island they fortified by earth-works and stolen cannon
and called it headquarters of the " Patriot Army," from which
they issued their manifestoes and proclamations. In November
and December of '37 their numbers increased until it was re
ported there were several thousand upon the Island. (In Jan
uary, 1838, reported from two to seven thousand.) The latter
number no doubt an exaggeration. There were, however, quite
enough to cause uneasiness on the part of the Canadian
Government, as well as our own, from the fear of embroiling
ourselves in a war with England through violation of neutrality
laws.

Patriot War.

277

It would seem to me, judging from a non-military stand-point.
that the seizure of Navy Island as a strategic point, from whence
to conduct military operations, was a blunder on the part of the
rebels at the outset. It was a self-imposed military prison for
themselves. It was almost immediately invested at its nearest
land point on the main shore of Canada, by the " Loyal troops ; "
who were in much better condition and better provided than the
Islanders. Below them, to the North, were the terrible rapids of
the Niagara ; above them, to the southward, was the swift current
flowing directly past them to the rapids ; leaving only the
neutral territory of New York, two or three miles distant, watch
ful for its national integrity ; for their outlet of retreat and
escape, after sure defeat, with no base of supplies, nor means of
obtaining them, except in very limited quantities, from transient
smugglers, in small boats. Neither had they but an inferior lot
of boat-craft wherewith to help themselves, or to aid them in
landing on the hostile shore, half a mile away, or to escape in
another direction.
But they managed to .exist there a number of weeks, perhaps
three months, sending occasional shots into Canada ; and in one
instance, if my memory be correct, killing a man in his own
doorway, a Major Usher.
The Caroline.
Early in the Island campaign, an enterprising citizen of Buffalo,
William Wells, who owned a little steamboat called the " Caro
line,'"^ sent her down the river to ply as a Ferry, between the old
warehouse at Schlosser and Navy Island ; ostensibly to gratify
the curiosity of Buffalonians and people in the vicinity, to
witness the preparations for war, and the people engaged in it,
and as a money making venture. The business of this vessel
was no doubt an illegal one and engaged in traffic contrary to
international law. No doubt she was used for transporting men

* This vessel was built of live Oak at Charleston, South Carolina, sent to Canada
by the way of the Erie and Oswego Canals, when a new keel made her a British
bottom. Having been engaged in smuggling, she was seized, condemned and sold to
Mr. Wells, thus making her an American boat.

278

Recollections of Buffalo.

and supplies, and articles contraband of war to the Island, while
she was supposed merely to be ferrying curious passengers to
and fro. It was well known that there was constant communi
cation with the rebels on the Island, from the main shore of the
American side of the river by means of this particular boat, as
well as otherwise.

FIGURE-HEAD OF THE CAROLINE.

The " Caroline " was used while lying at the dock at Schlosser
as a night hotel ; many people who gathered there, for want of
other accommodations, were compelled to spend the night on
board. The Canadians were not idle during this exciting period. Bat
teries were placed on the Canada shore, opposite the Island, and
there was frequent cannonading between the hostiles. A man-of-

Patriot War. 279
war, or gun-boat of considerable size, was being constructed on
Chippawa Creek, named the " Minos," (significant title). She or
it, was officerd by men from the English Navy. Among the of
ficers was a Captain Drew, R. N.
The Commander of the Canadian Military forces on the Niag
ara frontier was Colonel McNab, a resident of Hamilton, U. C.
Under his orders a cutting out expedition was organized and put
under the command of Captain Drew. It consisted of a number
of large yawl boats, with picked crews of armed men. The ob
ject of which was to capture and destroy the " Caroline " with
all on board, which they accomplished on the night of the 29th
of December, 1837. Burning of the Caroline.
The flotilla of boats started from Chippawa Creek in the dead
of night, across the Niagara River for the dock at Schlosser,
where the " Caroline " was moored. The crew and passengers,
or rather lodgers, were all sound asleep below, in fancied security,
unarmed and unprotected, excepting the ship-keeper or ordinary
night watchman. The boats had approached quite near before
this watchman discovered them ; the night being cloudy and the
oars muffied. He gave the ordinary signal of " boat ahoy ! "
With a reply of " Friends ! " when they dashed on board ; then
he shouted an alarm to those below. There were probably twen
ty-five or thirty men on board, including the crew and temporary
lodgers. The attack from the boats was sudden, sharp, deadly,
inhuman, on a party of innocent, un-armed men, sleeping quietly
on board. It was a frightful wholesale murder. The hawsers
were cut, the boat set on fire, cast adrift, to make its inevitable
way through the boiling rapids of the Niagara, over the Falls,
two miles below. Was an outrage of that character ever com
mitted, more cowardly or inhuman ? The men who perpetrated
the dastardly deed were and are a disgrace to the English Na
tion, and some of these men were officers of the so-called honor
able professions of War and Navy, in the service of the English
Queen ! The battle cry was, " No quarter ! " " Kill the d  d
Yankees."

2 8o Recollections of Buffalo.
But very few of' those on board the Caroline escaped. I
remember of two whom I knew very well. Captain Oilman Ap
pleby, of the Steamboat Constitution, one of our then finest pas
senger steamboats, and Captain Charles Harding, a salt water
sailor in the East India trade, who fought his way unarmed
through the m'c-lee, receiving a severe cutlass wound on the tem
ple. I met him in '49, a large, commanding looking, exceedingly
powerful and courageous man, standing considerably above si.x
feet, florid complexion, with a kindly, benevolent disposition, but
brave as a lion ; the scar of his wound being then plainly per
ceptible. Captain Drew's report said that two of his command were
wounded ; when it was positively known that no resistance was
made whatever, and that there were no arms on board. If
there were two men wounded it must have been by the fist
of Captain Harding while making his escape.
A well-known citizen of Buffalo, named Durfee was found
dead upon the wharf next morning, with a bullet hole through
his brain. Of those on board the Caroline, twenty-two were re
ported to have been killed or went over the Falls. The figure
head of the Caroline, it being the head and bust of a woman,
was found in the River below the Falls, and is now in the pos-
sion of the Buffalo Historical Society.
For this victory over unarmed, sleeping men, innocent non-
combatants, McNab was knighted by the British Government as
Sir Allan N. McNab ; and Captain Drew was promoted to a Post
Captainc)' in the British Navy. So England rewards her valiant,
intrepid servants.
Some months after this occurrence a man named McLeod,
known as McLoud, while boasting of his having been an actor in
the boat expedition, was arrested at Lockport, New York, on a
charge of murder, committed within the jurisdiction of Niagara
County. After an indictment and imprisonment, without bail,
several months, a postponement of trial, and other delays, the
case was taken up by the Government to go before the United
States Court convening at Utica, without result however ; but the

Pai'riot War. 281
whole matter was diplomatically disposed of in some hugger-mug
ger manner. Anyhow, McLeod escaped punishment, and was
spirited out of the country.
Immediately after the burning of the Caroline, December
30th, Buffalo was in a furious state of excitement, which ex
tended into the surrounding towns. War between the United
States and Great Britain was inevitable ! At that time all able-
bodied men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five were
liable to military duty, and were supposed to be enrolled as
militia men of the State of New York. General David Burt was
in command of the Brigade of Erie County. On the third day
subsequent to the destruction of the Caroline, over two
thousand of these militia men and volunteers came voluntarily
marching into town without waiting for orders. They were
mostly farmers of Erie County ; patriotically ready at a
moment's notice to come unsubpoenaed to right the wrongs of
their injured country, like the minute men of Concord and
Lexington. They came provided only with improvised knap
sacks containing a couple of days rations ; some with old flint
lock muskets and belts provided by the State and deposited with
them as enrolled militia men long before ; others with only a
pitchfork, or flail. They were bound for Canada direct. Gen
eral Burt was taken by surprise when the officers in charge of
these men reported to him for duty. It was several hours before
he could provide them with suitable quarters for barracks.
They were finally marched to the old Rathbun warehouse at
the foot of Mechanic Street on the Canal, where they were
quartered, General Burt assuming command over them.
As soon as the mails could reach Albany and Washington, by
stages or mounted express, (no railroads or telegraphs then
except the " Telegraph Stage Line,") General Winfield Scott,
then Chief of the United States Army, and Wm. L. Marcy, the
Governor of the State of New York, came here to assume the
direction of affairs.
The Governor and General Scott were looked upon by the
younger portion of the community here with feelings akin to
awe, endowed as they were, with superior powers of command.

282 Recollections of Buffalo.
General Scott being a man of extraordinary size and com
manding appearance, in full uniform as he then was, his chapeau
surmounted with the yellow plume, the distinguishing mark of
the Commanding General, he was an object of awe and
admiration to us young uns, who but recently had been in
structed in our local history and geography, in which General
Scott was the central figure of our hero worship, for his exploits
about Niagara Falls, at DrummondviUe and Chippewa. The
Governor, to our young minds, though the great power of the
State, seemed to us in that power like as a dwarf to a giant.
The Governor was a man physically in marked contrast with
the General, although having the dignity and executive bearing
appropriate to a Governor. Yet when the two came on our
streets and were seen together, they looked by contrast like unto
David and Goliath, the Governor being a man of short stature
in comparison with the General.
After the destruction of the Caroline another small steamer,
the " Barcelona," was put upon the River, making random trips
from Buffalo to Schlosser, sometimes, I believe, touching at Navy
Island. The actions of this steamer seemed to exasperate the
military authorities on the Canadian side of the River and they
forthwith planted a battery on the bank, at its narrowest part,
near the village of Waterloo, and forbade her passage up or down
the River, at the risk of destruction ; which action made it rather
precarious for the steamer and the live stock on board, to pass
up the Rapids at Black Rack.
There was great excitement at " Black Rock Dam " at that
time, because of three schooners the British had moored in the
river, at a bend commanding it, the more effectually to obstruct
the upward passage of the Barcelona, which lay at a dock at the
" Dam." I " got leave " and went down there, was aboard the
Barcelona, saw the vessels, saw the guns conspicuously on their
decks ; remember reported in the " Commercial " that afternoon,
copy of note sent by Gen'l Scott : " To the Commander of Brit
ish Fleet lying in Niagara River ; " stating reports as to purpose

Patriot War. 283
of the vessels anchored there, he said : " The Barcelona will sail
up the river at the pleasure of her owner and commander. If she
be attacked, or in anywise obstructed, it will be at the peril of
the officers so ordering it, &c.''
As a counterpoise to this demonstration. General Scott ordered
a Battery of Artillery placed directly opposite on the high banks
below where Fort Porter now is and sent word to the officer in
command at Waterloo, that " If he fired a shot at the steamer,
that would inaugurate a war ! For he would blow him, all his
force, and the town into eternity." Thus that game of prospect
ive war terminated in a drawn battle, as the Barcelona was per
mitted to pass up the river to Buffalo and was here detained.
It was what is termed an open winter ; ice did not form even
on the borders of the Lake or River until late in January ; nor
did the ice form to connect the two shores in the narrowest part
of Lake Erie, up about Long Point, until February ; (a very rare
and unusual occurrence at this period,) and there formed but a
frail bridge from Pennsylvania and Ohio to the Canadian shore.
Meanwhile, filibustering sympathizers, idle loafers, tramps and
men intent upon joining the " Patriots " had been collecting in
small bands at various points along the Lake, intending to cross
into Canada upon the ice and mass or concentrate somewhere in
the interior of the Canadian Peninsula, and there organize, for
operations the following spring. But the best formed resolutions
of men and mice sometimes come to grief
The weather that winter was not propitious for this Patriot ar
my. It was disappointing; this rapscallion rabble "could not
get over the barn door sill." They had no facilities for getting
into Canada. The ice did not become strong enough to bear the
burden of their crossing, until too late, and then only at one
place. Long Point. Many of these men had the intention earlier
in the season of joining the Patriots on Navy Island, but the ac
tion of the authorities in cutting off" communication with the
Island except by the clandestine use of row-boats under cover of
night, forced the most of these men to unite with the clans along
the Lake. Meanwhile, these heterogeneous collections of sus-

284 Recollections of Buffalo.
picious men, were being watched by the emissaries of both gov
ernments, which they knew, and which, together with the need
of food, clothing and shelter, had a depressing effect upon them ;
their patriotic ardor drooped, they began to thin out and disperse.
A few found their way over the ice into Canada and collected
about " Short Hills," where were some resident sympathizers
with the rebels. Rice's tavern, at Short Hills, being kept by a dis
affected person, was their objective point ; but they were dispersed,
arrested, and a few punished by expatriation to VanDieman's
Land. Some of the emigrating American patriots found their way to
Navy Island, swelling the numbers there, until it became a seri
ous question how all these cold and hungry men were to be
provided with food and clothing, and how arms and ammunition
were to be procured ; and if they could be, how bring them to
the Island and then get transportation to lift them over to the
Main land, watched on all sides as they were, environed by in
creasing numbers of disciplined men with ample material. Wise
men thought the situation desperate.
During all this excitement military ardor and ambition were
much stimulated. In Buffalo, military organizations were
formed ; independent companies were made up of all the (:lite
and chivalric men of Buffalo ; these companies formed a regi
ment of what was called the " Buffalo City Guards." There
were six companies of Infantry and two Batteries of Flying
Artillery. When the Infantry Companies, composed of pro
fessional and business men, were first formed, they were
immediately utilized by being placed on guard around the city.
Many of the peaceful inhabitants were in constant fear of attacks
by the military forces from the Canada side of the river, which
was constantly being threatened, (by current report), to the
extent of burning the city.
The gentlemen of the City Guards had some early and fati
guing experience along the Beach of the Lake, the River and
the outlying districts of the town, those stormy, dark, black,
winter nights, on sentinel service. No street lights, no sentry

Patriot War. 285
boxes, the suburbs sparsely settled. Many of the gay young
Buffalonians began to realize, that military service in reality was
not all glitter, parade, and glory. One little episode of the
period was afterwards frequently related by the actors in those
military experiences. Report came one night that a large body
of soldiers from Canada were landing below Black Rock and
beyond where our outpost sentinels were .stationed, and were
preparing to march on Buffalo to capture and destroy it. The
alarm bell on the Terrace Market house, was furiously sounded.
The entire City Guards were ordered out, immediately to march
to the Front, which was Black Rock, and cut off the progress of
those aggressive myrmidons from British soil and defend Buffalo
to the last gasp ! The firemen were also ordered out to watch
and prevent fires.
Then was fought the battle of Black Rock, so much heard of
in traditional local history of that period. The " Guards "
marched down the Black Rock road that night, through rough,
rutty, half frozen, deep muddy roads, so dark as almost to be
felt, up the heights of Prospect Hill, through the village, down
to the " dam-n " and Scajauquady Creek ; thence over the
" State Ditch " by " Military Road " to Cornelius Creek. These
were not Park driveways, nor arbored roads to a summer resort,
neither was it boys' play. The boys carried each those heavy
old flint lock muskets and a weighty supply of ball cartridge. It
is not exactly remembered where the Guards halted, but not find
ing a hostile army after close inspection, z« the dark ; nor an am
buscade of the enemy, after a parley with the Company Com
manders, the Colonel ordered a countermarch and back they
came, decending from ".Prospect Hill" and "plodding their
weary way " up the Black Rock Road to Court Street and Court
House Park, just at break of day of a gloomy winter morning,
foot-sore and weary, they were dismissed. Thus ended the famous
" Battle of Black Rock."
These companies, called the " City Guards," were justly the
pride of the City. Of spontaneous, quick growth, they yet had
all the elements of strength and vigor, composed as they were

286 Recollections of Buffalo.
of the best material mentally and physically we had among us.
They might have been called a regiment of gentlemen. The
Officers of Companies, elected by ballot among themselves were
of our brightest and most intelligent prominent citizens, in the
young prime of life.
I recall a good many of the Officers of those Companies ;
among them James McKay, George P. Barker, Seth E. Sill, Hen
ry K. Smith, Frederick G. Stanley, (his company was known as
Number 3, "The Tigers,") Henry H. Sizer, William F. P. Taylor,
Morgan L. Faulkner, Henry K. Viele, John J. Fay, Alex. A. Evst
aphieve, Samuel T. Atwater, and others. About the time the
" Patriot War " culminated, in the Spring of 1838, these Guards
were reorganized and engrafted as part of the State Militia as the
37th Regiment and styled " The City Guards," with
James McKay, Colonel.
George P. Barker, Lieutenant-Colonel.
Henry H. Sizer, Major.
I think, however, there was one company of the original inde
pendent organization, which was not included in this new Regi
ment, " Company D," which has remained to this day an inde
pendent company, and whose history would be locally an inter
esting one. Many of its rank and file battled in the war of the
Rebellion. There were also two companies formed about this
time, mostly composed of young Germans, who had picturesque
uniforms. One of the companies wore a uniform similar to that
of the " Old French Guard," with immense bear skin shakos ;
these, I think, were called the " Lafayette Guards," the other com
pany the " Steuben Guards ; '' this company was commanded by
Colonel Zham. These two companies were engrafted either in
the 37th Regiment or the 208th.
On the third, fourth and fifth of July, 1838, our " Buffalo City
Guards " were visited by that splendidly equipped and well dis
ciplined, independent military company, " The Brady Guards "
of Detroit, commanded by Captain Grayson, U. S. A., a very
popular officer, and one who knew how to hold his command

Patriot War. 287
well in hand ; I think they were led by the " Boston Brass Band "
of which the famous bugler, Kendall, was conductor. At the
time of their visit the liberty pole on the Terrace opposite Spaul
ding's Exchange was erected.
The next year, 1839, " ^^^ Guards " went to Detroit to return
the visit of the " Brady's." Our boys were escorted by Frank
Johnson's " Philadelphia Brass Band." Frank was a splendid
looking, bright, aristocratic and well dressed negro ; leader of
the band, and full of music to the tips of his fingers and tongue
and could discourse most eloquent and patriotic, inspiring music
from his bugle. The " Brady's " confessed that we had the best
of them on music; but they equalled if not surpassed us in royal
entertainment. The War Department in '38 sent here the Second Regiment
of Artillery, Colonel James Bankhead, (regulars), which regiment
included Colonel Duncan's Celebrated Battery of Flying Artillery.
Colonel Bankhead's command was quartered on " Walden Hill,"
comprising the square bounded by Main, North, Delaware and
Allen Streets, which the Government had leased of the owner,
Judge Ebenezer Walden, and built substantial brick barracks for
the officers and enlisted men. These barracks formed a rectangular
square, making a handsome parade ground. At one side of this
square, near the line of Delaware Street, (now Avenue), the offi
cers' quarters were built ; those of the commanding officer's res
idence in the centre, facing the east, overlooking the parade
ground ; a substantial building, with a portico and large columns.
Of those barracks all that now remains, is this building. But
curious enough, when Franklin Street was run through the prop
erty, it faced that street with a fine lawn and beautiful hedge be
fore it. It was for a considerable time the residence of Judge
Joseph G. Masten. A subsequent owner however, in military
parlance, turned it " to. the right about, face ; the portico and pil
lars now face Delaware Avenue. The present owner and occu
pant is Ansley Wilcox. The horse barns attached to the bar
racks were built on Allen Street, those were frame buildings.

288 Recollections of Buffalo.
Bankhead's Second Regiment was at that time considered the
" crack regiment " of artillery in the United States Army, as was
Colonel Worth's Eighth Regiment of Infantry. After the regi
ment was settled down here and had fraternized with our City
Guards there sprung up considerable rivalry between Colonel
Fay's Battery of Flying Artillery and that of Colonel Duncan's
Battery, attached to Colpnel Bankhead's Second Regiment,
which had achieved a brilliant reputation for its efficiency in
drilling and firing. Colonel Fay, whose whole heart was with
his cannoneers and Company " E," contended with Duncan that
his Company were superior to the regulars in every way, in drill,
rapidity of firing, and esprit du corps ; until it was agreed
between them, to match the batteries each against the other for
a wager ; with military experts as umpires. I think the late
General Barry, Chief of Artillery under Grant, then a Lieutenant
in Colonel Bankhead's Regiment, was one of these umpires.
The tournament was held on the ground above Virginia Street,
from the Medical College to the base of the hill where Allen
Street now is, as far west as College Street and east of Main
Street to Michigan Street and further. It was entirely vacant,
level land, without a fence or other obstruction, and there the
skill and proficiency of both batteries were tested, under the ad
mirable training and direction of the two Colonels, and decided
in favor of our Buffalo Boys. If I remember correctly, one of
the tests was the comparative rapidity of firing, in a given period
of time. Our boys exceeded them half a gun.
It is only fair to mention an instance of pluck and quick decis
ion on the part of one of our boys : The late Henry Kip, upon
this occasion, was tending vent and had his thumb upon the touch-
hole of the gun while the men were loading ; meanwhile the pow
der ignited and burned him severely, but with quickness of
thought and courage he held on, thereby saving the arms of the
gunners, who were loading.
The society of the officers of the 2nd was much sought by
all our good people. The regiment had an extraordinarily fine
band, which used to discourse most excellent music on all occa-

Patriot War. 289
sions, particularly at our balls and military parties. The officers
seemed well pleased with their social successes ; well they might,
as several of them carried away from here the daughters of prom
inent citizens. Among them Lieutenants Simpson and Wood
ruff, of the Engineers, Lieutenant Barry, of the Artillery.
Those young officers who lived to the time of the Great Re
bellion, and who belonged to the Second Regiment of Artillery
and the Fourth Regiment of Infantry, which succeeded them here,
mostly made their mark during the war of the rebellion, some
with a brilliant record. Among them were notably Lieutenant
E. D. Townsend, who was Adjutant General during the war ;
General Barry, Chief of Artillery ; and brave John Sedgwick,
who was killed at Spottsylvania, during the prolonged battles of
the Wilderness, while in command of the Sixth Army Corps ;
(he was cousin to our townsman John Sedgwick Noyes.)
There were brave and chivalric men belonging to that Regi
ment and Battery ¦yvho, being Southerners by birth, joined the
Confederates. The Fourth Regiment of Infantry, Colonel Bennett Riley, fol
lowed that of Colonel Bankhead. Colonel Riley, subsequently the
.first Military Governor of California, afterwards making Buffalo his
home, was a characteristic old soldier ofthe " Colonel Newcombe "
type. It was said of him that while being besieged in some Fort
in California, or Mexico, during the Mexican War, he mounted
a ladder to the top of the defences, to scan the enemy and gain
knowledge of their position and condition. With musket balls
flying around him; while engaged in this hazardous enterprise,
he noticed his faithful orderly alongside of him apparently en~
gaged in a similar occupation. The General looking at him in
amazement said : " What are you doing there. Orderly ? " " Get
down ! " " Get down ! ! " " d — n you, you'll get shot ! " " Don't
you hear those bullets ? " " Why ! " said the Orderly : " I thought
I had to go where you did and then I was safe ! " The General
was totally oblivious of fear himself
While the Fourth Regiment of Infantry was stationed here,
several of its officers also'captured their wives. Captain Heintzle-

290 Recollections of Buffalo.
man who was prominently known as a Corps Commander in the
Civil War, with an honorable record ; Lieutenants Martin, Hoff
man, Long, and Burnett, the last three named taking three sisters.
Who of those that lived here at that period, from '38 into the
forties, that does not remember those fine officers and gentlemen
belonging to those regiments ? The Ogdens', Williams', Chap
man, Shackleford, Duncan, Crane, Steele, Hamilton, Drane,
Casey, Alburtis, Blair, Gibson, Martin, Murray, Rowland, and
others whom at the moment I do not recall. Poor Captain
Alburtis ! Remembered that on the expedition to Mexico, under
Scott, while landing at Vera Cruz, his head was carried away
by a cannon shot. All, all gone to their last rendezvous !
When this Military Post was permanently established, Buffalo
was in its infancy, but we were thought worthy of the presence
of a regiment to guard us and the frontier from aggressive
harm ; the Government subsequently purchased the commanding
site of Colonel McKay's castle and grounds, abandoning the
barracks on " Walden Hill " and constructed Fort Porter. But
one night, " Heaven save the mark," the Fort itself was burjied !
The place deteriorated to a one or two company Post, with
headquarters of the regiment at Detroit. Why are we com
pelled, with our quarter of a million of inhabitants, to depend
upon local resources for defence against Foreign Invasion,
Patriots, Rebels, Mobs, Broils, Fenians, Labor and Railroad
Strikes, Communists and Anarchists, within our midst, which
sometimes assume gigantic proportions with hydra heads, par
ticularly when the lower stratum of our people are in sympathy
with the rioters and leaders, and our local militia fraternize with
them? Colonel Bill Johnson and Ben. Lett.
There were other incidents of the Patriot War, which were
exciting at the time, worthy of mention here. There was a
filibustering, dare-devil chap, named Ben. Lett, vibrating about
Lake Ontario and the Niagara River, who seemed to be prose
cuting the war, independent of system, or the ordinary laws of

Patriot War. 291
war, chiefly on his own account. He believed in retaliation and
personally made sure of its execution. He was Commander in
Chief, Rank and File, Commissary, Quartermaster and Engineer
of his own war, but believed to have influential confederates
along the Canadian border. Many crimes were attributed to
him ; perhaps some unjustly. As is well known, there stands on
Queenston Heights, which crown the escarpment of the gorge
of the Niagara at Queenston, a monument to Sir Isaac Brock, a
brave General, who, in command of the British Troops, at the
storming of that place in October, 181 2, lost his life on the spot
where the monument is erected. The present monument is
about two hundred feet high. It has a commanding situation ;
can be seen for miles in every direction ; it occupies the place of
a similar column previously erected, but which was blown up
and destroyed by this miscreant Lett.
About the same time a passenger steamer making trips from
Toronto, Kingston to Oswego, Cape Vincent and Ogdensburg,
called the William Fourth, which, in the employ at the time of
the Canadian authorities, was destroyed by fire, by this same
scamp. Numerous other depredations which occurred about the
same time, were attributed to this same Ben. Lett ; at any rate
he was the scape-goat for most of these transactions.
I quite recently met, (this year), traveling in the cars, a Doc
tor Parsons, of Brooklyn, N. Y. ; in conversation he informed me
that he was a nephew of Timothy Parsons, who formerly kept
a store called the " Canadian Store," on the ground where now
stands the Stevenson building, in the American Block. That du
ring the Canadian Rebellion, William Lyon Mackenzie issued
bonds of the new government that was to have been, of Upper
Canada ; signing them with his own name as President, and they
were also signed by Timothy Parsons as Secretary of State. That
after the escape of Mackenzie and Parsons from Toronto rewards
were offered in the public prints and placards posted for their ar
rest, dead or alive : ^4,000. for Mackenzie, and ^1000. for Parsons ;
that while tramping through the woods of Canada west of the
Falls, they met Ben. Lett and Parsons slept with him ; that the

292 Recollections of Buffalo.
three reached the vicinity of Fort Erie the next night and es
caped to Buffalo. Lett recognized his companions and knew of
the rewards, but kept their secret. Afterwards Lett committed
some crime in this State, was arrested, convicted, sentenced and
while on his way to Auburn prison handcuffed and shackled,
jumped out ofthe closet window of the car and escaped; after a
long time he was re-arrested and after being in prison some time
and likely to die of a mortal illness, was pardoned, went to
Michigan and died. Dr. Parsons also informed me that Lett
was the man who shot and killed Major Usher in the doorway of
his home opposite Navy Island, and he, the Doctor, was with his
uncle when they escaped from Toronto, and also that he believed
Timothy Parsons was now in Chicago a very aged man, but had
not seen him for many years.
There was another man of considerable notoriety who caused
a good deal of alarm along the frontier. He seemed to be here,
there and nowhere ; a sort of betc-noir to the people on the
Canadian border; a free lance, raiding this place and that,
seizing vessels and committing other lawless acts, acting under
no principal ruling, but seeming to have a considerable following
of his own, of whom he was the supreme controller. He was
known as Colonel Bill Johnson ; he had his stronghold some
where among the " Thousand Islands ; " a kind of freebooter,
corsair or pirate. It was thought that Ben. Lett was one of his
band, sent out on special raids to distract attention from other
operations. Both these men, however, seemed to escape
punishment, and not long after the subsidence of the Patriot
War, they disappeared from public notice.
It will be remembered that this insurrection or rebellion
happened in the first year of Victoria's long reign. At the
close of the war many of the rebels were hung or sent to penal
servitude in Van Dieman's Land, now Tasmania.

CHAPTER XVII.
The Legal Fraternity.
Of course, I could not give a general reminiscent idea or
photograph of a town of any note, or its people, without
mentioning by more than a passing item that ever prominent
class of men known as members of the " Bench and Bar."
The Buffalo Bench and Bar of the period of the thirties and
forties : Very much of interest and entertainment might be said
of them by one more familiar with the law and courts, during
those younger days of mine and the city. I regret that I am
not better informed of their individual characteristics and their
biographical histories. I do know that, taking them as a class
or whole, in the years bounded by eighteen hundred and twenty-
five and eighteen hundred and fifty, when I was in my childhood
and youth, their reputation was national. In other cities and
courts the "Buffalo Bar" was often referred to as containing
among its members the very essence of legal acumen, the
essential extract of correct judgment on mooted points of law.
Buffalo was justly proud of the profession as a body, or class,
as they also were of themselves as a collective body. Vying
with each other as to their attainments ; learned in the law ;
sound, clear and precise in their opinions and judgments, as
Judges, their decisions were rarely reversed or upset; honorable
and conscientious as to the value of their services or counsel.
There was an esprit de corps of reliability and honor in their
practice ; excluding such characters as are known as " Shysters,''
" Tombs Lawyers," " Trimmers," and lawyers guilty of " sharp
practice," pettifoggery in technicalities, even those among them
known as astute lawyers, were looked upon with suspicion
among the fraternity. They were broad in their ideas and princi
ples ; liberal, high-minded ; honorable and courteous, but

294 Recollections of Buffalo.
earnest, strong, forcible ; with plenty of zeal and fire to maintain
their cause. Their word was a foundation of strength. To say
" I have his word," was an acknowledgment that all was right.
They despised quibbling ; their tone and manners were lofty ;
neither were these characteristics the consequence of concert of
action, but were the outcome of their individual characters ;
which, by example, compelled additions to their numbers to
emulate and adopt. Their counsel and opinions were sought
from everywhere, even in the Philadelphia Courts, where a
native lawyer was the synonym of wisdom and clearness respect
ing questions which might " puzzle " one of their number.
As lawyers and judges their leading qualities were not confined
to nisi prius or common pleas, business or office work ; not un-
frequently they were called upon to expound the law before the
courts of last resort. At that time the highest court in the
State was, I think, the " Court of Errors ; " which court was
composed of the Members of the State Senate, presided over by
the Lieut. -Governor. The United States Supreme Court Yas
one of their fields of action. In Chancery Suits, and causes in
volving matters of serious import, and questions of law, their
written opinions were considered of weighty value. They Y'ere
great as advocates and pleaders ; in many cases their oratory
and eloquence were marvelous and impressive. They were
strong in argument in trying cases, before Judge or Jury. In
the examination of witnesses they had no superiors.
Physically, they were as exceptional as were their mental
powers land acquirements. Mostly men of full size, erect and
dignified in their bearing; collectively, wonderfully handsome,
grand men, courteous gentlemen. " Costly in habit " as their
purses would warrant, "but not expressed in fancy." Their
general appearance bespoke them as leading and foremost men
in the community.
Possibly I may be told that I have written a brief, universal
eulogy or panegyric, too encomiastic and laudatory, of one class
of our citizens, of a past decade, and have been piling on the ad
jectives without stint, in praise of a particular class. Not so • I

The Legal Fraternity.

295

maintain that my memory of them, though only the recollections
of a lad of that time is correct. If you could see those men as
I see them ; one by one flitting past my mental vision and rec
ognizing their familiar faces, you would be likely to concur with
me and indorse my description. True they were not all mould
ed from one pattern ; there was diversity of character and per
sonal appearance ; they had their individual characteristics like
other men, some had odd ways and strange peculiarities, but as a
whole I am warranted in my encomiums.
How would some of our octogenarian Buffalonians like to
walk Main Street and meet the following well known men of the
past generation, and read their signs as " Counselors at Law,"
as they pass their old offices ?
Fillmore, Hall & Haven. Love & Tracy.
White & Sherwood Barker, Hawley & Sill.
VanBuren & Masten. Seymour & Hecox.
Bramhall & Hogeboom.
James Stryker.
Crocker & Houghton.
John L. Talcott.
Frederick P. Stevens.
Halsey R. Wing.
Joseph Clary.
Eli Cook.
Albert Sawin.
William H. Greene.
T. Scott Lord.
Roswell Chapin.
Robert H. Stevens.
Charles M. Cooper.
Harlow S. Love.
Isaac V. Vanderpoel.
William C. Hoyt.
Dennis Bowen.
Charles D. Norton.
Thomas C. Welch.
E. Carlton Sprague.
George B. Hibbard.
Harmon S. Cutting.
Included in the foregoing list of brilliant lawyers are a number
who were but students in the thirties and forties, but without

William A. Mosely.
Smith & Hatch.
Orsamus H. Marshall.
Rogers & Smith.
Edward Norton.
John T. Hudson.
Stephen G. Austin.
Daniel Lockwood.
Elijah & Nelson Ford.
Edward S. Warren.
John T. Bush.
WiUiam L. G. Smith.
E. Fitch Smith.
Charles R. Gold.
Rollin Germain.
Isaac A. Verplanck.
James G. Hoyt.
John Ganson.
Jared S. Torrence.
Benjamin F. Greene.
James O. Putnam.
Charles Daniels.
Nelson K. Hopkins.

Potter, Babcock & Spaulding.
Chnton & Stevens.
Tillinghast & Lord.
Horatio J. Stow.
Shumway & Curtenius.
John Root.
James Mullet.
Fred. G. Stanley.
James Sheldon, Sr.
Austin, Love & Vedder.
Hiram Barton.
James McKay.
Samuel K. Kip.
LeGrand & Geo. L. Marvin.
Jesse Walker.
Thomas J. Nevins.
Henry K. Viele.
James M. Grahame.
Asher P. Nichols.
Samuel Wilkeson, Jr.
James Sheldon.
Perry G. Parker.
James M. Humphrey.
Lyman K. Bass.
John Hubbell.
Harry Slade, Just, of Peace.

ERIE COUNTY COURT HOUSE
OF THE THIRTIES,
On the ground now oooupled by the ' ' Buffalo Library. '

The Legal Fraternity. 297
doubt entitled to mention here and who are vigorously prac
ticing their profession, having attained an enviable reputation in
the same Courts where did their elder legal brethren who have
gone to the bar of a higher Court.
The legal giants of Western New York were not all gathered
within the precincts of Buffalo or Erie County. Canandaigua and
other towns of Western New York were noted for their talented
men of great legal abilities and who were the peers of the men
of the famous " Buffalo Bench and Bar," of course I refer to such
men as :
Addison Gardiner. William H. Seward. Gideon Granger.
Mark H. Sibley. Samuel Nelson. Francis Granger.
Noah Davis. Frederick Whittlesey. Nathan Dayton.
John C. Spencer. Alfred Conkling. Joshua Spencer.
Martin Grover.
Supplementary.
I add to the foregoing general sketch of the " Bench and
Bar '' of Erie County a few short individual sketches.
Albert H. Tracy.
Mr. Tracy was a leading counselor at the Buffalo Bar during
the thirties. He would, no doubt, have reached a position
among the highest in political life if he had not been the victim
of its intricacies and changing fortunes. He was a large-minded
man, eminently fitted for the sphere of statesmanship ; and but
for one of those unaccountable mischances, likely to occur in
the careers of our brightest and best men, would have won a
brilliant record in his country's history. But at the mature
period of his usefulness he was relegated to a comparatively
quiet life, and his talents were lost to his constituency. At one
period he occupied the position of State Senator from this
District with distinguished credit and honor.
In looking back across fifty intervening years, and calling to
mind those who ranked the highest and stood out so grandly
amid the splendid galaxy of men who illustrated that period,

298 Recollections of Buffalo.
none seemed to fill a higher place in public estimation than did
Mr. Tracy. His tall, erect form, his attitude, and dignified
deportment, seemed to mark him as a man designed and en
dowed by nature for the direction of judicial, or momentous
affairs of state. He was one of the central figures of that era
here in Buffalo.
Thomas T. Sherwood and Dyre Tillinghast.
Two nisi prius lawyers and advocates. I make this a dual
sketch, as they struck my recollection together, and were very
similar in many characteristics.
Both built up from pedestals on the solid plan ; rather under
the middle height, of rotund figures. Sherwood rather the most
picturesque, as a figure (of speech,) like a Spitzenberg apple ; a
trifle elongated at its poles ; gnarled in person as well as irasci
ble in temperament; both with chronic rosy faces. Such men are
usually of quick perception and wit, at times genial, sometimes
humorous ; but naturally repelling and pugnacious, particularly
in the court room, where they both came well armed and eager
for the fray ; more cap-a-pie, if they were antagonistic in an im
pending legal melee, or pitted against each other in the same
cases. Sherwood had a tantilizing, rather irritating way of taunting
his opponents, while Tillinghast would retort with a grunt, surly
humph ! or sharp ejaculation. Both seemed to have a wonder
ful faculty of wrangling over a case ; of brow-beating and tor
turing witnesses, as General B. F. Butler is said to have.
An instance of Butler's capabilities is apropos to the subject
but not relative to the sketch. A dignified and amiable Judge in
one of the Courts of Boston was presiding over a trial in which
Buder was retained. A stilted, spectacled witness from Cam
bridge was on the stand, being sorely badgered with offensive
and insulting questions by Butler, so much so as to cause the
Judge to endeavor to screen the witness by saying: "Mr. Butler,
I hardly think it necessary for you to be so harsh, in cross ques
tioning this witness ; perhaps you are not aware that he is a pro-

The Legal Fraternity. 299
fessor of Harvard University?" "Oh! yes, your honor," said
Butler, " perfectly aware of the fact; and I vividly remember that
we were obliged to hang one of the Professors of that same Col
lege a short time ago !" [This refers to Professor Webster who
murdered Doctor Parkman.]
Both the gentlemen were well read and skilled in the art and
practice ofthe law, as then understood. Keen, shrewd in turning
a point of vantage, they were foemen worthy of each other's steel.
Time was not so much of a factor in disposing of cases in those
days, neither with judge, jury, counselor, or the people. The
people sought the court room as a tilting field or tournament, in
which to be interested and amused. They seemed to take more
interest in the cases then than now. The judges and lawyers
appeared to note the effect of the combat on their audience, or
those in the box seats, outside the professional rail. There was
just enough of the melo-dramatic in the passages of mental arms
between Tillinghast and Sherwood to entertain the listeners ;
sometimes causing them to forget their high noon dinners.
Neither Sherwood or Tillinghast was particularly desirous of
political preferment, which it is customary to expect now-a-days,
in ambitious limbs of the law. They rather appeared satisfied
with the practice of the law as being good enough for them.
Tillinghast's law partner was Charles B. Lord who subse
quently went with his notably handsome wife to settle in Saint
Louis, Mo.
One of Sherwood's early partners was Henry White. He was
reputed to have been a high-toned, eminent lawyer, but as he
died early in the thirties, my recollection of him is rather meagre.
The late William H. Greene was a partner at a later period,
with Sherwood, and between the two they formed a very strong
team.
Henry W. Rogers and Solomon G. Haven.
It may be thought a strange idea that I embrace two such
prominent men, and able lawyers, in one brief sketch ; either of
whom would manifestly demand a volume to portray their per-

300 Recollections of Buffalo.
sons, characters and careers. There is full scope and latitude for
eulogistic and comprehensive biographies of these two leading
men of their time.
I have hereinbefore mentioned that the contents of this vol
ume are the emanations of boyish remembrances. In giving
short ideal pictures of the " Bench and bar " as I then saw them,
it would more clearly identify them to the minds of the reader if
I were to give brief sketches of the personal appearance and
characteristics of a few of the leading members.
It would be a work of love, as I recall their commanding fig
ures, noble and expressive features and excellent social qualities,
to speak of them more at length and in many particulars. But I
content myself with outlining a few of the prominent figures
among them, Y'ho come vividly before me like Shakespeare's
communities of Ghosts!
In coupling the two gentlemen who head this sketch together,
I am only doing what was commonly done during their careers,
in the various courts in Western New York.
They had a large practice in both civil and criminal business ;
so it was not a rare circumstance to see them opponents in the
same causes. Mr. Rogers for some time held the office of Dis
trict Attorney for the County, with an otherwise extensive pri
vate practice, which made him familiar with all branches of the
business of the law. Mr. Haven, directly contemporary with him,
was often Mr. Rogers' opposing counsel.
Both solid, substantial men physically; of more, than medium
height, fine looking, well poised men, portly, not too stout, with
frank, open, genial countenances and characters.
Mr. Rogers was known as one of our handsomest men, of
whom there were, many here at that time. He was an admirer
of fine looking women and they admired him. He had a clear
complexion, correctly formed features, with an upright, dignified
form, and carried himself so easily well as to attract admiration.
Mr. Haven, who was about the same avoirdupois and height,
rather under in both respects, was dark, as if tanned by a South
ern sun exposure, like a light rich olive color ; but you saw more

The Legal Fraternity. 301
his beautiful, large, dark, liquid eyes, in which you could read,
hear and see the clear definition of what he might be saying or
thinking. His eyes were his attractive feature, much like what
is known as the " Guelph Eyes."
Mr. Rogers might usually be thought the better dressed man
of the two. I do not remember that his clothing appeared more
expensive, but his clothes seemed to fit him better and make him
the happier for it, while Mr. Haven appeared indifferent and not
particularly interested as to his wardrobe.
As antagonists in the courts or at political gatherings, both
gentlemen showed to advantage and at home in both spheres ;
confident of their attainments, power and ability to cope with
each other, draw the minds of a jury to themselves or hold the
eyes and ears of a listening multitude.
Mr. Rogers was strong in argument, a forcible but not a vio
lent nor noisy speaker ; rather more given to reasoning than to
sounding ejaculation, often humorous. Mr. Haven was none the
less an attractive speaker, with an abundance of wit and humor
and fund of anecdote. Occasionally sarcastic. He had a mag
netic influence over his listeners while addressing a jury or on
the hustings. On an electioneering tour he seemed in his hap
piest vein and mood, as if freed from restraint or could speak his
mind in his own liberal vernacular ; and his audience would hear
tily applaud him. He was then thought to be invincible as a
speaker. In politics he was what was called an " Old Line Whig,"
a partisan of Henry Clay. While Mr. Rogers was a Democrat.
Mr. Haven was an intense worker, an agreeable man socially ;
warm hearted and friendly. He was known as a first-class law
yer. He was one of the great law firm of Fillmore, Hall & Ha
ven ; was a member of Congress during the administration of
President Fillmore, when the entire firm were at Washington in
office, Judge Hall being Postmaster General at the time.
In the thirties and later, Mr. Rogers was at the head of the
law firm of Rogers & Masten, one of the most prominent firms
of that period.

302 Recollections of Buffalo.
In speaking of the two gentlemen to a friend a short time
since, he related the following amusing incident in their dual
practice :
" It happened many years ago, that the late Lewis F. Allen
sued his Grand Island farmer before a referee, alleging that he
had been defrauded of his share of the product of the farm.
Among other things a certain quantity of milk was to be
delivered daily at Black Rock. Mr. Rogers was Mr. Allen's
attorney, and the farmer sought the advice of Mr. Haven. Some
of the features of the case seemed to favor Mr. Allen and caused
Mr. Haven some uneasiness, but he hoped that the testimony of
his client's son, who was witness in the suit, would give it a
favorable turn. This young man had been employed in bringing
over the diurnal milk supply mentioned above and his testimony
was therefore of great importance. At last Mr. Rogers began
his cross examination :
"John! You say you delivered so many gallons of milk to
Mr. Allen daily," (mentioning the number.)
" Yes sir! "
" John," said Mr. Rogers blandly, " Did you put any water
into that milk ? "
" Yes sir ! "
Oh ! You did eh ? — smiling knowingly and looking at Haven.
" How much water did you put in John ? "
" One gallon in six, sir."
" So you put one gallon in six into that milk, eh ? John "
" Yes sir."
Mr. Haven felt that his client's case was gone, but thinking to
give the whole thing a humorous turn, in his joking way he
turned to his phenominally honest witness, saying :
" John, what in the world made you go and put water into
that milk ? "
" Mr. Allen told me to ! " was the wholly unexpected answer.
Then Haven smiled, but his legal brother looked troubled.
Needless to add that the farmer did not lose his case !
When Rogers and Haven went over to the majority, they left
good and honorable records, many friends and admirers.

The Legal Fraternity. 303
Masten.
Judge Joseph G. Masten, an erect, mannerly and manly man.
He was what a woman would call a handsome man ; courteous
in his deportment. His countenance had a thoughtful look
when in repose; when addressed or addressing another on
ordinary topics his face wore the most pleasant of smiles. He
wore his hair at good length, arranged with orderly carelessness,
which gave to his appearance a nonchalant look. Among his
social intimates he was a most agreeable and genial gentleman.
An accurate lawyer, an industrious and honest judge, instinctively
polite and cordial to all.
One of the three original "Superior Court" Judges, which
office he held until his death. He was twice elected Mayor,
first in 1843 '^"'^ again in 1845, when the incumbents of that
office were selected and elected for their merits, not for availability.
The writer happened to be drawn on a petit jury for one ofthe
terms of his Court ; knowing the Judge very well, I confidently
asked of him to be excused from serving, giving as my reason,
the very ordinary one, ofthe necessities and requirements of my
business ; to my surprise, the Judge looked at me with his mean
ing, bland smile and said :
" Mr. W. when did you last serve on a jury ?"
" I cannot recall the time now.''
" Did you ever sit as a juryman ?"
" Not that I remember."
" Time you did then ; I cannot excuse you this time."
His firmness thus characterized but pleasantly done. It was
one of the Judge's old time ideas, that every respectable citizen
should serve in his turn as a juryman, as a duty to his peers, and
as a guaranty of equal justice to all.
When 'I was on this same jury, a young lawyer, the late Mr.
Gurney, tried his maiden suit. When his case was called, Mr.
Gurney rose and responded . " We are ready your honor."
" Proceed then," said the Judge. (Mr. Gurney was a diffident
young man, the more because of a nervous impediment of speech.)
In presenting his case, it was a severe trial to a sensitive juror

304 Recollections of Buffalo.
to witness his sufferings. Those persons who have been the
victims of what is so-called " Stage fright," can sympathize with
that kind of agony. The Judge very soon took in the situation
and gently said, with his peculiar, kind and sympathetic manner :
" Don't be in haste Mr. Gurney, the court will give you all the
time you desire." It was so kindly done, that more than one
eye moistened. Mr. Gurney did very well after the Judge's
encouragement ; gained his case and went out of court a happier
man than when he entered it.
Speaking of " Stage fright," it may not be out of place here
to relate an incident that occurred in the English Parliament in
the days when Lord Chatham was at the zenith of his fame.
That ever important and interesting question of the tariff" was to
be considered. One of the greater items of import to be dis
cussed was sugar. A well known young gentleman, ambitious
for parliamentary honors, had been awarded the honor of intro
ducing the bill.
The house was packed with the members, interested listeners
and jealous friends ofthe young man who was about to make his
maiden speech. The time arrived. The young member some
what flustered, arose and quickly commenced, (evidently intend
ing a panegyric on the importance ofthe article of sugar.)
" Mr. Speaker : My Luds and Gentlemen : — Sugar ! Sugar ! !
Sugar!!!" He hesitated, trembled; but bracing up, he again
started off: " Mr. Speaker ! Sugar !" and again he screamed
" Sugar ! ! !" Then hesitated, turned pale and sunk down into
his seat, in a state of collapse ; his argument wholly gone from
him. His friends tittered, then the house roared with laughter,
the young man's discomfiture was pitiable, merely the victim of
" Stage fright." When that " Grand Old Man," Lord Chatham,
rose slowly, majestically, grandly to his feet, extending his long
right arm and index finger, the assembly instantly became quiet.
He said :
"My Lords and Gentlemen: (His voice rising in its inflec
tion). Sugar I Sugar ! ! Sugar ! ! ! I say Sugar I" (a pause), who
laughs at " Sugar " now ! No tomb was more still than that

The Legal Fraternity.

305

House of Commons. Then turning to the introducer ofthe bill,
he said : " Mr. Eustace, please proceed with your argument."
He did, and his efforts were applauded.
I had the pleasure of knowing well Joseph G. Masten from
my early boyhood, and knew by personal experience this gener
ous trait of his character to young people. One more little
episode which I witnessed in his court. A young practitioner
appeared before him, seemingly fully prepared to argue his case,
when the opposing counsel raised an objection to some point in
his argument controverting his statement of facts. This stag
gered the practitioner, when he said to the court : Your " honor,
I am taken by surprise I" "Well," said the Judge with his
encouraging smile : " If you are surprised, we must give you
time to recover from your surprise. How long ?" He took
three days.
Judge Masten had for law partners at one time Evart Van
Buren, and later, Henry W. Rogers ; both his seniors, and
eminent in their profession. General George P. Barker.
I would delight to give you a genuine picture ofthe subject
of this sketch as I see him in my mind's eye. A gentleman of
goodly proportions, handsome, of dignified carriage, affable de
meanor; of sympathetic andmagnetic temperament; nature formed
him for an eminent position.
He was our leading younger representative member of the
" Buffalo Bar " in the thirties. There were those who perhaps
had more perspicuous minds, who could discern the more intri
cate and nicer points of law, or compose a brief and argument,
with closer shades ot reasoning, grappling the rational deduc
tions of recorded decisions. Possibly he had not that feature of
firmness in his character which would have constituted him a
good Judge, but, take him for all in all, he was one of the
brightest stars in our legal firmament. He died young, about
forty. He had risen to be Attorney General of this State.

3o6 Recollections of Buffalo.
In the Criminal Courts he was a most excellent advocate ; in
all important cases, in most of which he was retained, the court
rooms were crowded ; the people had assembled to hear Barker.
I remember once, he was defending a Negro for murder, (a man
named Davis shot one Massey, a Negro preacher, for crim con
with his, Davis', wife.) It was in summer time. I sat for
hours during the trial in rapt, absorbed attention. Though all
windows were open, the atmosphere was stifling; the court
room packed with people ; the heat extreme ; night and no air
stirring in the old Court House where now stands the " Buffalo
Library ' of the " Young Men's Association." Barker was
making his plea in the black man's defence. His eloquent,
melodramatic and sympathetic voice enchanted the listening
multitude with its silvery tones like vesper bells, whose sounds
floated over them until the pathos of his magnetic cry for mercy
melted the strongest present and the court room was meta
phorically bathed in tears. As he rose exalted in rhetorical
imagery, in making his thrilling appeals to the jury, he seemed
to grow in stature. His countenance assumed a God-like ex
pression. No matter how weak his arguments, it seemed almost
an imposibility that a jury could resist the fascination of his
eloquence. He was what is called a high-toned gentlemen of an aristo
cratic bearing, but by no means an aristocrat ; full of social
bonhomie ; kind and benevolent; liberal to a fault.
When he was about to die, realizing his condition and in
speaking of it to a friend at his bedside, recounting his financial
affairs and lo.st opportunities for bettering them he, suddenly,
looking upwards, raised his arms aloft, and in an agonizing wail
of appeal said : " My God ! My family will starve ! " and sank
back exhausted, as though his last thoughts were concentrated
on his friends, not himself
George P. Barker was personally very popular, a Democrat in
politics ; he would have reached a high plane with his party had
he lived. Many of his political opponents were his best friends
and would have gathered around his banner.

The Legal Fraternity. 307
During the Canadian rebellion when military ardor was rife,
Mr. Barker was selected by the young men to be General of one
of the newly organized brigades. He was every inch a soldier,
in look, thought and deed, if not in military education.
Judge Horatio J. Stow.
Imagine a man fully six feet in height, of portly habit, weigh
ing perhaps two hundred and forty or fifty pounds, avoirdupois ;
of erect bearing, puffy, large face, with bluish eyes and hair a red
dish brown. A bold, self-concious, opinionated man, whose
abilities and judgment were over-estimated by the people and
Judge Stow. Yet a marked, strong character, who would ap
pear a central figure among most any group or collection of men.
A man of more than ordinary attainments and education, together
with bright, natural talents ; of fine conversational powers, so
norous, dictatorial, arrogant in speech ; a kind of person whose
talk made ready listeners ; largely given to the abuse of language
(profanity), but like the late D. R., who one day met by ap
pointment, the Reverend Dr.  , in a Wall Street stock bro
ker's office. At this interview Mr. R. was several times guilty
of emphatic profanity, " to make his expressions strong ; " which
caused the Rev. Dr. to remonstrate mildly with him, as not be
ing proper to his professional character to be a willing listener ;
"Oh nonsense," says Mr. R., "You Doctors preach and I swear
a little, but we neither of us mean anything by it; " so it is pre
sumable that the Judge only intended to convey his expressions
emphatically by using " language strong."
He was at times morose and very reticent, sometimes in his
Court ; he was self-willed and cruelly humorous. On one occa
sion in the autumn of the year, a healthy, burly young man of
twenty-five or twenty-six years of age was convicted in his
court of burglary; it being the prisoner's first offence, the jury
recommended the court to be lenient in passing sentence upon
him, in which the side Judge concurred. The court over which
Judge Stow presided was called the Recorder's Court. It only
had jurisdiction within the corporate limits ofthe city. To com-

3o8 Recollections of Buffalo.
plete the organization of the court an associate or side Judge
was required; any one ofthe Municipal Aldermen was competent
for that position. This sort of dictation to the Judge, did not
please his honor, as rather interfering with his prerogative.
The Judge said at once : " The prisoner at the bar will stand
up ! You John Doe, have, after a fair trial, before this jury of
your peers, been convicted of the heinous crime of burglary; thus
premeditating and committing the breaking of at least three of
the commandments ofthe decalogue, and thus setting the laws
' of God and man at defiance ; on,e of the worst crimes in the cal
endar of criminal jurisprudence. Therefore it is my bounden
duty to see that the laws are executed, and proper punishment
meted out to those who wilfully transgress them. In passing
sentence upon you, the court, upon the recommendation of this
jury, compassionately interceding for you, and in consideration
of your youth and this said to be your first convicted offence, we
are disposed to be lenient with you. I will therefore, (^spoken
with severely grim humor") only sentence you to hard labor in the
State Prison at Auburn for the term of fourteen years and six
months ; we add the six months, that your sentence may not
expire at the commencement of the long bleak season, when you
might not find occupation for your support."
In 1838 one Thomas L. Nichols, alias George Arlington, pub
lished here a spicy and somewhat scurrilous quarto daily paper
called " The Buffalonian." This Nichols was much given to
attacking our prominent, well-known citizens in his editorials ;
their characters and characteristics ; among them Judge Stow.
The Judge took up the cudgels ofthe law, and had the fellow,
who was a mere adventurer, indicted for malicious libel. He was
convicted and sentenced by Judge Dayton to four months
imprisonment in the county jail, from whence he wrote " Letters
from jail," by Thomas L. Nichols, headed with a wood cut show
ing himself through the bars of his prison window, indicating to
the public his sufferings and posing as a martyr. Tom Nichols
was a bright fellow, but a hypocritical sympathizer with semi-
criminials or doubtful characters, and traduced those he assumed

The Legal Fraternity. 309
to be their oppressors. Modern black-mailing was but little prac
ticed then, but observing people thought this was his little game ;
hence the cause for libel on Judge Stow. The people thought
Nichols' punishment a just one, though he was somewhat of a
favorite with the populace.
His current theme was trying to save Benjamin Rathbun from
the State prison by suborning public opinion and interest in his
favor. Judge Stow was a Whig in politics, a warm supporter and
personal admirer of Henry Clay. In the Presidential campaign
election of 1844, he, as well as most ofthe Whig admirers of Mr.
Clay, took more than ordinary interest in his election. At that
time the facilities for the transmission of news and election
returns were much slower than now, and the suspense in awaiting
results was a strain upon nervous organizations. When the
news finally came of the loss to the Whigs of the State of Penn
sylvania, then considered the pivotal State which decided the
election, it was a grievous disappointment.
The next day Judge Stow came into the law office of Potter,
Babcock & Spaulding, in a morose state of mind, sat himself
down without noticing or being noticed by the people about him,
who were familiar with his moods and thus continued brooding
in silence for a long time. When suddenly breaking out in a
loud tone of voice he said : " Well ! By G — ! I have lived long
enough to see the descendant of a revolutionary tory elected
President of the United States by descendants of the Hessians,
by G — ! " Alluding to the facts that Pennsylvania being the
pivotal state in the election of '44 and which the " Loco Focos "
(democrats) carried by a small majority, which was materially as
sisted by the large majority in Berks County of nearly 5000,
which county was settled by the Hessians, foreign mercenaries
employed by King George during the progress of the revolu
tion ; (who found themselves too poor at the expiration of their
term of service to return to their own country or were more im
pressed with the prospect of a happier living here, than under
the military exactions of the Landgrave of Hesse.)

3TO Recollections of Buffalo.
Thus electing James K. Polk, President ; the first "dark horse "
ever brought on to the course, in the races for President. So
" dark was he, that the current expression during the canvas was
"Polk?" "Polk?" "Who's he?"
I remember another of Judge Stow's interlucent speeches, and
the manner of his disposing of his superabundance of bile. In
his day the great popular hotel in New York was the famous
"Astor House," built of solid granite by the first John Jacob
Astor, the founder of that wealthy family in this country, expect
ing it would be as lasting a monument to his memory and endu
ring as the " Rock of Ages." " The Astor " was the place of
stoppage and reunion of statesmen and politicians ; many men
of note like Webster, Cass, General Scott, Silas Wright, and Ex-
Governors, Marcy and Seward, were frequently to be met there ;
and now and then Judge Stow. The large bar room and its stock
was one of the attractive features of the institution.
The dispensers of, and the influential spirits of the bar how
ever, were its expert and high-toned bar-keepers, in rare jewelry,
long gold guard chains, over immaculate linen which was the
prevailing fashion. These self-possessed and self-satisfied bar ar
tists were the men whom the fresh young New Yorkers most
wished and affected to know.
One evening when, the place being tolerably well filled, warm,
and the bar-keepers hot and busy. Judge Stow appeared on the
scene, his florid face gushing with bile, he demanded in sonorous
tones, "Bar-keeper, have you any good cheese?" "Yes, sir,
we never have any but the best of cheese at the Astor House ! "
" Give me some of it, if you are sure it is good; " " Certainly
we never have any but first-rate cheese at the Astor House." Af
ter munching it a while he spat it out with redening disgust and
demanded, " Bar-keeper ! Do you call this first-rate cheese ? "
" Yes sir ! we never have, etc.," " Stop ! " ejaculated the Judge
in a commanding voice, which startled the attention of the nu
merous practitioners at that bar; "I'll have you to know, sir,
that we in Buffalo call that third-rate cheese by G — d sir ! "
Judge Stow was noted by those who knew him well, for his
wonderfully tenacious memory ; not so much of passing men

The Legal Fraternity. 311
and things daily happening, but of his student lore, scholarly
readings and public events.
Once in his later years, a quiet summer evening, when twilight
lingers longest, after dinner, he had ordered some visiting friends
and associates to go with him for a drive. He had selected for
the purpose an open barouche, an unobserved coachman up in
front, — and they Y'ere driven around the charming country roads
near Lewiston, (his home.) Peace, quietness and majestic scen
ery are the characteristics of that locality. The circumstances
and surroundings were suggestive of elevated thought. He be
ing in a colloquial mood, conversation lagging, he resorted to a
favorite enjoyment of his : quoting and reciting from his favor
ite authors, particularly among the classics. He had been de
lighting his listeners with passages from Homer, Shakespeare,
and Dryden, and was cleverly reciting some long and interesting
passages from the ^neid, when his memory suddenly lapsed, he
could not catch the thread of his theme ; he looked mortified,
hurt and indignant. The carriage was moving slowly, when un
expectedly the unnoticed coachman slid round in his seat, took
up the theme where the Judge left off" and finished it correctly,
with good discretion. The astonished and excited Judge rose
majestically to his feet and said: "Driver!" "Stop!" "Get
down from the box ! " " Open the door and let me out ! " " Get
in yourself," " I'll mount the box and drive for you ! " "I can
let no man drive for me whose recollection of such sublime po
etry excels mine." At his command they exchanged places and
the Judge proceeded home.
Many of our older citizens will no doubt remember Judge
Stow's long oration over the catafalque of General Harrison, the
dead President in 1841, in the " old First Church." Those pres
ent on that occasion, who were not as much impressed with the
solemnity, of the ceremonies as with the burlesque of his travesty
of Antony's oration over the dead body of Csesar, will smile again
though it occurred nearly half a century since.
The Judge in opening his address committed this little lapsus
linguce : " William Henry Harrison, whose death we this day de-

312 Recollections of Buffalo.
plore, was born young I " which called forth the risibles of the
observing. He lapsed several times subsequent to this, but which
the audience passed over without perceptible notice. He several
times repeated the remark that " William Henry Harrison was
rocked in his cradle," without any apparent relevancy to the
point he was at the moment discussing.
During the weary prayer and the oration. General George P.
Barker, commander ofthe regiment of City Guards and his Staff",
were compelled to stand in the crowded main aisle of the Church,
holding their plumed chapeaus in the crook of their arms,
standing there as a kind of centre piece to the pageant. The
writer sat very near and where he could see General Barker as he
changed from one foot to the other, his handsome but irate coun
tenance the very embodiment of concentrated, bottled-up wrath.
The reader can imagine his fatigue and disgust at the whole
performance. But to use a modern slang expression, the Gen
eral " got even " with the Judge the following Fourth of July,
when the Judge persisted in holding his court on that day.
General Barker, in pursuance of his duty, had his parade around
the Court House and in the Park, with the inspiring influence of
his regimental brass band and the drum and fife corps.
Judge Stow sent an officer ofthe court to tell General Barker
he was " Disturbing the Court " and ordering him to move off
his troops and noisy bands ! " My compliments. General Barker's
compliments to Judge Stow, and tell him to go to Hell ! "
Stow designed fining and imprisoning him for contempt, but was
pursuaded out of it by mutual friends.
Mr. Stow was Judge ofthe Recorder's Court, which court was
subsequently merged in our present " Superior Court," During
his recordership a large political meeting of the Whigs was held
in Court House Park, (Lafayette Square), at which Henry Clay
was the great attraction. While Mr. Clay was speaking he fre
quently addressed Judge Stow, who was chairman ofthe meeting,
as Mr. Ryecorder\
Judge Isaac A. Verplanck, who at a more recent date, was one
ofthe Judges ofthe Superior Court, was physically, and in gen-

The Legal Fraternity. 313
eral appearance, the counterpart of Judge Stow; but Judge
Verplanck's genial look and good nature, (except when his temper
was ruffled, and even at those times he was not ugly or vindictive),
made him the more attractive with the public. I would like to
say more of Judge Verplanck, but the recollections of him are of
my older life, not of my boyhood.
The striking similarity of the two Judges ofthe same court,
particularly in their physicial proportions and portraits brought
him vividly to my mind, while picturing Judge Stow.
Judge Verplanck had his faults as well as his good qualities,
of which the last will be longest remembered ; the clouds of
time are even now obscuring his errors and short-comings, as the
good recollections of him brighten. I have spent many a pleas
ant hour in the genial society of his companionship, which I
would love to live over again.
Henry K. Smith.
Men of his generation, who still remain with us, will agree
with the writer, that Henry K. Smith was one of the brainiest
men of his era. Clear cut, emphatic, decisive. He would have
been a man of marked individuality in any community ; the
equal of all, and superior to most of his contemporaries.
In his profession his debates and arguments were clear, com
prehensive, analytical and correct. In cases of serious import,
it was always thought a point scored to secure the services of
H. K. Smith. Versatile, he was sought for in criminal cases as
well as civil suits.
As a political orator or stump speaker, he was one of the
leading and brightest men of his time. His achievements on
the hustings were the harbingers of ultimate success. The
listening multitudes were always in eager expectation of hearing
from him some strong argument, brilliant saying, or something
irresistibly droll, and they were not disappointed ; but he rarely
descended to drollery ; never to buffoonery.
Our Superior Court was originally a court with but one Judge,
called the Recorder's Court. Mr. Smith was the second Judge
who held that position. In 1850 he held the office of Mayor.

314 Recollections of Buffalo.
Of his personal appearance as I recall him, he was in height
about five feet ten inches, weighing, say one hundred and fifty
pounds; erect, dignified, almost to severity and haughtiness,
with a proud military bearing ; a face of the character of the
Romans, of which the nose was the marked feature ; indeed, in
the profession " he was one of the noblest Romans of them all."
If you met him as a stranger, you would mentally remark,
"there is an aristocrat," so strongly he impressed you with that
feeling. It was not, however, his real character. He was always
courteous and pleasantly spoken, to his associates, his equals
and inferiors alike. A Democrat in politics. If I be correct,
he came to this country in his youth from one of the West
India Islands (Martinique.)
He was the first Captain of " Company D " of the old City
Guards, in 1838 ; (the Independent " Company D " ofthe present
time is in lineal descent.) With his executive abilities Judge
Smith would have made a good General for our Civil War.
He survived his wife, who was a daughter of one of our early
citizens. Captain Sheldon Thompson, Mayor of Buffalo in 1840.
An Episode.
During the incumbency of Henry K. Smith as Mayor of
Buffalo, the city officials, together with a fair representation of
our citizens, were invited to participate in the hospitalities of, and
be entertained by the Govenor-General of Canada and the city
authorities of Toronto. Those who were there on that occasion
must have pleasant recollections of that visit and the events that
happened at the time.
It is among the most pleasant remembrances of my early days.
At the time, early in the month of August, 1850, the Earl of
Elgin and Kincardine, (James Bruce) was the Governor General
of Canada. A few weeks previously, the Governor, together
with the principle officers of his Government, made a progress of
inspection through the Canals of Canada from Montreal to Port
Colborne on Lake Erie. This official expedition was expected
to arrive at Colborne about noon of a certain day in July, whence

The Legal Fraternity. 315
it was supposed the party would come to Buffalo, as their objec
tive point, landing at the foot of Main Street ; and from here
return directly to the seat of Government, (Quebec.) Whether
our city authorities had invited this Vice Regal expedition to
make a visit and partake of our hospitalities, the writer does not
remember. But at any rate, at the time appointed for their
arrival here, the City Military and other organizations were on
dress parade and lined both sides of Main Street from the dock
to the Canal bridge, with one, six white horse turn-out, for the
Mayor to escort his Excellency, Governor Lord Elgin and his
personal Aid-de-camp, (Col. Bruce) together with other four-
horse carriages for the accommodation of other officials on both
sides. The coast of Main Street dock was clear, and the military stood
at rest or ease from high noon, until dewy eve. No steam
yachts from the Provinces, nor Representatives of a Foreign Pow
er put in an appearance, and the reception collapsed. No expla
nation was publicly made as to the reasons of their failure to con
nect. It was supposed at the time that the invitation, if any, was
given in a perfunctory manner or informally delivered and was
not officially accepted, or other irregularity occurred.
However, the outcome of this intended courtesy on our part
was the cause of the first successful act of reciprocity on the part
of Lord Elgin and the Canadian authorities, in which we partic
ipated. The second being the " Treaty of Commercial Recip
rocity of 1854," in which Lord Elgin proved himself our supe
rior in diplomacy. The first being a social act we were altogether
outdone and overwhelmed with Vice Royal hospitality.
On the Second of August came a deputation of gentlemen
from Toronto, including an Aid of the Governor General, auth
orized to invite the Mayor, City Officers and Common Council,
and supplied with special invitations for unofficial citizens, their
wives and daughters and a few bachelors to a reception and three
days entertainment at Toronto, on the eighth, ninth, and tenth of
the month ; to which all those invited were pleased to respond
their cordial acceptances, numbering in all about two hundred.

3i6 Recollections of Buffalo.
The entire Buffalo party under the direction of our local com
mittee (Messrs. Henry W. Rogers ; Aldermen Lucius F. Tiffany ;
and Horatio Seymour, Jr.,) gathered at the special train for Lew
iston, on the morning ofthe eighth. When we reached the " Falls"
a party of gentlemen from Toronto, composed of Alderman
Campbell, Messrs. Merritt, Fitzgerald, and Angus Cameron, came
on board the train announcing themselves as a Committee of Es
cort for our party, and would take care of us ; gathered up our
baggage checks, saying to us, to give no thought for the baggage
it would be found in our rooms, wherever the guests were to be
billeted in Toronto.
At Lewiston we went on board the Steamer " Chief Justice
Robinson," where dinner was all prepared, but the capacity ofthe
cabin was only sufficient for seating the ladies at the tables, which
were sumptuously provided ; the bachelors assisting the ladies
as table waiters, and taking their revenge at the second table.
On arriving at Toronto, as the boat reached the dock, on a
platform which had been erected on a level and touching the
upper deck, stood the Mayor of Toronto and Committee of
Reception. The Mayor gave the guests a short address of
welcome and the freedom of the city, which was responded to
by our Mayor, Henry K. Smith.
Carriages had been provided for the entire party. Disembark
ing, we passed through a double line of soldiers, the military of
Toronto and the 42nd Regiment of Highlanders, Colonel Sir
Hew Dalrymple at present arms, from tlie landing to the North
American Hotel. The carriages were ordered to remain at our
disposal ; there, and wherever we might be quartered during our
entire stay, and carriages to be always ready at the guests'
command. The guests were quartered at the different hotels, many of
those with ladies at private houses, some by special invitation.
By this arrangement the bachelors, of which the writer was one,
remained at the North American Hotel.
The first preparation for the guests to make was for the supper
and ball at St. Lawrence Hall. The guests assembled at the

The Legal Fraternity. 317
hall and passed from there under an arbor and archway of
verdure, from the hall through the market, across Front Street
to the City Hall, a distance of five or six hundred feet, all
carpeted, where the tables were spread with an elegant supper.
At the upper table on the dais, crosswise to the other tables,
were the Earl and Countess of Elgin, the two Mayors of Toronto
and Buffalo ; Judge and Mrs. Seth E. SiU, and other honored
guests. It was anticipated that President Fillmore, who had a few
weeks previously succeeded to the Presidency by the death of
General Taylor, would have graced the occasion and seat of
honor at this table, next the Governor-General, but imperative
duties prevented him from leaving Washington.
Before being seated came gracious obeisance from the
entertainers. The next day came the prorogation of Parliament, presided
over by the Governor-General in full regalia on a moderately
raised throne, as the representation of Royality ; supported by
the chief Ministers of the Government. The invited guests from
Buffalo were seated inside the bar. The members ofthe lower
House were then admitted, standing behind the rail. Then the
bills passed at the recent session were read in the court language,
(French) to which the Governor gave his assent or dissent by a
dignified inclination of the head, in either instance, as the case
might be. Then came the brief ceremony of prorogation.
The Buffalonians returned to their temporary homes and pre
pared for the Fete Champetre and Dejeuner dinatoire at the private
residence of Lord Elgin, (Elmsly villa) ; to which all went at four
o'clock. The guests were graciously received by the Earl and Countess.
Lord Elgin had all the appearance of the typical English gentle
man of your imagination ; of about forty-five years of age, cheery,
hearty, courteous manners. Lady Elgin, of medium propor
tions, seemingly about thirty ; unostentatious, rather retiring in
manner, but elegant and refined, moderately, but becomingly,
dressed.

3it

Recollections of Buffalo.

An immense tent had been placed on the lawn in front of the
mansion, profusely decorated with English and American bunt
ing and flags ; five very long tables arranged in parallel lines, and
at their head a raised dais and table for my Lord and Lady, and
dignitaries of the feast. There were about six hundred of the
good people of Toronto and Buffalo at the tables, which were
loaded and almost groaning with good things. Water was there
to drink, but few I fancy, cared to imbibe it, when at every plate
was a bottle of sparkling, pure champagne from the Earl's own
private stock and brand, (the " Irois,") imported from the Depart
ment of Marine. It had an iron hook or clasp over the cork, thus
dispensing with the services of a butler to uncork it. Underneath
the tables were piles of their brethren to exchange for the dead
ones. The wine flowed at the will of every guest ; the consump
tion of it must 'have aggregated something huge, but after a
couple of hours at the table a close observer did not discover more
than one or two persons whose condition was " how come you
so," or which made them irresponsible beings for the time. Pos
sibly the quality of the wine had something to do with the gen
eral steadiness ofthe guests. When the progress of the mate
rial busines of the feast had mostly subsided, the Major Domo
approached a monster pasty on the high table near the host and
plunging his huge knife and fork into it, out of it stepped a
youth in full Highland costume, the child of the Earl, who
gracefully bowed to the guests. After the commotion caused by
this incident had passed, Lord Elgin addressed his guests with
the best after-dinner speech and talk to which it was ever the
writer's privilege to listen. Not omitting to allude to the com
pelled absence of President Fillmore as a regret and disappoint
ment, and in proper time after the Queen, toasting the President.
Other toasts were given. Mayor Smith, Henry W. Rogers,
George W. Holley and others responded felicitously. When the
Earl toasted the " Ladies of Buffalo," there was a short interreg-
mum of silence, which caused his Lordship to rally his gentle
men guests and calling on them by saying: " Is there no cour
teous gentleman from Buffalo present to respond to the ladies ?"

The Legal Fraternity. 319
If I be correct. Colonel Henry K. Viele rose to his feet and
found his tongue.
Soon, Lady Elgin and the other ladies, rose and retired from
the table, wandering out on the lawn. Shortly after, the Gover
nor and gentlemen of the party followed.
The remainder of the evening was given to dancing and a
beautiful display of fire-works on the lawn. Thus ended the
second day.
On Saturday morning, the last day, there was a parade of the
42d Highlanders, under the command of their Colonel, Sir Hew
Dalrymple, at the Barrack Grounds, to which the guests were
invited, and a select number were entertained at the head
quarters of the Regiment. The place of honor at the table was
given to one of the belles of the party. Miss Jeannie Rogers,
(daughter of Henry W. Rogers) ; of whom it was said at the
time that she was one of the most beautiful women in Buffalo,
and in whom Sir Hew, * a bachelor, became more than ordi
narily interested. She subsequently married Ellicott Evans, Esq.,
who for a long time was a Professor in Clinton College, this
State. After the review, preparations were made for the return of the
excursionists, who were taken in charge by the committee of
escort, and placed on board the train at Lewiston, as when
received, all enthusiastic over their prolonged entertainment at
Toronto. Clinton.
It would be difficult to properly describe, and do justice to the
person, character and career of the remarkable man who is the
subject of this sketch.

* An anecdote is related of John Dalrymple, Earl of Stair, (a progenitor of Sir Hew
Dalrymple, mentioned above), who was an Ambassador to the court of Louis XIV,
which I cannot refrain from repeating here.
It was said of Lord Stair, who was about the same age of the King of France, that
they resembled each other to a remarkable degree, of which Louis was cognizant.
When the noble Ambassador was officially presented to the French King, he took a
long and close inspection of Lord Stair and then remarked : " My Lord, previous to
your birth, was your mother for any time a resident of Paris ?" " No, Your Majesty,
but my father •was.'"

320 Recollections of Buffalo.
George W. Clinton was an honored member of that old regime,
of the Buffalo Courts in the thirties, in which he practiced as
Barrister and presided as Judge for nearly, or quite, half a cen
tury. He should have an experienced biographer to delineate
and enumerate all his sterling qualities, and point out his fine
marks of character.
Born of, and allied to, the best blood of the State of New
York, his partronymic cherished in the annals of its historic
records, he could not forget this, nor his early training. He
would have scorned living on the reputation of his family name,
but rather sought to make a name and reputation for himself;
indeed, this is a family characteristic of the Clintons ; a native
instict, modestly borne.
In physical appearance. Judge Clinton, when standing erect,
was above the middle height ; angular in figure, lank, a homely
man, somewhat awkward in his gait, a Lincolnian type of man ;
it never could be said he was a model of manly beauty. Yet,
paradoxical as it may seem, his personal attractions were very
great. He had strong facial expression, gleaming eyes, the electric
rays from which, shot through you, as you came within the
influence of their magneticism. He had a mellow, sympathetic
voice, which rang in silvery tones when reciting some public or
private wrong, or in patriotic appeal. When you knew him weU
or became interested in his discourse's, speeches, private conver
sation, or his pleading appeals to a jury, you were more and
more attracted towards him, and saw only the pictures evolved
from his brain, his evident kindly disposition and tenderness of
heart. I remember seeing him in my early boyhood, before an inter
ested audience lecturing; his angular figure gently swaying, the
back of one hand resting on his hip, the other hand and arm in
free action, in gestulating attitude, he speaking in deep, thought
ful earnestness, pleading some cause against wrong or oppression.
He was a hard worker ; studious, fond of books ; a searcher
for wisdom ; a lover of nature, fond of its beauties ; fond of
investigating and studj'ing its fauna and flora, its geology ; a

The Legal Fraternity. 321
naturalist. He loved piscatorial sports; in which the art of still
fishing seemed to predominate ; so much so, as to earn him the
reputation for supineness and indolence ; but this was an error.
He sought nature's store-houses and sylvan quiet, to recuperate
his forces to aid him in thinking out his themes ; researching
his brain ; analyzing ; gathering ideas and tracing facts to
utilize thereafter.
When in some quiet nook, embowered in nature's arbors,
beside a mobile stream, he seemed listlessly ruminating ; contem
plating perhaps the bobbing float with apparent indifference, he
was feeling the thrill of a brilliant thought, discovering to him
the solution of some intricate problem of nature's science, and
thus doing his life's best work. Nor was he indifferent to the
sport; he could and would, upon occasion, brace up to the
artistic science and pleasure of the business in hand, and his
heart leap to the delight of capturing the wary fish. When
lightly treading the margin of a lively, gurgling brook, endeavor
ing to ensnare the speckled beauties, his beaming eyes would
emit electric sparks as he deposited a vigorous trout in his
basket. He was a fitting disciple of Walton, whose pastoral life
and association he would have much enjoyed.
Judge Clinton was ever an industrious worker, nor was his
work confined to his professional business. As lawyer and
Judge his time was much employed ; but his intellectual labors
for the public, for society, and for charity, were a considerable
tax on his time. My early knowledge of him was as a lecturer
before the " Young Men's Association," for the early temperance
movement, and other non-paying interests. His voluminous
books of legal digest and decisions many a lawyer's library will
show ; his patient and exhaustive works of love for the " Society
of Natural Sciences " may be found in its archives. He was
ever obliging in voluntary work for the Buffalo public and in the
interest of its charitable institutions.
Always ready to contribute his talents. A fluent and eloquent:
speaker, when called upon to redress public wrongs or to rouse
the sensibilities of a patriotic assemblage, or stir public enthu-

32 2 Recollections of Buffalo.
siasm on some popular occasion, he would rise to the work
and by his magnetic influence soon put himself en rapport with
his audience, and deliver his address in those eloquent terms of
his, which have been rarely equalled. Then his dark hazel eyes
would brighten and sparkle with electric flashes, and he would
sway his listeners with supernal power.
Notwithstanding his native goodness he could be decided and
severe upon occasion. The writer happened to be present in his
Court at the close of the trial of a man, (a sort of shyster law
yer) convicted of a felony. After the man had been sentenced,
he still had the assurance to approach the bench, seemingly to
argue the injustice of the conviction and sentence. This irritated
and annoyed the Judge, who promptly silenced him, and said:
" Jacobia, your time has passed ; you have been justly convicted
and deserve the punishment the Court has meted out to you.
You have been guilty of most of the crimes of the decalogue,
and should be punished on general principles ; officers, remove
the prisoner ! Take him away ! "
Judge Clinton was honored with a number of important pub
lic offices and trusts, all calling upon him for more or less of his
time and industry. He had been Collector of Customs for the
Port of Buffalo ; Mayor of the City ; Judge of the Superior Court ;
for many years a Regent of the Universities of the State. Re
tiring from the Bench by limit of age, he closed an honorable
career in hard work, searching by authority the archives of his
toric records of the State at Albany.
Addendum.
" Once upon a time," " when I was a boy." It was customary
for our Amateur Piscators to seek for black bass and yellow pike
" outside," in front of the light house pier, anchored in boats. I
had placed my boat, perhaps fifty feet away from two other skiffs,
each occupied by a single angler, patiently awaiting the snap and
swirl of a bass. I recognized one as George W. Clinton, the
other as 'Squire Slade, a noted lover of the sport: a Justice of
the Peace, who would adjourn his Court at any time if the fish
were reported to be biting lively.

The Legal Fraternity. 323
They did not know the small boy in the other boat ; with some
little satisfaction I observed they were not in luck that day. Sud
denly, unexpectedly (of course,) I felt a sharp strike and tug at
my line, which made the blood leap through me and hot tingling
sensations shoot through my veins. The idea seized me that a
shark was after me. I jerked, I trembled, slipped, pulled and
struggled about in frantic ofiforts to secure the monster. The
two observers became excitedly interested in my gymnastic ef
forts to lose the fish. Clinton shouted out, " Boy ! play him ! play
him ! taut line, but play him ! " " Don't let up on him, tire him
out!" Slade ejaculated, "d — n it boy you'll lose that fish!"
They both seemed all broke up by my awkwardness. How
ever, I got him into the boat after a fashion of my own. Shortly,
at their call, I held him up to their view ; Clinton said : " a five
pound bass, I declare ! " I felt a good deal elated at my success
over those two skillful anglers. " If," said Slade, " I catch that
boy near my office, I'll fine him for contempt, for abusing us
in that awkward way." They soon pulled up their lines and went
off" in disgust. The last I heard was from the 'Squire, as he re
ceded out of ear-shot in the distance: "D — n that boy! Splendid
bass though."
Harry Slade.
In alluding to him in the foregoing little episode, I must say
something more of Harry Slade; who is not out of place here, for
he was in the line of the law and justice, and was one of our
notable characters ofthe time.
He was for many years a popular Justice ofthe Peace. His
office was up one flight of the same stairway that led to the edi
torial rooms ofthe Commercial Advertiser, in the old "Ellicott
Square," which rooms and his office were the usual rendezvous,
when " publication hour " had arrived, for the friends of the
editors. Dr. Thos. M. Foote, Dr. Lee and Guy H. Salisbury, arid
the Squire's friends, to drop in and chat overthe day's " Leader"
and other articles in the paper, gossiping about politics and cur
rent reports about town.

324 Recollections of Buffalo.
There you would often see R. W. Haskins, John Lay, Jr., old
George Hubbard, David M. Day, Dr. Stagg, Cad. Carpenter,
Michenor Cadwallader, Dr. Scott, Theodore C. Peters, Jim. Dur
ick, sometimes Judge Wilkeson ; Judge Love and others.
The young limbs ofthe law and enterprising students used to
gather at Squire Slade's Court, in the " Ellicott Square" as to a
school of practice, moot court, or racecourse; where they would
demonstrate their great legal learning and accumen and air their
eloquent flights of fancy. It was " Nuts to crack" for the lookers
on when two or more of the sharpest young Blackstone cram
mers like Harlow Love, Scott Lord, or Jim. Grahame, talked
about " That bulwark of a nation," the English common law ; or
that "well known" "Supreme Court decision." This was a
favorite court with the young Lawyers in cases of slander, horse-
jockeying, and assault and battery, when the counsel could "jaw
back " with each other, ignoring all court rules and courtesies.
Now and then, through failure to conjure up more fitting and
strong arguments wherewith to answer the taunts of their adver
saries, they gave loose rein to their tongues and indulged in
profanity ; to which Justice Slade would seem oblivious, but
would sudenly cry out " Silence in the Court ! " " I'll be d — d if
I will permit this profanity in my court ! D — d if I don't quash
the case and commit you all for contempt ! "
Judge John L. Talcott.
It was often said of John L. Talcott, in the later thirties, that
he was the brightest young lawyer here. He was among the
most prominent figures at the Buffalo Bar, personally, intel
lectually and professionally, in the forties and fifties. Beginning
his career thus early, later he in no degree disappointed expec
tation. It came to be conceded, that while numbers were in
some respects his compeers as a lawyer, he had no superiors.
It is difficult to speak of individuals among whatever class of
representative men , where all are exceUent, without partial ity seem
ing to appear in it to the minds of some who do not properiy adjust
the balances of their judgment. It mu.st be remembered that in

The Legal Fraternity. 325
the legal profession many may be superior, but not all in the
same departments. Life is too short for one lawyer equally to
excel in all the principal branches of the profession. No dis
paragement in saying of one that he is great in Admiralty and
International Law, or Criminal Jurisprudence, while another may
be fully his equal in other .specialties to which his powers have
been more particularly devoted. Nor does it follow because one
has recreated himself in belles-lettres and another has not, that
there is therefore detraction anywhere. All men have not the
same fancies.
Judge Talcott in his prime, it was admitted by his associates,
wais " the leading lawyer " at this Bar. His mind was meta
physical — apt in subtleties, quick to discern the essence of a
case, " all there is in it," and to judge of the correctness of court
decisions. He was interested in all the branches of the pro
fession which engaged his attention.
He was fertile in resources when unforeseen serious difficulties
involved his case. Pettifogging will not be implied if I relate an
incident told me by a dear, departed friend, who was contempo
rary with Mr. Talcott: " He had a remarkable case, in which
while no plea of insanity was laid, there was evidence of peculiar
moral dereliction involved, foreign to the established reputation
of the client, a new complication, ' and something had to be
done ! '
"Thus, in the course of his arguments he remarked, quite as in
natural sequence, that, ' During the progress of this cause, I
chanced, at a recess, to take up ' Robertson on the Passions ' —
an author full master of his subject, who clearly makes it appear
that whatever man does, or undertakes, however purely intel
lectual and abstract it seems to be in character, he is ever
guided and impelled thereto by the prompting of some passion,
which for the time wholly dominates him, though he be not
conscious of it, and that the border land between pure passion
and insanity is so shadowy and indefinable as to be untraceable
by whatever experts in mental diseases ; though to the world

326 Recollections of Buffalo.
there be no suspicion nor mention as to that condition. It
involves the question as to all, at particular times, whether they
be ¦ of sound and disposing mind and memory,' in whatever
transactions ; there being none who are not prompted in the
least as well as the greatest acts by some degree of predominance
of a single passion or the combined action thus of several.' "
There was good reason to suppose that this ingenious fiction
won his case. The friend referred to inquired of him where
could be obtained a copy of the book he had cited ?
" Don't believe it will readily be found," he said.
" I never saw the book nor heard of it before."
" Assume a virtue though you have it not," may here be para
phrased to read, " quote apt authorities though they be not
found among standard books in Court Libraries ! "
Never was a saying of Emerson more pertinently illustrated
than in the case of Judge Talcott, " The superior soul will
enshrine itself in a befitting tenement."
His soul was lofty. In person he was tall and well propor
tioned — not heavy. A mixed but well balanced temperament in
which the nervous was prominent, not conspicuous. Not a
blonde, he was somewhat florid. He had a pleasant, most intelli
gent countenance, was dignified and graceful in deportment,
socially, an attractive, fascinating conversationalist, with rich fund
of anecdote; his drafts on it ever promptly honored; while cour
sing through his talk was often a vein of sarcastic wit. He Avas
fond of social society, and could enter into it with most enjoying
abandon. It can truly be said of him he had a well balanced legal mind,
harmoniously and symmetrically developed and cultured.
Another incident illustrates a faculty the Judge possessed of
pertinent, delicate inuendo : One day late in the decline of his
life, sitting in front of the Tift House, while some beautiful young
women were passsing, he said to a companion, while significantly
nodding in their direction :
" Ah, my friend, I think we have lived a generation too soon ! "

The Legal Fraternity. 327
Judge James Murdock Smith.
Among the youngest members of the Buffalo Bar, [in the lat
ter years of the thirties,] say '38 and '39, he has now, in 1890,
completed his record as a jurisconsult, having retired from the
Superior Court Bench, and active practice, with merited honor,
and is deservedly entitled to enjoy a well earned and dignified
leisure for what remains to him of life.
All things considered. Judge Smith may fairly be regarded as
having been the most successful representative of the legal pro^
fession of his period, of the Buffalo Bar and Bench. Coming in
very early manhood to an embryo city, with a promiscuous
population, he had first to lay hold of the lowest rungs of the
ladder of the Law, and by his own efforts slowly to climb the
steep and difficult heights unaided, except by such friends and
adventitious helps as were afforded along the way while making
the ascent.
By industry and persistent well doing, having withal the bless
ings of a healthy and enduring physical constitution, with untir
ing energy, and ambition to complete his purposes, he overcame
all obstacles and while not yet in far advancing life achieved a
round and full success. These qualities never suffered abatement.
The amount he has accomplished has been prodigious. His of
fice hours and labors were from early morning till late into the
night. And the quality and extent of his work have been to the
full measure of the requirements upon him.
His legal arguments, judicial decisions ; his letters, reports,
and other papers have always been models of perspicuity, cloth
ed in the most expressive and appropriate language ; his great
care in this seeming to be from a desire to be perfectly under
stood. Though at times, those with less regard for grace and
beauty of expression have claimed, in friendly criticism, that the
Judge was commonly more ornate of diction than the law of the
case required.
His chirography is bold, clear and handsome ; showing strength
and breadth of character and steadiness of nerve. A diligent
¦student and realizing the value of time, he early learned the true

328 Recollections of Buffalq.
philosophy of economizing it by finding " Rest in motion,"
through varying the forms of occupation; and so adjusted its
allotment, that, having the taste and love for them, he was able
extensively to cultivate himself in belles lettres and general litera
ture, without encroaching upon that required by the legitimate de
mands of his profession.
Judge Smith is a man of genial manner and temperament, of
marked social tendencies, delights in his friends and in friendly
social intercourse, in a quiet way, with evident aversion to crowds
and jams. His associations have ever been among the best and
most cultured of his class.
If there had been such an institution here as the " High Court
of Chancery " it would have been a fitting culmination and doubt
less gratifying to tbe Judge to have crowned his career with the
appointment to it of Lord High Chancellor.
He still retains the office of Chancellor of the Bishopric of
Western New York.
Living plainly, but very comfortably, avoiding ostentation,
health and wealth have been promoted, hence he is still vigorous
in body and mind and affluently " increased in basket and store."
He has always been a liberal giver in the Church and an am
ple bestower in works of charity.
He is now, at three score and ten, by all indications as sound
and ready for active business as ever ; but he has earned the va
cation of indeterminate length he has decided to take; but which
with his naturally energetic character, will not become a void in
his remaining life; for he will still continue in all social useful
ness ; a pleasure to himself and friends, for, as we hope, a very
long period yet to come.
He has found time in more recent years to enjoy the recuper
ative benefits, the diversion and refreshment of mind afforded by
extensive journeys abroad and in Eastern lands; whereby his
mind has been further enriched with vivid pictures of the older
world, which he takes pleasure in presenting to his friends, as he
will also continue to enjoy them, by himself in retrospect, to the
end of his life.

The Legal Fraternity. 329
L'Envoy.
Before closing this chapter of sketches of the men of the
legal fraternity of the thirties of Buffalo, it is proper to mention
as of like character and connecting links between those of the
old regime and the present time, two gentlemen who stood out
as typical of the class immediately succeeding.
In the last of the thirties they were just on the threshold of
the arena of the law, and have passed through its contests with
honor. But it is to their position and character as valuable and
truly representative men of our city of to-day to which I would
specially refer. In hearty sympathy with the welfare of the city
of their life-long home, and in social fellowship, the presence of
none is more welcome on all festal occasions, ever eloquent as
they are to voice sentiments then and there prevailing. At
public dinners, the receptions of the eminent scientists of the
world, the entertainment of the Chief Justice of all England, the
reception of deputations of public men on all matters of interest,
who can speak our thoughts and wishes more happily and with
better grace — and, socially in our every day life, with whom
do we meet or hold converse with more gratification and satis
faction than the Hon. James O. Putnam,
our late Ex-Minister to Belgium,
or Ex-State Senator Hon. E. Carlton Sprague?

CHAPTER XVIII.
Doctors, " M. D."
In writing this ponderous tome of narrative and gossip and
gathering in the various professions, I would be disrespectful to
them by omitting to notice their brother professors, the foUowers
of yEsculapius. Like our lawyers in their sphere, our corps of
" medicine men " were marvelously good physicians ; a few of
whom achieved national fame and reputation. They were care
ful men, of excellent judgment; their diagnosis of a case was
rarely questioned ; their study and knowledge of the profession
as a science, their practical experience and expert nursing
qualities as an art (which is an essential concomitant to success
ful practice), brought them to the front rank of medical advisers ;
while their dignified and genial deportment and ripe scholarship
indorsed them as accomplished physicians and gentlemen.
At that time (fifty years ago) to be a good Doctor it was
thought requisite that a novitiate should serve a long apprentice
ship, studying the composition of medicines, analyzing them,
and gaining a comprehensive knowledge ofthe rudimental parts
of the science and not relying upon theoretical problems and
mechanical lecture courses. Student life was not playing to be
a Doctor, as with some students of the law, chattering of old
Blackstone or damning the code ; it was something in earnest, it
meant work. Their text-books were not alone the U. S. Dis
pensatory and Medical Dictionary ; but works and demonstrations
on the construction and anatomy of the human body; the
identical houses we live in, their reconstruction, determining the
cause and effect of disease ; learning to check and restrain its
ravages ; to build barricades against giant death ; grapple and
struggle with minds disturbed and brains diseased. Oh, God
like occupation ! With power over life and death among your

Doctors, M. D. 331
fellow men. The good Samaritan capable of relieving agonizing
pains, bringing back the lost lights of the senses and reason,
almost the power of creating and bringing into the world young
life, and restoring the failing faculties of the aged.
Fifty years ago the pay and fees of a practitioner were of
secondary importance; the physician was placed in a similar pre
dicament with the rural clergyman, the last to be paid and then
paid in kind, truck. An old physician once said to me that he
never would write, much less present, a bill for medical service,
until driven to it by his needs. He had so much veneration for
his own profession, that when he rendered a bill, he seemed to
lose respect for himself; it appeared to him so mercenary in
connection with the healing art, so much like blood money, that
he despised himself for demanding money for ministering the
qualities of mercy, or as if the gentle Jesus were to scatter bless
ings for filthy lucre. His conscience accused him, if he thought he
accepted more than his conscientious judgment dictated. I pre
sume that many of our polished physicians of the present day
would smile and call this senile twaddle and answer from a
different view of the matter ; as for example : They "had by con
tinued perseverance and laborious study, acquired a knowledge
of the art of healing, which they con.sidered as an acquisition of
a science to be utilized for their wordly advantage, and not for
sentimental purposes, only so far as consistent with a love of their
profession. A dentist who had once been a blacksmith,
told a gentleman when he demurred to his exorbitant charges for
dental services, that his charges were based on the experiences
and teachings of his profession ; the study, time and skill he had
given the subject, like as you would for a learned, skillful and a
high toned lawyer or eminent clergyman, who charge for their
brains and fore-knowledge, not for merchandise or labor. The
gentleman exclaimed : " Oh ! what rot ! " " Nevertheless, there's
no professional etiquette that endorses a swindle."
This reminds me of a good joke a friend of mine perpetrated
on a popular physician (who was in no wise delicate about his
charges) about his bill. My friend was a dealer in coal, and fur-

332 Recollections of Buffalo.
nished the Doctor with fuel for the use of his family. Both the
Doctor and the Coal dealer only rendered their bills once a year ;
it happened that the Doctor on one occasion, rendered his bill
first, thereby missing a vantage point. The bill was written and
rendered thus :
Mr. E. H.  Debtor to T R.,  M. D.
Jan'y ist, i8 —
To " Professional attention, family, for year," $350.00
The Coal Merchant thought he would even up with the " medi
cine man," and retaliated thus :
T. R.  M. D.,
Debtor to E. H. 
Jan'y ist, 18 — Dealer in Coal.
" For Coal for family, for year," $400.00
They met by chance; said the Doctor; "why, H., you did
not state in your bill the dates and quantities and prices per ton
of coal you delivered at my house last year? " " Ah, Doctor,"
says H., " You gave me the cue whereby to make my bill ;
You did not state in your bill the dates and number of times of
your visits at my house, nor the quantities and charges for med
icine my family required of you." The Doctor saw the points
and got himself down from his stilts and they jumped accounts.
In those early days the Doctor was expected to know all about
his profession.
He did not flourish and make an independent fortune in a few
years after coaching arid craming himself on a piece of it ; nor did
he presume to practice on the purchase of a diploma, on the sup
position that he had been seen in attendance at a clinical lecture
or two, in some building, having a sign in large gilt letters "Med
ical College," or " College of Medicine." No ! the education of
the student was thorough and gotten by hard work. His exam
ination searching. A,nd when the Governors and Faculty of a
College granted and awarded him a diploma, authorizing him to

Doctors, M. D. 333
take the responsibility of another's life into his keeping, it was
deemed a great honor and the investment of his capital for life.
It was the custom and expectation that all went for advice and
treatment to " the Doctor " for " all the ills that flesh is heir to,"
and the people had faith and confidence in him. If your tooth
ached, he applied relief or, " yanked " it out ; if you fractured a
leg, he mended it. If you had a tumor he knifed it, without pa
rade or fuss ; a cancer, he did what he could and told the pa
tient to " handle it with care " and endure it with fortitude ; if a
baby was momentarily expected, he did not come with a white
aporn and butcher knife, but gently aided its passage into //«w world.
The people looked upon their physician as an honorary member
of their families, to whom they could confide their secrets as to
a confessor, priest or pastor ; not to take to their bosoms a regi
ment of specialists and thereafter divide their substance among
them. Now-a-days, the majority of the " M. D's." seem only ca
pable of comprehending one branch of their science. Last year
a carriage was wrecked, I think it was on Commonwealth Ave
nue, Boston ; whatsoever street it was, " doctor shops," (no of
fense intended to the members of this honorable profession,)
are in almost every house, judging by their signs ; (as they are
here, between Genesee and Chippewa Streets on Franklin Street,
where the writer has counted thirty-two houses and twenty-five
doctors' signs.) A lady was taken from a wrecked carriage, having
sustained a dislocation of the thigh bone. The party were in
front of a house with two doctors' signs ; after moving her up
the steps, they were informed they were at the wrong place, they
could do nothing for her ; the resident physicians only dealt in
diseases of the nose, throat and ear. They moved the lady a
few doors, only to find a specialist in lungs ; but if they would
take the lady over the way they would find a surgeon who oper
ated on legs, who would no doubt be happy to amputate the
lady's leg.
I do not write to assault or cast reflections on the specialist
class of learned physicians, far from it, better know one branch
thoroughly, than to profess to know the whole field, but in a

334 Recollections of Buffalo.
routine or indifferent way. I write to show the reader how com
prehensive, thorough and accomplished our physicians were in
the decade of the thirties.
At that time the esprit de corps among our physicians was
such, that if one of their number who had all the data of a good
record, but was supposed to have slipped through the " lubber's
hole to the top " and was a suspected humbug or fraud, he rarely
was able to erase the blot off" his escutcheon. A case in point :
among their number was one whose cheek and audacity equalled
his mediocre brain, and had he not gone through the prescribed
course to gain his degree, would have won the reputation of a
quack. I know from direct information that when it became
imperative upon him to produce his thesis, he hardly knew what
it meant and was compelled to seek aid of a classmate. This
Doctor did not receive a very cordial welcome of brotherhood,
from his contemporaries of the profession.
As near as I can recollect the men of that time, they were all
singularly and exceptionally good, reliable and well qualified
physicians. I will give the names of those most familiarly
remembered. Dr. Cyrenius Chapin.
Among them the first and most clearly identified man was
that irascible, stalwart old soldier, Colonel as well as Doctor,
Cyrenius Chapin ; I have a vivid recollection of him. When I
was about ten or eleven years of age, I one Sunday morning
went to Church with my mother. I was clothed in the whitest
of linen garments. I had no sooner got located in my seat than
I began to have a fearful toothache, which I endured for a time,
but the briny tears would ooze. Presently the mother whispered
to me : " Go down to Dr. Chapin's office and have it taken out;
there's a good boy." So Iwent, finding the Doctor in his office,
where Hamlin's "Chapin Block" now is. With tearful eyes I
told my tale of woe to him. " Oh yes," says the Doctor.
" There is only one way. Have it out ! Have it out ! ! " It
was a sunny, summer's day and shone bright and hot into the

Doctors, M. D. 335
office. The Doctor produced his goads of torture; the keen
lancet and the turnkey wrench. He placed me on the floor,
between his long legs, not minding my protest of soiling my
white trousers ; gashing and lacerating my gums with the lancet,
he applied the cold steel of that horrible instrument of barbarity,
the wrench, and ground out a four-pronged double tooth,
bespotting those immaculate white jacket and trousers with
"jacquemot " rose color. I never forgot Doctor Chapin after
that. Our Doctor Hopkins tells me he has that same identical
turnkey. Dr. Chapin was a rough diamond. With all his
abruptness of character he was kind hearted, as such sterling
patriots as he are quite likely to be. He was a central figure
here fifty years ago. The history and records of Buffalo amply
note the fact He was buried with military honors in Franklin
Square burying ground. I was there and heard the rattle of the
musketry as they fired over his grave.
Josiah Trowbridge.
Was one of the highly honored among our old school men.
He had a large practice, and when the cholera raged here, in
the several seasons in which it was epidemic. Dr. Trowbridge
was much sought for. In the summer of '49, when it was a
scourge, I happened one day to dine alongside of him at the
old " Clarendon." I observed that he had a large dish of
cucumbers prepared for himself, of which he was eating inor
dinately. They were an esculent interdicted before all others by
most physicians during the prevalence ofthe cholera. I remarked
to him, that he did not follow his own advice to others in eating
cucumbers. " Oh, I prescribe them for myself, they are good
for me."
The Doctor was not among the most amiable of men, yet he
was socially inclined ; liked to entertain his friends ; fond of a
game of whist ; rather dignified in his deportment ; not a hand
some man, an ungainly figure ; a man much respected in the
community. He was one of our early Mayors.
It was my habit as a boy to visit with his sons, at his house,
built by him on the north-west corner of Pearl and Huron Streets,

336 Recollections of Buffalo. *
(now owned by Mrs. Hamilton, daughter of Elisha Ensign, one
of our old time citizens). Occasionally, when the Doctor was
short of a hand at whist, he took one of us boys as a dernier
resort. We played pretty well ; but if we trumped our partner's
trick, look out for squalls The Doctor kept a generous side
board. It was well supplied with provocatives, refreshments,
wines and liquors. One evening he had a party of eight gentle
men at whist in the drawing room, while we boys were also
playing in the dining room. The wine decanters were full in
anticipation of the demands of the evening, but the Doctor's son.
Will, had been treating us out ofthe sherry decanter. Fearing
difcovery, he had taken the black bottle of pale brandy and filled
up the vacuum in the sherry decanter ; very soon, the party in the
drawing room adjourned for recuperation and we heard the Doctor
talking about some very fine sherry that he had broached that
day. He was fond of discussing the merits of the different
magnums and eighth packages with which his cellar was well
supplied. He remarked to Colonel Ira A. Blossom, Captain Shel
don Thompson, Wm. B. Rochester and the others, as they moved
toward the dining room, " That the sherry of which he wished
their opinion, was free from the common fault of most sherries ;
it was not brandied. In catering to the taste of old drinkers, the
sherry makers were too much in the habit of adding light French
brandies to enhance a zest for it, but he believed that his was free
of that vitiating fault and had the pure Spanish taste."
The gentlemen were all preparing to smack their lips as the
Doctor filled the glasses from the decanter which young Doctor
Will had been doctoring. Imagine our consternation when the
gentlemen were simultaneously attacked with sudden fits of
choking and coughing. " Well, well ! " says Doctor Trowbridge :
" My butler must have broached the wrong cask," (with a severe
look at the boys); never mind, another time we'll discuss the
sherry ; now we'll take something else.
Dr. Trowbridge's boys (he had a number) had large granaries
of wild oats to sow. William, the hero of the brandied sherry
episode, was about the gayest lark of the tribe. He would,

Doctors, M. D. 337
when quite young, squander money freely ; when the pond went
dry he would squander his credit. In the flush times of '36
infants of tender age indulged in fashionable dress, burgundy
and champaign wines and redolent Havanas ; the town had an
abundance of " Restaurants," " Recesses " and " Coffee Houses,"
as they were variously called ; among them were " Laidley's "
and " Perry's," who were most popularly known.
PerryknowingDr. Trowbridge permitted William to accumulate
a considerable ,bill, which " was not provided for,'' when demand
ed of the scion of the house of Trowbridge ; so the enterprising
Perry thought he would present the bill to the Doctor. About
this time the Doctor, to keep a better supervision over the " scape
grace,'' had planted him in his office as a medical student and
embryo Doctor. One day both the Doctor and his son being
present, in stalked Perry ; he walked up to the Doctor and pre
sented his bill. The Doctor read the bill aloud very slowly as if
trying to comprehend it, thus: "Champ!" "champ!!" (pro
nounced shamp,) "pigs' feet and tripe ! " " champ ! " " mince pie
and coffee ; " " champ ! " " oysters, champ," and so on to the end,
total, $163.50; he looked up in a dazed way, "what's this? Mr.
Perry," " its totally incomprehensible to me." " William ! do you
know anything about this ? " William took the bill and read it
off" glibly and rapidly, as if it were all one word thus : " champ
champchamppigsfeettripeoysterschampmincepieandcoffeetotal —
163.50." "Yes sir, I think that's correct, that's my bill with Mr.
Perry, father." " I shan't pay it ! they are not the necessities of
life, and therefore cannot be collected ; and I'll be d — d if I pay
such a scandalous bill ! " The Doctor and his sons have all gone
over to the majority, leaving pleasant memories. The family
filled considerable space here in early days, socially and other
wise. Doctor Ebenezer Johnson, our first Mayor, was a good physi
cian, but much given to the business ofthe city and business pur
suits, he held quite a prominent position in Buffalo affairs.
When the Doctor was Mayor and senior of the Banking
House of Johnson, Hodge & Co., it was his custom to go about

338 Recollections of Buffalo.
town in an old-fashioned yellow bodied gig, with a large and
knowing white horse. He never hitched his horse ; sometimes
in summer the Doctor would remain some hours at the office ;
meantime the horse with the gig would be wandering At liberty
about Main Street, seeking the shadiest spots. The Doctor was
a quite fine-looking man, built on a liberal scale ; florid com
plexion, and high healthy color ; a stranger would be sure to
mark him as a prominent man of the town. We youngsters all
knew and were a little in fear of the great Mayor, with buff
waistcoat and voluminous white choker.
Doctor John E. Marshall was a leading and higly esteemed,
first-class physician and citizen. I cannot recall his particular
characteristics ; to my youthful memory, he was a man of
gentlemanly deportment and dignified bearing, very much
respected and his opinions often sought for by the fraternity ;
reserved and reticent in intercourse. He was the father of the
late Orsamus H. Marshall, and grandfather of Col. John
E. Marshall and Chas. De Angelis Marshall. Doctor
Marshall was the originator of the formula for making a famous
catarrh snuff; in the Doctor's time it was considered very effec
tive in severe cases of that disorder, which seems indigenous to
this region of countr)-.
Among the old school of physicians who were eminent in the
profession were : Doctors Bryant Burwell, father of George N.
Burwell, who has maintained his father's reputation in himself,
Horatio N. Loomis, Josiah Barnes, Chas. C. Haddock, Noah H.
Warner, John W. Clark, H. L. Benjamin, Geo. E. Hayes, Alden
S. Sprague, Gprham F. Pratt, Moses Bristol, Judah Bliss,
James M. Hoyt, H. H. Reynolds, Wm. K. Scott, all men who
had the confidence and respect of the community and were an
honor to their profession. To the above may be added Dr.
Frederick Dellenbaugh and Dr. John D. Hill, who are still in
full practice.
Among the younger practitioners of that early day or in the
thirties, noted for his skill and fine manly qualities was
Dr. Henry R. Stagg. I, a mere boy at that time, can yet recall his
handsome figure, polished manner, courteous address, and the nice

Doci'ORS, M. D. 339
adjustment of his habiliments. He married a daughter of Judge
Samuel Wilkeson, whose home was in the old mansion on
Niagara Square. Drs. James P. White, Charles W. Harvey,
Joseph Wilder, many of our present active generation can attest
to their successful abilities. Dr. Charles Winne, an accomplished
and learned physician, was early sought by many of our best
families who always gave confidence to his skill and professional
knowledge and judgment.
In was said in those days, when Dr. Winne and his wife prom
enaded our walks, that they were the most elegant appearing
couple in Buffalo; and I guess they were, though there were
many handsome men and women here in the thirties.
Dr. Francis C. Brunk acquired an enviable reputation as an
accomplished physician and was much sought for in cholera cases.
Doctor Francis L. Harris, afterwards well known as Quaran
tine Physician for the Port of New York, was a popular man
socially and with fine professional attainments.
There were also. Professors Austin Flint, Sr., and Frank H. Ham
ilton, both of whom subsequently made their residence in the
higher and wider field of New York. Dr. Flint was an ardent
hard worker, professionally and intellectually ; when not practic
ing, and his time would permit, he devoted himself to study and
to writing medical essays, lectures and lecturing. During his
career here he delivered lectures before , our local institu
tions ; in particular the " Young Men's Association," before which
he delivered several, and also a course of anatomical lectures,
illustrated by one ofthe French Academy Manikins.
Doctor Flint was a handsome, intellectual looking man, the
ideal college professor in appearance. Both he and Doctor Ham
ilton became widely known and of national reputation before
their deaths, which have occurred within a few years past. Doc
tor Hamilton was one of the physicians in attendance during the
illness of President Garfield.
There were other notable Physicians who in the thirties were
just entering the profession, or preparing for it. Among them :
Doctors Thomas F Rochester, Sylvester F. Mixer, John Hauen-
stien and George N. Burwell, James B. Samo, Charles H. Wilcox,
Walter Cary, all worthy of being classed with the foregoing.

CHAPTER XIX.
" Y. M. A." — The Buffalo Library.
A few brief memories ofthe early history and struggles of this
favorite institution, now so well known and holding so important
a place among us, seem to demand recognition among these
sketches. It had its birth in the decade of the thirties ; that period in the
life of Buffalo which I am endeavoring to depict for the enter
tainment ofthe present generation.
It was christened by its Godfathers :
The " Young Men's Association!'
That name was and is held dear by its founders and first gen
eration of members, with whom it has been associated for half a
century, and around which linger pleasant recollections of inci
dents and events connected with it.
Its founders were from among the bright, talented young men
then extant among us. Composed of gentlemen ofthe profes
sions, commercial men, merchants, manufacturers, bankers, and
their assistants, who at that early day had but limited resources,
and could not establish the " Association " on but a doubtful
financial basis. They were, however, like all young people in
such undertakings, enthusiastic and earnest in the work and
united in their efforts to make it a final success ; which they have
accomplished, supported and aided by a younger generation
until it has finally come to be looked upon as the pride of Buffalo.
Elsewhere I have written rather enthusiastically of the young
men of Buffalo ofthe decade ofthe thirties. I have particularly
referred to their generally bright professional and business quali
fications ; their exceptionally fine physical appearance ; they were
enterprising, ambitious and public .spirited; these enumerated

Young Men's Association. 341
qualities our young men possessed to a superior degree; this
gave a high tone and character to the town. The leaven and
lever of money had not drifted here in such quantities as to
demoralize and draw the sap of fraternal love out of the charac
ters of men. They had an earnest desire for the cultivation of
their minds, and an equally strong desire that others should
be imbued with the same spirit.
In the winter 1835-6 the young men, recognizing the impor
tance of stimulating mental culture, as the best feature of social
intercourse for the improvement of the minds and morals of the
people of the town, so completely shut off from business with
the outside world as they were during the long winter seasons,
and considering the deteriorating effect of spending so much
time in idle frivolity and dissipation, conceived and talked up the
idea and plan of an organization, and resolved themselves into an
informal committee of the whole, to establish an Association, the
objects of which were the mental improvement and development
of themselves and the still younger youth of the City.
This was a most laudable undertaking, when you reflect that
'our present public school system was not then in operation. There
were no palaces for common schools, nor grand structures to ac
commodate those who had risen above the primary studies ; only
the very plain district schools, which were scantily aided by very
limited State appropriations, each school of which was governed
and taught by the one school-master, who saw fit to adopt this
method of livelihood whether properly adapted to the work or
not, either by temperament or edugation ; and who not unfre-
quently was in a small way, an imperious autocrat, punishing
children, often, for they knew not what ; and the so-called Acad
emies, where the higher branches were taught, for a monied con
sideration. The plan of this Association was to establish a Library, News
paper and periodical Reading Rooms, and a Course of Lectures,
in winter mostly, by volunteers from among our own people, here
and in the vicinity, who selected their own subjects.

342 Recollections of Buffalo.
The custom of having a Winter Course of Lectures had not
then generally come into vogue ; and they were at first desultory
and uncertain. But subsequently it became systematized by the
arrangement of a circuit for syndicates of literary lecturers, by
which all the lyceums and lecture rooms in the country could be
supplied and the best talent in that connection be obtained. Pro
fessors of the Natural Sciences were generally obtained by per
sonal solicitation and negotiation, to deliver a course of a num
ber of lectures upon one subject, to alternate with the literary
course. The first course of lectures here was the conception of our
" Young Men's Association." They were made up from our own
home talent, all volunteers, to cover the entire winter course ;
one, and when there was a Scientific course, two lectu]res per
week. The plan of an Association being matured, the next step was
to establish it by practical and material operations.
My impression is that some desultory conversation had been
held by some of the young men as far back as 1834, among
whom were Thomas T. Sherwood, George E. Hayes, Seth C.
Hawley, Leonard P. Crary, Oliver G. Steele, James P. White,
George B. Walbridge, Walter Joy and others, as to the need of
establishing a Library or institution of this character, but it did
not take practicable shape until some time in December, 1835,
when a few gentlemen were informally invited to meet at the of
fice of Elijah J. Roberts in the " Ellicott Square," corner of South
Division and Main Streets, on an evening following. There were
present on that occasion : Mr. Roberts, George W. Allen, Joseph
W. Brown, Theodore C. Peters, Oriando Allen, William R. Cop-
pock and several others. Mr. Brown was made Chairman of the
meeting, George W. Allen, Secretary, and Orlando Allen, Treas
urer. "The Young Men's Association,'' was then and there
born and christened.
It was decided in that small meeting, that a public meeting of
the young men of Buffalo be called at the Court House at some
future day, as soon as proper preparation could be made, and the

Young Men's Association. 343
Rev. Dr. Shelton be invited to deliver an address upon that
occasion. The meeting was held in February, 1836; and if 1 be correct,
Seth. C. Hawley was made its chairman.
To the agreeable surprise of the gentlemen engaged in engi
neering the movement the Court House was filled with young
men, enthusiastic for such an organization.
At the first election of officers for the "Young Men's Asso
ciation " the following gentlemen were chosen :
Seth C. Flawley,  President.
Charles Winne,  First Vice-President.
S. N. Callender,  Second Vice-President.
George Brown,  Third Vice-President.
Andrew G. C. Cochrane,  Recording Secretary.
John R. Lee,  Treasurer,
Managers.
Wm. H. Lacy. Henry K. Smith.
Henry R. Williams, Oliver G. Steele.
Geo. W. Allen. Geo, E. Hayes.
Chas. H. Raymond. Halsey R. Wing.
Rushmore I'oole. 11, S, Chamberlin.
Rooms were leased of Joseph Dart, in the building number
175 Main Street, (old number), at $350.00 per annum. Arrange
ments were made with Dr. Chas. H. Raymond to act as librarian
at $450.00 per annum, and the association had become
established. It was opened with a very interesting inaugural address, by
its first president, Seth. C. Hawley, on the evening of March
22nd, 1836. From this time matters relating to the institution
went on smoothly during the flush times then existing, until
their culmination the following year, when the " hard times " set
in and an epidemic of poverty became general among the
people, from which the members were not exempt, nor the
association itself True to their manhood, the officers and
members struggled against the several years of depression of its
young life.

344

Recollections of Buffalo.

All sorts of schemes were devised and executed to relieve the
embarrasment of the institution. In 1838 it was reported that
the following gentlemen had contributed the sums set opposite
their names and had been elected life members :
Dr. John W, Clark  S500
Morgan L, Faulkner  loo
Col. Wm. F. P. Taylor  100
Mahlon Kingman  100
Wm. S. Waters  50
John L. Kimberly  50
Capt. Stephen Champlin, U. S. N  50
Chas. I>. Lord  50
Samuel F. Pratt  50
Capt. Simeon Fox  50
Augustus Q. Stebbins  50
Orange H. Dibble  50
John Adams  50
Russell H. Heywood  50
A most timely assistance, which cheered the drooping spirits
of the boys. The efforts continued for the increase in the
number of life memberships, until by the report of February,
1842, they had increased to seventy-one, including the above
named and the following additional life members, a substantial
aid at that time :

John B. Macy.
Sextus Shearer.
Alex, A, Evstaphieve,
Pierre A, Barker,
Thomas Bates.
Robt. Hollister.
John A Newbould.
Jacob A. Barker.
Lfevi Allen
Jacob Seibold.
Edward L. .Stevenson.
Ira A. Blossom.
Millard Fillmore.
Solomon G. Haven.
Nathan K. Hall,
Thaddeus Weed,

Walter Joy,
Isaac R. Harrington.
Wm. Baker.
Oliver G. Steele.
Lucuis H. Pratt.
Geo. B. Gleason.
Augustus C. Stevens.
Theodore C. Peters.
John T. Hudson.
Israel T. Hatch.
Henry S. Seymour.
Orsamus H. Marshall.
Edward Root.
Geo. P. Barker.
Henry Lamb.
William A. Thompson.

Thomas Kip.
Henry Root.
George B. Webster.
Warren Bryant.
Wm. Hollister,' Jr.
Wm. Williams, (Druggist.)
Geo. E. Hayes.
William A. Hart.
Henry G. Macy.
Ira Joy.
Sheldon Thompson.
Thomas R. Stocking.
Peter Curtis.
Seth E. Sill.
Albert PL Tracy,
Eldridge G, Spaulding.

Young Men's Association. 345
Lewis L. Hodges. Bela D. Coe. Wm. A. Mosely.
Chas. E. Young. Curtis L. Brace. James D. Sheppard.
Edwin Thomas. Wm. Galligan. Roswell W. Haskins.
In addition to the above there were 440 annually paying mem
bers, of whom the writer was one. At the time of this writing
only five or six of those seventy one life members are still alive.
Where are the others ?
During this long struggle some twenty ofthe members gave
their promissory notes for one hundred dollars each, which they
subsequently paid, to lift the Association over its difficulties.
Other means were resorted to for replenishing the treasury,
which was often depleted. A summer/^/? and concert was held
at " Hart's Garden." This place, hardly known to the present
generation, was located in the rear of the First Presbyterian
Church on Pearl Street, the dwelling and dancing and concert
hall stood on the site of the rink ; the dwelling was previously
the residence of General Heman B. Potter ; the garden covered
perhaps one-half of the entire block, with trees, shrubbery,
flowers and booths.
A steamboat excursioii by moonlight was given on board the
" Buffalo," of which Captain Levi Allen was owner and Com
mander. It was a delightful event of the time, and in which the
ladies manifested much interest; making it a success. The
Association realized from these two sources five or six hundred
dollars. Reduction and economy in expenses were practiced ; the rent
of the rooms was reduced to two hundred and fifty dollars.
The Librarian, Mr. Phineas Sargent, accepted three hundred
dollars as his annual salary. Other free donations were added to
the first list, to enable the management to maintain its credit.
These donations were mostly thought to be self-sacrificing, in
those pinching, " hard times." Among them were :
Hiram Pratt  $250
William Williams, (druggist)  50
Horace Clark  25
Samuel W. Flawes  25
John Wilkeson  20

346 Recollections of Buffalo.
Joseph Saltar  20
Louis Ix Couteulx  25
Joseph Clary  3°
Harrry Slade  25
Israel T. Hatch  5°
Edwin Thomas  25
Elisha Hayward  25
Rollin Germain  25
Joseph G. Masten  20
Jabez Goodell  25
Henry K. Smith  25
Edward S. Warren  10
William G. Murray  10
James M. Smith  5
James Smith  5
In the annual report of 1839, in recounting the meagre resour
ces ofthe Association, it is somewhat pathetic to note as its first
item : "ist $78.16, chiefly in bills on the Bank of Monroe, Mich.,
estimated to be worth $00.00 "
Thus by persistent effort and careful management the Asso
ciation struggled through the " hard times" of its early days, and
could at last maintain itself from its legitimate resourses. Then
the " Young Men " were enabled to continue their progressive
work, by largely increasing the membership, and improving and
adding to the library.
The lecture course by this time had become a leading feature
of the institution. Its hall had been essentially improved as to
appearance and for promotion of comfort. The Lecture Com
mittee selected speakers with greater care and more regard to
the subjects likely best to satisfy and benefit the people. Thus
inaugurating a system of more zealous efforts to the end of
achieving a full and worthy literary and financial success.
The early lecture courses were mostly made up of local, home
talent ; members of the Association generously volunteering to
Note. — From the annual report of February gth, 1842, under the presidency of
Warren Bryant, I quote: " Froin February Ist, 1841, to February 1st, 1842, ten
thousand four hundred volumes were drawn from the library, (a large number for
that period), being an increase of four thousand overthe number drawn last year."
" Of the books issued, 40 per cent, were works of the imagination, thirty per cent.
history, biography, travels and voyages, twenty per cent, standard literature, includ
ing periodicals, and ten per cent, science."

Young Men's Association. 347 ,
lecture ; and when they did, surprising our citizens by showing
what a wealth of talent and brilliant thought had been dormant
among our young men, for want of an incentive to draw them
out. Among the young gentlemen who lectured before the Associ
ation in its early days, and their subjects ; Y'ere :
William H. Greene, on " Political Education."
Austin Flint, M. D., " Discovery of Truth," and also, on " The Phrenological
Philosophy — as connected with Materialism, Fatalism and the Personality
of Mind."
George W. Clinton, on " Incentives to the Study of Natural History."
Commencement of a New Course.
Henry K. Viele, Introductory.
Jesse Walker, " Legal Ethics.'
Reverend Eli Smith, " Mount Lebanon."
J. H. Lathrop, ." Commercial Revulsions."
Charles H. Raymond, M. D., " Opium."
Henry P. Townsend, " Lord Byron."
The next year and following winter course was quite fruitful
of home talent. Our people were pleased and gratified over the
discovery of the mine of wealth which these " Association Lec
tures " had developed amongst us, showing a degree and amount
of intelligence and intellectual culture existing with us not
thought of by the general public, which was then being brought
to the front through the enterprise and zeal of the members, and
popularly utilized.
The following list of lectures covers only the year from Feb
ruary 17th, 1 841 :
William H. Greene, " The Prose of Milton."
Francis S. EUis, "Political Economy."
Henry K. Smith, "War between England and the United States."
William L. G. Smith, " Human Character."
George W. Clinton, " Capital Punishment."
William Ladd, " A Congress of Nations."
Austin Flint, M. D., " Human Progress."
Samuel Wilkeson, Jr., "Woman's Rights."
Asher P. Nichols, " Toleration — Social," " Political and Religious,"

348 Recollections of Buffalo.
Francis S. Ellis, " Morals of Speculation,"
William H. Hecox, (Subject Not Given.
Dr. William K. Scott, "
Albert Brisbane, " Association."
Charles D. Norton, " The Age and its Claims."
Joseph G. Masten, " The History of the Bankrupt Law,"
Edmund B. Vedder, " The Social Divisions Existing Between Different Classes
of Society.'' Reverend George W. Hosmer, " Sir Francis Bacon."
James McKay, " The men in woolen jupes seen about the baths of Mount D'Or.''
Elias S. Hawley, " The Classification of the Sciences."
On December first, the Winter Course was opened with an in
troductory address by
Warren Bryant, President of the Association.
Theodotus Burwell, " Policy of Sumptuary Laws."
Samuel Wilkeson, Jr., " Divorce.''
Jesse Walker, " Trial by Jury."
Asher P. Nichols, " The Past, Present and the Future."
Samuel Caldwell, "The Character ofthe Times."
James O. Putnam, " Individuality of Character."
Abram M. Gardiner, "Our Social System; its freedom and its restraints."
During the two succeeding seasons I find recorded the follow
ing gentlemen as having lectured before the Association :
Rev. James N. Granger, " Theology, its History as a Science.''
Dr. Thomas M. Foote, " Civilization."
Isaiah T. Williams, " Character of Tecumseh."
Henry White, " The Legal Rights of Married Women."
Horace Greely, " Tbe Formation of Character."
R. W. Hawkins, " Origin of Natural and Judicial Astrology."
George L. LeRow, " Elocution and Shakespeare."
Charles D. Ferris, " Conquest of Mexico."
Hon. Frederick Whittlesey, " Life Insurance."
Ellicott Evans, " Ancient and Modern Civilization."
William Treat, M. D,, " Natural History."
Thomas J. Sizer, " Literature and the Fine Arts, their prospect in this country.''
E. Carlton Sprague, " The Poetry of Wm. Wordsworth."
There were other well known citizens, young men, who lectured
from time to time, but I do not find their names mentioned in the
annual reports of which I happen to be possessed.
,, It was a considerable of an undertaking on the part of the Lec
ture Committee to procure the consent of gentlemen who would

Young Men's Association. 349
lecture, and obtain the titles of their subjects in advance, so as to
advertise the whole list of a season. Sometimes funny things
would occur at the interviews, for the delectation of the Com
mittee :
A deputation once called upon the late Colonel Peter A. Por
ter of Niagara FaUs, then really a Buffalonian. The interview
was had in presence of Mr. Porter's sister, Elizabeth. After his
consent to lecture had been obtained the usual question was
asked, if he could and would name the date and the title of the
subject upon which he would lecture ? Mr. Porter laughingly
replied, turning with an arch look to his sister, sitting near. " I
hardly know now, but what do you say to " The Age of Eliza
beth ! " This reminds me of an incident, with which Miss Por
ter was connected, said to have occurred at a Pension in Florence,
Italy ; which is not entirely relative to the subject matter here,
but which I deem too good to be forgotten. At the time. Miss
Porter, with her companion, Miss Mary Norton, were guests at
this Pension. They were in the parlor, where were gathered a
bevy of English ladies with themselves. The subject of conver
sation was of Niagara Falls ; one ofthe English ladies said : " Miss
Porter, you are an American and must know something of Niagara
Falls ? " To which Miss Porter replied, " Oh, yes ! indeed, I own
them ! " Which was literally a fact, as she was one of General
Peter B. Porter's heirs ; and they owned at the time both sides
of Niagara River of the American branch of the Falls, all of Goat
Island and the half of the Horse-Shoe Falls to the British boun
dary. When Col. James McKay announced the subject of his lec
ture as : "The men in woolen jupes seen about the baths of
Mount D'Or," it caused considerable comment as to its meaning,
people thought it eccentric, typical of Colonel McKay's character,
but the majority ofthe people were not as familiar with France
and the French Revolution as he. The Colonel lived the last
years of his long life in Paris, asmore congenial to his tastes. He
will be remembered as builder and owner of the Castle on " Pros
pect Hill," where he at one time resided, and subsequently sold

35© Recollections of Buffalo.
to the Government for a barracks and " Fort Porter." The Castle
has been since occupied by the Commanding Officer ofthe troops
stationed there ; but it has been changed from its former castel
lated appearance. Col. McKay was the father of Steele Mackaye
of dramatic celebrity.
The whole and a minute history ofthe " Young Men's Associ
ation," or " Buffalo Library " should soon be written for our local
archives, and before its first generation of members have entirely
passed away. Its first half century history, will be of interest to
its future generations of members.
I think there is no one now so competent and familiar with the
subject as our present Superintendent of the Library, Joseph
N. Earned.

CHAPTER XX.
Log Cabin Campaign, 1840.
To close up the decade of the thirties, we had the political
campaign of the Presidential election of 1840. The then Presi
dent, Martin Van Buren, the partisan and political successor of
Andrew Jackson, was the Democratic candidate nominated for
re-election. He was opposed by General William Henry Harri
son, the Whig nominee.
It was generally admitted to be what was called very " hard
times" amongst all classes of people ; in marked contrast to the
reckless flush times of '36. We had recently passed through the
wild speculations in real estate, which culminated in a prolonged
crash in 1836-37. (Van Buren 's first year). The borrowed
values of property of that time, which were fabulous, rampant
and absurd, had collapsed ; prices receded fearfully ; indeed real
estate had no substantial current or cash values. It had sunk
down stagnant; the residuum was widespread ruin and bank
rupt estates ; merchants and manufacturers failed in scores. All
banks of this or other States were more than doubted ; all con
fidence in them and in personal credit was lost. The auctioneer's
hammer was heard from door to door. All building enterprises
had ceased ; laborers, mechanics, and other citizens were idle,
daily becoming poorer.
The country had not developed ; it was new ; we had not
begun to export grain, butter, cheese, or other farm products.
Until the re-action came, the balance of the foreign trade was
against us ; the country was being drained of bullion. The bank
ing system, or rather systems, were all on an unsound basis. The
circulating notes of the bank were at a fearful discount every
where but in their own immediate place of issue. This was dis
tinctively so as between the west and the east, partly due to slow

352 Recollections of Buffalo.
communication, the ignorance of the ability of these institutions
to meet their obligations and promises to pay, added to the
wide spread financial depression, in many instances often as high
as ten per cent. A notable instance occurs to my mind. One
of the most thoroughly equipped and soundest banks in Ohio,
the " Clinton Bank of Columbus." A no better managed bank,
nor none doing a more profitable business ; in the heart of an agri
cultural State, controlled by men ofthe highest reputation for honor
and ability ; the record of its history will compare favorably with
any institution of the kind. The cashier, who held that office
from the commencement of its charter until its close, told me that
the bank never failed to made its semi-annual dividend of five
per cent, during its charter ; and when the bank went into liqui
dation paid its stockholders about two dollars for one of its
stock. Certainly a handsome record ; and yet the bills of this
bank sold for a number of months at a discount of nine and ten
per cent. ; for what ? For New York State bank bills, or those of
the Buffalo Banks, every one of which failed ! But what a surgical
operation upon the hard-earned wages ofthe workmen of that day!
The building of railroads was in its incipiency ; there were no
public works. The policy of the general government was
opposed to " internal improvements " or erecting " outward
fortifications." Private enterprise had no encouragement ; hence,
" what were men to do ? " was the question of the hour.
Mechanics, laborers, farmers, were paid for their work and
products; in trade or swapping, in depreciated currency, or shin
plasters, as they were called, i. e., printed promises to pay for
smaU amounts, I. O. U. indebtedness. All this was fearful at
the ruling rates for wages. Luckily, or as a consequence of the
existing condition of the country and its business, the compe
tition in prices in trade, the low rates of labor and reduced cost
of raw materials, had brought about a very low range of prices
for the commodities and necessaries of life, which enabled
the people in general to live, if economical, without absolute
beggary ; indeed, the people were all poor alike, dependent upon
each other ; the rich were poor, and the poor poorer.

Log Cabin Campaign, 1840. 353
It may be interesting to the general reader for me to quote
some of the prices of the period : Flour, $4 per bbl. ; Pork, $8
per bbl. ; Beef, 3 to 6 cents per Bb. ; a fore-quarter of Lamb, 18 to
20 cents each; hind-quarters of the same, 30 to 35 cents;
Hams and Shoulders, 5 to 7 cents per Bb. ; Fish, i to 4 cents per
ft). ; Sturgeon, (Albany Beef) one cent per ft)., the fish I
bought as a small boy at that time, at one cent per pound, mainly
to get its nose for cores for our balls, to make them bound, to
play the present National Game; the fishmonger of whom I
inquired the price of the same species in the Washington market
yesterday, told me 12 cents, (a wide difference); Potatoes, 15 to
20 cents per bushel, commonly 62^ cents per bbl. ; Butter, 6 to
10 cents per pound ; Eggs, 5 to 8 cents per dozen ; Poultry, 6 to
10 cents per pound ; Dressed Ducks, 50 cents per pair ; a good fat
goose, 25 or 30 cents. If you were a regular customer or a very
poor person, your butcher would give you beef shanks (soup
bones), ox-tails, beef, or calves' livers, sweet-breads, hearts,
sheeps-heads, kidneys or tripe, some of which items are now
sold at fancy prices, and the market forestalled by hucksters, so
that families in cases of sickness cannot obtain them.
Bricks, $2.75 and $3.00 per thousand ; Lumber, common hem
lock to good, pine, $4.00 to $8.00 per thousand feet.
Ordinary day laborers' pay was five shillings (sixty two and
one-half cents) per day ; masons, brick-layers, carpenters, seventy-
five cents to one dollar per day ; skilled workmen, one dollar and
twenty-five cents. Other occupations were paid at corresponding
rates. When constantly employed under contract, the workmen
were to receive in many cases only half cash, the remainder in
trade — store pay, i. e. : in orders on the employers or other stores
for such goods as they needed. A merchant's clerk who might
be a good salesman, active and industrious, was thankful for one
hundred and fifty or two hundred dollars salary per year. If he,
was well known as a good salesman, with a line of patron
age which he could draw round himself, could keep his employ
er's books and be generally useful, he might perhaps command
five hundred dollars per year, but such young men were not the

354 Recollections of Buffalo.
men machines of to-day, that superintend perhaps twenty feet of
counter, from eight o'clock, A. M., to six o'clock, P. M. and con
fined to one class of goods, as silks, cotton goods, linens or la
ces, but the expert clerk was expected to be here, there and ev
erywhere, know the markets, styles, modes, fashions and values,
and be known to all the ladies as Mr. Dana or Mr. Nichols, or to
all the farmers and their wives as Mr. Warner or Mr. Barnes, such
a nice fellow to trade with ! He always had the books written up,
he " ragged out " on the outer wall and the windows, between six
and seven A. M., while his junior swept the store, made the fires
and trimmed the oil lamp.s, and hoed up the mud in the streets
on Fridays. They usually got through their work about ten or
eleven o'clock P. M., in busy seasons, and had no holidays ; those
were the best days for trade. Staple domestic dry goods cost
more then than now ; the same with sugar and China teas, (coffee
"was cheaper ; ) but competition was so strong, owing to a mania
to make sales, that the measure of profits to the merchant was
very much restricted. On the other hand, foreign goods were
much cheaper than now — domestic cotton goods called " sheet
ings," weighing three yards to the pound ; unbleached, thirty-six
inches in width, made in Lowell, Mass., was sold at 14 to 16 cts.;
" Shirtings," lighter weight, 28 inches wide, 8 to 12 cts. per yard.
Calicos, of which the " Merrimac '' and " Dover " were the choice
prints of that day, were then quoted at 14 cts. for " Dover," and
16 cts. for "Merrimac." Similar goods to-day are worth about
5 to 7 cents per yard. A kind of goods were manufactured at
that time for men's clothing, adapted for and called " Hard Times,"
a mixed cloth of black and white or grey and black, spun and
woven of coarse, loose thread, presenting the appearance of heavy
wool mixtures, which was really nothing but a sort of cotton
shoddy, and sold for twenty-five cents per yard.
The men or women desirous of getting drunk could do so
cheaply. New England rum, or rectified high wines (whisky,)
could be bought at twenty-five to thirty cents per gallon or three
cents per glass at any bar; the best of Havana cigars were only
three cents each. The average beau or dude was not compelled

Log Cabin Campaign, 1840. 355
to indulge in odoriferous barbarous cigarettes, when visiting his
lady friends, for want of a pure Havana. The cigarette was not
then known except only as a tradition of, or through a traveler
from Spain.
Economy seemed to be the end and aim of life. All kinds of
mechanical and mercantile industries were struggling for busi
ness. A change of some sort was looked for and hoped for. A
change of Administration in the hope that new men and new
measures would strengthen confidence, create activity, and stim
ulate business. Men's time was not wholly occupied in their
usual pursuits ; this new political canvass and its hoped for re
sults, was to be the pabulum which was to gratify their desires
and lift them out of their business rut, the panacea for all finan
cial ills.
Soon after the nominations were complete, the excitement of
the political contest began to assume wide-spread proportions.
Harrison was an ideal, typical American ; a fortunate nomination
for the Whigs, as he combined for himself the leading requisites
for a successful candidate. He was a Western man, living
plainly the life of a farmer, in a log cabin at North Bend, Ohio,
on the Ohio River, near the line of the State of Indiana. His
father, Benjamin Harrison, was one of the signers of the Declara
tion of Independence, a guaranty of his native patriotism ; he was
a Virginian by birth ; he had been an Ensign at the age of nine
teen, employed in the army under St. Clair, and afterwards under
" Mad Anthony," (General Wayne), in the North-west against
the Indians. He had been Governor of the Territory of Indiana,
embracing the present States of Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and
Michigan. In 18 12 he was made Major-General and placed in
command of the North-western frontier, then almost entirely in
possession ofthe Indians.
He was called the " Hero of Tippecanoe." He had been sol
dier, statesman, and diplomatist ; never a scheming politician, but
more like Cincinnatus, taken from the plough in the emergency
of the State, to attend to its affairs. With such a record, no
wonder his nomination at once became immensely popular. On

356 Recollections of Buffalo.
the other hand, the incumbent, Martin Van Buren, having been
installed in office during the financial crisis of '36-'37 ; his admin
istration during the several years that followed, when the
country was suffering a great depression of its business affairs, and
could discover no outlook for improvement, without some radical
change, it was but the natural sequence to attribute the condition
ofthe country to the faults and policy ofthe Administration.
Van Buren was considered the embodiment of a crafty and
cunning politician ; he had succeeded that leonine " Old Hickory."
That " By the Eternal," too positive, but honest old despot,
Jackson, who had crushed the United States Bank ; had removed
the deposits and established " Sub-treasuries," that, of course, it
was thought, must have been the origin ofthe financial disturb
ance, continued by his late Vice-President and successor. Van
Buren, and it was evident their governing policy must be stopped.
Van Buren was called the Fox, and pictured in the cartoons of
the day as a sharp-eyed, side-whiskered old fox, nor was he
noted for any special virtue or statesmanlike accomplishment.
In later years he was called " The Sage of Kinderhook." The
country was ripe and destined for a political re-organization.
The campaign began early to be in earnest, as the approaching
election came nearer, the parties became excited, the Whigs more
and more enthusiastic. The supposed Whig minority instituted
grand proselyting schemes. Patriotic lives of Harrison and cam
paign documents were widely circulated. Mass meetings, poli
tical processions and pilgrimages then first came into general
adoption as features of a Presidential canvass. The sneers upon
Harrison, that he lived in a log cabin on the Ohio River, on corn
dodger and hard cider, were seized upon as electioneering watch
words. " Log cabin and hard cider " was all the rage ; campaign
and patriotic songs were composed and sung everywhere; If all
the songs composed for this campaign were collected they would
fill quite a sizable volume, with literary merit, humorous, witty,
satirical and musical rhythm. Quartette, quintette and other
Glee Clubs were numerous. Nor did they confine themselves to
halls, saloons, club house, or private gatherings, but on every and

Log Cabin Campaign, 1840. 357
all occasions. Glees and songs were sung. A knot of four or
five or more gentlemen gathering together on the public streets
or in public places would be sure to bring out :
"WHAT HAS CAUSED THIS GREAT COMMOTION?"
Tune ¦ — " Little Pig's Tail."
" What has caused this great commotion,'' motion, motion ?
Our country through,
It is the ball a rolling on
Chorus.
For Tippecanoe and Tylet to-o ;
And with them we'll beat little Van,'
Van, Van ; is a used up man.
And with them we'll beat little Van !
Like the rushing of mighty waters, waters, waters !
Pn it will go.
And in its course will clear the way.
For Tippecanoe, etc.
Let them tell about hard cider, cider, cider,
A nd log cabins too,
'Twill only help to speed the ball.
For Tippecanoe, etc.
The latch string hangs outside the door, door, door,
And is never pulled through.
For it never was the custom of
Old Tippecanoe, etc.
Oh, have you heard the news from Maine, Maine, Maine,
The Locos look so blue.
Two hundred for Kent, six thousand gain,
For Tippecanoe, etc.
The Buckeye State has thundered loud, loud, loud,
Chapman cannot crow,
Tom Corwin's eighteen thousand crowd
For Tippecanoe, etc.
Just listen to the Southern news, news, news,
Georgia fires her gun !
The people have turned the screws.
For Tippecanoe, etc.

358 Recollections of Buffalo.
Little Matty's days are number'd, number'd, number'd.
Out he must go.
And in the chair we'll place the good
Old Tippecanoe, etc.
Who'll we have for our next Governor, Governor, Governor,
We'll have Bill Seward, for he's a team,
And with him we'll beat
Marcy, Marcy, Marcy.
The beautiful girls, God bless their souls, souls, souls.
All the country through,
Will all to a man do what they can.
Chorus.
For Tippecanoe and Tyler too — Tippecanoe and Tyler too.
And with them we'll beat little Van, Van, Van,
Van is a used up man.
And with them we'll beat little Van !
At that time, 1 840, the State Elections weire held in October,
a month previous to the Presidential Election, which accounts for
the allusions to the news from Maine, Ohio and Kentucky, &c.,
in the campaign song. Many of these stanzas were improvised
by the vocalists, as the occasion might suggest and so there was
no end to them.
Considerable vocal talent was thus brought out in this musical
enthusiasm. I recall one Glee Club composed of well known
citizens, gentlemen mostly belonging to the Voluntary Choir of
the Unitarian Church. Among them were Judge Geo. W.
Houghton, Wm. Fiske, Thomas B. Chase, C. F. S. Thomas, Geo.
W. Vining, John Harrison, Everett L. Baker and others, who would
often start the ball a rolling on " For Tippecanoe and Tyler too,"
gathering a large crowd of chorus volunteers about them
Log cabins were built in prominent places in towns and cities
all over the land as places of resort for the gathering ofthe Whig
electors. These cabins were decorated within and without with
all sorts of modern antiquities characteristic of the American
Farmer. A barrel of hard cider was usually on tap ; keep-sakes, tokens
and ornaments in the form of log cabins and other devices were

Log Cabin Campaign, 1840. 359
worn. I have to-day a horn seal ring with a log cabin engraved
upon it. Harrison badges with portraits, were commonly worn,
as were red, white and blue cockades in 1861.
As the election drew nearer monster gatherings were called at
various places, to which came large numbers of enthusiastic
people, " Fort Meigs, " " Erie " and other places. One here in
Buffalo on the anniversary of the battle of the Thames, success
fully fought under Harrison, October 5th, 181 3, on which occa
sion there was an immense procession ; wagons filled with young
women from the surrounding towns, all dressed in white with
plenty of red and blue ribbons ; log cabins of all sorts and sizes,
on wheels, brought from the country round about ; cider mills on
wheels making cider ; all sorts of mechanical and farming imple
ments and devices, with all the people singing : " Red, white and
blue," and " What has caused this great commotion, our
country thro', it is the ball a rolling on for Tippecanoe and
Tyler too."
At some of these gatherings the Military Companies joined in
and had mock battles with mock Indians.
One remarkable feature of this election campaign : It was an
amicable, good-natured fight for the ascendency ; both sides,
Whigs and Locofocos* were strongly desirous of success of course,
yet there was no quarreling, exasperating fighting partisans or
drunken mobs ; the campaign was one of citizens at play, in
rollicking good nature, imbibing cider only as a beverage, with
doughnuts and pumpkin pie for nourishment — all poor you
know !
At Erie, Pa., on the anniversary of Perry's victory on Lake
Erie, September loth, there was a double mass meeting, Whigs
and Democrats, separated of course on either side of the town,
entirely amicable with each- other. With the Whig delegation
from Buffalo were a portion of our City Guards, " Company D,"
commanded by Otis Vaughn and Lieutenant Thomas C. Welch,
and Col. John J. Fays, Battery of Artillery, in tents on the field
* Locofoco or scratch matches first came into use about that time, the name was
applied to the Democrats because they were quick to fire up in political argument.

360 Recollections of Buffalo.
of meeting. The writer, a boy volunteer, Quarter-Master, occu
pied with others one of these tents. Directly in front of it stood
a brass field piece, a nine pounder, which made him bound at
sunrise, when fired by Corporal Daniel D. Bidwell. On the
Democratic field one of the days of meeting were observed
•among the notables, James Buchanan, accompanied by Dyre
Tilinghast and Henry K. Smith, of Buffalo.
Both assemblages on those fields, on that beautiful day, loth
September, 1840, presented the appearance of two great armies
in holiday attire, under a suspension of hostilities.
Our Buffalo log cabin was constructed and stood on the lot at
the north-east corner of Main and Eagle Streets. Pictures of it
may be seen at the Historical Society rooms.
The Presidential Election at that time was a three days' fight.
Old Captain Gager's miniature ship, rigged and manned by
sailors, traversed the streets those three days, on wheels, carrying
a gun which belched its noise at intervals, and picking up voters
to take to the general polling place, the " Old Court House."
(Where stands the Buffalo Library). The Captain's ship stood
an old hulk for many a day in the rear of his side yard, at his
residence on Pearl Street; but since his death, like its owner, has
gone to decay.
At the close of the election enthusiasm was very buoyant ; no
one doubted the final result ; everybody was joyful, except the
discomfited office holders who all indorsed their party leaders'
creed, that " to the victors belong the spoils ! " and the dis
gruntled Democratic politicians' cause was lost.
Business prospects at once began to brighten ; a happy busi
ness future seemed in store for all. On the grounds of our log
cabin lot, reaching from Main to Washington Streets, a huge
balloon building was built, to hold an inaugural log cabin ball
on the 4th of March, '41. The floor was painted, I think, with
twenty-six circles, with the names of all the states of the Union,
forming that number of figures for the cotillions. The ball was
a complete success.

Log Cabin Campaign, 1840. 361
President Harrison was on that day inaugurated for a Whig
dynasty, with a hopeful future. He had selected a cabinet of
eminent statesmen, of well-known high character, for good judg
ment and honorable record. But alas for all human calculations I
In one short month President Harrison sickened and died on
the 4th of April following his inauguration, and the hopes ofthe
party and the business world were blasted.
A fitting requiem was written at the time by the late Mrs.
Ann S. Stephens as follows :
" Death sitteth in the Capitol ! His sable wing
Hung its black shadow o'er a country's hope.
And lo ! a nation bendeth down in tears.
A few short weeks and all was jubilee, —
The air was musical with happy sounds, —
The future full of promise — ^joyous smiles,
Beam'd on each freeman's face and lighted up
The gentle eyes of beauty.
The Hero came — a noble, good old man —
Strong in the wealth of his high purposes ;
Age sat upon him with gentle grace.
Giving unto his manhood -dignity.
Imbuing it with pure and lofty thoughts.
As pictures owe their mellow hues to time.
He stood before the people, Their's had been
The vigor of his yonth, his manhood's strength.
And now his green old age was yielded up
To answer their behest.
Thousaads had gathered round that marble dome
Silent and motionless in their deep reverence.
Save when there gushed the heaving throb
And low tumultuous breath of patriot hearts,
Surcharged with grateful joy. The mighty dead
Bent gently o'er him with their spirit wings.
As solemnly he took the earthly state
Which flung its purple o'er his path to Heaven ;
The oath was said, and then one mighty pulse
Seem'd throbbing through the multitude, —
Faces were lifted upward and a prayer
Of deep thanksgiving wing'd that vow to Heaven,
In Heaven the hero answered it.
Time slept on flowers and lent his glass to Hope —
6ne little month his golden sands had sped

362 Recollections of Buffalo.
When, mingling with the music of our joy,
Arose and swell'd a low funereal strain.
So sad and mournful, that a Nation heard
And trembled as she wept.
Darkness is o'er the land.
For lo ! a death flag streams upon the breeze, —
The Hero hath departed !
Nay let us weep; our grief hath need of tears —
Tears should embalm the dead; and there is one,
A gentle woman with her clinging love,
Who wrung her heart that she might give him up
To his high destiny. Tears are for her, —
She lingers yet among her household gods
And knoweth not how low her heart is laid.
From battle field where strife was fiercely waged.
And human blood drops fell a crimson rain.
He had returned to her. God help thee, lady.
Look not for him now !
Thron'd in a nation's love he sunk to sleep,
And so awoke in Heaven."
New York, April 5, 1841.

CHAPTER XXI.
Theatres.
In the early days of Buffalo we were content to worship
Thespis in an unassuming structure located on the east side of
the main avenue, below Lafayette square, where stands the
monument to our dead warriors, on the ground now occupied by
Brisbane's Arcade Buildings. The lessees and managers were
Messrs. Gilbert & Trowbridge. Trowbridge was a fair actor,
what was called a general utility man. His wife, a pretty,
vivacious woman, bright, spirited, versatile actress, and a most
" useful lady " for the management, ambitious to complete all the
work set down for her " on the bills." It was said that on one
occasion, when the company had decided, at the close of the
season to make a " tour of the provinces," she acted a leading
part here in Buffalo on a Saturday evening and again in Batavia,
on the Monday evening following ; in the meantime, between the
two dramatic presentations, she rode in the stage coach (no
railways then) forty miles, and also presented her lord with
an 'heir.
About the time Buffalo was born a city, in 1832, or in 1833,
Messrs. Dean & McKinney established a theatre, using the two
upper stories of a store on Seneca Street, where Messrs.
Laverack & Co. recently had their chequered store. Dean was
th_p father of Julia Dean, who, after she had gained celebrity as
an actress of matchless ability, married one of the South Caro
lina Haynes. She was known after, on the stage, as Julia Dean
Hayne. Her commanding figure, dignified deportment, hand
some, fine face and features would alone have attracted an
audience. She stood in the front rank as an actress, excelling
her contemporaries, who had already achieved fame. Her
father, a good actor himself, with a loving admiration of her and

364 Recollections of Buffalo.
her talents, most faithfully educated, watched over and
coached her for the stage. A man of character and dignity.
He seemed to feel it glory enough to be the father of such a
daughter. She was equally good in tragedy, melo-drama, or comedy.
With a wide range of characters, her penchant seemed to be for
high-toned and classic plays, she shunned the blatant, vulgar
work. I pleasurably recall her personation oi Julia in the
" Hunchback," her own father as Master Walter ; Jamison as
Clifford; Helen Matthews as Helen; Master Burke ^s Cousin
Modus ; a glorious quintette. I would like to witness it with
the .same cast, in rny frosty days, as I did in my son-ey ones.
Constance, in the " Love Chase," was also a favorite part of hers,
and mine.
Dean & McKinney were favorites with the townspeople ; they
were enterprising, industrious workers in their profession and as
managers. That little provincial up-stairs theatre in Buffalo was
a cradle and school for the growth of worthy actors and
actresses. A number of its pupils and graduates became leading
actors and stars in the dramatic firmament, who there made their
debut. I remember the boys were for a long time in a high state of
excitement, waiting for the grand spectacular play of " Cherry
and Fair Star," whic:h had been long " in rehearsal," gotten up
for a run during the Christmas holidays, in which the youthful
wife of Manager Edwin Dean and sprightly Mrs. Trowbridge
took the leading parts. The play was announced with all the
usual parade — of clap-trap advertisements of the day : " Pro
duced at Enormous Outlay of Money ; " " Gorgeous Scenery ; "
" Expensive Properties ; " " With the Entire Strength of the
Company ; " " Numerous Supernumeraries," and " Most Attract
ive Corps de Ballet!' The auditorium would seat about one
hundred and fifty people. It was considered a financial success.
Dave McKinney considered himself to be a tragedian star of
large magnitude. He was stage * manager, but most in his
natural element when the opportunity offered for his " renowned

Theatres. 365
representation of his great character of Richard III!' in which
he always brought down the house in his last and dying scene
with a grand prolonged, intricate, and " thrilling combat," with
short, heavy steel jack-swords, emitting numerous sparks of fire,
as the combatants rained their savage blows on each other,
Richard against Richmond the Sixth, he having slain five pre
viously. After his great fatigue, finishing up the business — " on
the small bills of the night" — in the character of Looney
McTwolter, in the "Wags of Windsor," or William, in "Black-
Eyed Susan," introducing the roaring ballad of " The Bay of
Biscay O." McKinney was everybody's friend but his own,
being too much given to social indulgencies ; he was fertile of
resource ; when his stock of stage attractions was meagre, he
contrived to " fill the bills " himself from his own repertory.
At this little theatre the Yankee comedian, whose great
character was Sam. Patch, Dan Marble and his brother-in-law —
that fine actor and genial gentleman, the honorably retired Wm.
Warren, who was so well known to Bostonians — commenced
their careers.
The towering ambition of both Dean and McKinney was for a
grand new theatre, in which desire they were gratified.
In 1835, over fifty years since, a somewhat ecentric gentleman,
a citizen of Batavia, Albert Brisbane, who owned an eligible site
for a theatre in Buffalo, built for them the old " Eagle Street
Theatre," and completed it with all the then " modern improve
ments " of the time, in transition scenery, machinery, properties,
traps and snaps, blind or secret doors, intricacies and mysteries
used by conjurors, with an abundance of new scenery, painted by
that scenic master, Isherwood, who was not only a first-class
scene painter, but an excellent actor. His Mephistopheles, in the
startling play of" Dr. Faustus," was a prime portrait ofthe devil.
The theatre was , built in the style of the leading theatres of
Europe as best adapted for the purpose — the auditorium a semi
circle, with four tiers of boxes and gallery; the tiers one directly
over the other, the last, or upper tier, reserved for the so-called
" gallery gods," as was also the third tier for the soiled doves, or

EAGLE STREET THEATRE, BUILT 1835.

Theatres. 367
the demimonde. The first and second tiers were then, as now
called respectively, the dress and family circles, while the
enclosure in front of and sunk below the stage was called the pit,
exclusively occupied by males. (" No women need apply ") ;
mostly sailors, soldiers, decayed roues, and impecunious wor
shipers of the drama and ballet. Sometimes a poor gentleman
would find his way into the dark corners of the pit, with slouched
hat and turned-up coat collar, to hide his identity. On the
occasion of a rare display of the ballet, or the visit of a noted mis
tress of the terpsichorean art, like Madame" Augusta;" "Celeste,"
the " Divine Fanny " Ellsler, or in particular Madame Vestris
(last wife of Charles Matthews the younger), when a raid would
be made by the swells, old stagers, peeping Toms and students
of nature — as applied to anatomy — that would fill, by special
favor, the managers' and critics' boxes, and crowd the " pit.''
On each side of the orchestra, in the pit, were two open but pri
vate boxes, set apart by the management, one called the managers'
and their friends' box, the other the critics' box. The latter box
was supposed to be designed for the use of editors, sub-editors,
(inquisitive reporters were then unknown), and the favored
dilettante. The young bloods and swells of the town liked very
much to be seen in those boxes, to be known as dramatic critics,
on familiar terms with the actors and actresses. The second tier
of boxes was divided into sections ; on either side were three pri
vate boxes separated by close partitions, with heavy curtains
hung in front for privacy of their occupants. The boxes were
generally bought or chartered for the entire season by the
nabobs, exclusives, or the young bloods about town, at from
^100 to ^^150 for the season, except on "benefit nights," when
charter parties had to pay their fare with the general public. We
patrons of the theatre used to make up a club of six or eight
young chaps, take one of these boxes for the season, and swell
in and out of them past the ticket-taker with our season pass,
not deigning to exhibit the pass, or looking at the ticket-taker,
and were big with dramatic criticism and the current language of
the stage, on the plays and actors ; talking it loud in the lobbies.

368 Recollections of Buffalo.
(As an aspiring volunteer on the staff of a Western General said
to me, sub rosa, once at a croquet party, " I say, caU me general !
and caU me loud !"), as this one " rants too much," that one
" over dresses his part," the other one " is not up in his lines."
These young swells scorned the waiting for the afterpiece, or
farce, as vulgar; only the thing for "hay-seeders" or common
people to do. They were too blase to laugh at the fun.*
On each side ofthe proscenium were three stage boxes, one
above the other. The stage was large and roomy and weU
appointed. Not long after the theatre was built, came the
original Ravel troupe, a large family, including Gabriel, Jerome,
Antoine, M. and Madame Chequine, and others, a most perfect
and inimitable troupe of acrobats, tumblers, contortionists,
dancers, and pantomimists, brim full of fun and frolic and gro
tesque metamorphoses. Gabriel, the leader, was heard to say
that Monsieur Brisbane's theatre was the best arranged and fitted
for his business of any theatre that he was ever in.
The green baize drop-curtain was there, of course. The mod
ern change to fancy, though beautiful, drops, has lessened a charm
of expectation to old frequenters of theatres. There was also the
painted drop, for use between the acts, one of Isherwood's best
efforts; I can recall it now, though burned forty years since! the
tiers of seats were divided off" in open boxes, the whole inclosed
with doors, numbered, opening out into roomy lobbies, where the
occupants of the boxes could, and did, promenade between the
acts or plays, exchanging courtesies, chaffing or commenting on
the play. The thirsty could slake their thirst, or lunch, by visit
ing the saloon within the theatre, taking their " mug of ale," " hot
Scotch," or "julep."
The facade of the boxes were finished in panels, each of which
had a medallion portrait painted on it, of poets or dramatists, as
Shakespeare, Byron, Dante, etc. The writer was so fond of the
atres that he would steal into the pit during rehearsals, which was

* A season then was during the period of navigation on the lakes and canal, from
about the first of May, when the ice had disappeared from the lakes, to the close, or
December i.

Theatres. 369
often in the afternoon before tea. Miss Cushman was rehearsing
there one day, book in hand, when Mr. Marble, familiary called
" Dan," was one of the company. The rehearsal was nearly at
an end, when Miss C, laying her hand on Dan's shoulder and
pointing with the cane she was toying with to the medallion of
Dante near the stage, said only two words, " Dan-tea," and hur
ried laughingly out.
The prices of admission for many years were uniformly, for
the first, second, and third tiers, six shillings ; fourth tier and pit,
four shillings ; gallery, two shillings. No extra charge for re
served seats, but they could be reserved.
The pit and gallery people were often in a state of harmonious
discord, making night hideous ; " bandying cries," and shouting
"boots," "hustle him out," cat-calls, whistling and stamping in
chorus, when becoming impatient ; never, however, molesting or
noticing the occupants ofthe boxes. The modern parquet has
changed all that for the better. The parquet, or pit seats ire now
thought to be the choicest for both seeing and hearing, thus hav
ing driven out the pit rowdies ; hence, the audiences are more
quiet and self-contained.
In those days the public got more for their money, at half
price, than now-a-days. After a "grand overture by the full
orchestra," the curtain rose at jyd o'clock; it was not a full bill
unless we had a five-act tragedy, with ballads or comic songs
between the acts. After the tragedy, a Yankee or comic story,
by Yankee Hill, Dan Marble, or some other comical genius,
then a pas seul or other dance, by some renowned danseuse,
closing with a three-act comedy or farce, when the surfeited
audience, would wander home or elsewhere about one or two
o'clock in the morning.
The Eagle Street Theatre was opened on the 20th of July,
1835. The advertised flourish of trumpets read something
like the following:
" Dean & McKinney, respectfully announce to the citizens of
Buffalo that through the taste and enterprise of Mr. Albert
Brisbane they are enabled to open a building which ior permanence

o

70 Recollections of Buffalo.

of materials, classic elegance of structure, and convenience of
accommodation, will vie with any theatre in America."
Notwithstanding the usual custom of an opening night, with
the play ofthe " Honeymoon," the bills announced for the night
the presentation of Sheridan Knowles' great play of the
" Hunchback."
The title role, by  Mr. McKinney.
Julia, by  Mrs. McClure.
Song.
" Sweet Young Bachelor,"  Mrs. Trowbridge.
To " conclude with Shakespeare's admired comedy " of
" Taming the Shrkvv."
Katheriiie, by  Mrs. McClure.
Petrucio  Mr. McKinney.
Mrs. McClure was an excellent actress. She subsequently
became Mrs. Noah, and was the mother of Rachel Noah.
After all the " permanence of materials " so flamingly adver
tised by Dean & McKinney, the building was burned, rebuilt, and
again burned; the first time in holiday week, at the close of a
performance of " Mother Goose," with Pantaloon, Colmnbine, and
Harleq?dn included in its characters. I have a vivid remember-
ance of seeing Harlequin [T!>2in MarhXe) in his diamond-figured
and spangled tights and jersey of many colors, mounted on a
tall ladder at one of the dressing-room windows, rescuing his
affianced bride, Miss Warren, the sister of Wm. Warren, from the
burning building. The second, five years later, was during the
engagement of the Countess of Landsfeldt, the notorious Lola
Montez. She had her usual altercation with the actors and
managers at rehearsal, and she in her passion declared that she
would " burn down their old theatre !" The next night it did
burn. It was a queer concidence, but it was said her cigarette
did it. The place was rebuilt as St. James' Hall. During the
erection of the Eagle Street Theatre, there was a rival to com
pete with it for the patronage ofthe public, Mr. Duffy, of Albany,
who built an unpretentious building called the " Buffalo Theatre,"

Theatres. 371
on South Division Street, gable end or front corner of Washing
ton Street, to an alley near Main Street. It was finished about the
same time. Mr. Duffy was an enterprising manager ; he brought
with him a good stock company, with some popular stars.
Among his plays he brought out in July, 1835, were the " Merry
Wives of Windsor," with Hackett as Falstaff, supported by
Miss Wheatly, and on August 3,
" Much Ado About Nothing."
Benedick  Mr. Cooper.
Dogberry  Mr. Placide.
Beatrice  Miss Cooper.
The same night at the Eagle Street, " The Stranger," Miss
Phillips as Mrs. Haller.
Duffy's Theatre flourished for two or three seasons with indif
ferent success, but finally succumbed to the superior attractions
of the Eagle Street, and he gave it up. The auditorium was
subsequently converted to the uses of Trinity Church, with the
late Bishop Hawks as its first pastor ; other portions of the build
ing were occupied by the Young Men's Association, both of
which institutions were then but newly organized and poor, but
now have become wealthy and proud. In August, '35, at the
old Eagle Street Theatre, Mr. Rice, known as the original "Jim
Crow Rice," sang and jumped "Jim Crow,'' in negro character;
the first negro song ofthe stage, from which sprang that after
wards popular branch of entertainment, " negro minstrelsy." A
few years later a grand spectacular play, "The Jewess," was in
progress and held the boards for some time. One of its features
was a grand procession and display of Romish Priesthood, regalia,
banners, and gorgeous costumes. At the head of this procession,
nightly, was an individual with the title of" Captain ofthe Sup
ernumeraries." He made a remarkably fine appearance, with a
handsome physique, the envy of all the men, admired by all the
women ; this was the man who first instituted negro minstrelsy
as an occupation or profession. He was the leader of a band of
five, as his son George was the bones of it I had the privilege
of witnessing one of their rehearsals before they appeared in

372 Recollections of Buffalo.
public. Ned Christy and " Christy Minstrels " became famous,
and he rich. It is not worth while to look too closely into all his
antecedents or prolong his biography. Christy and his French
poodle-dog were known all over this country and Europe.
Among the many plays I have seen performed at this theatre,
a few stand out in my memory in bold relief par excellence.
Never to be forgotten are " Romeo and Juliet," with Charlotte
Cushman as Romeo; also her incomparable Meg, in "Guy
Mannering." In '42 — you, reader, will hardly realize it was so long ago —
Boucicault's " London Assurance," was played. (It was played
in London in '41.) The cast for the play could not have been
excelled :
Sir Harcourt Courtly  Wm. Warren.
Dazzle  *  Tom Placide.
Lady Gay Spanker  Mrs. Trowbridge.
Dolly Spanker  Master Burke.
Cool.-  Mr. Rice.
The other characters were equally well taken, in their way.
Boucicault could not have known how successful a character he
had drawn. As portrayed by Mr. Warren, this play was never
better put upon the stage by any company.
Ellen Tree, in the flush of her triumphs as Ion, in Thomas
Noon Talfourd's beautiful play ; I can see in my mind's eye the
listening attitude of almost the entire audience as she startled
them by her rendering of the line, "Was not that thunder?"
Later she appeared here as Katherine, with her husband, Charles
Kean, as Cardinal Wolsey, but with not the' enthusiasm accorded
her in her younger days.
Edwin Forrest, as King Lear, supported by Josephine Clifton,
as Cordelia. This couple visited Buffalo when they were at the
acme of their fame. It was their custom to promenade the Main
avenue arm in arm, in bright summer days, enjoying the delicious
atmosphere of Buffalo's climate at that season — as magnificent
a couple, physically, as could be found, and at whom the people
gaped in admiration.

Theatres. 373
Forrest's grand character was Richelieu, in which the " old man "
had no equal.
Hackett, in Falstaff, and also in Rip Van Winkle. Hackett
married a Buffalo lady.
Ingersoll as Damon.
Tom Hamlin as Arbaces, in the " Last Days of Pompeii."
J. R. Scott as Rolla.
Junius Brutus Booth (the father of Edwin Booth, a more clas
sic and perfect, but not so forcible an actor as his father) in his
realistic characters of Richard III, in which he is said to have
interpolated after a lapse of his memory of his lines, the words
" Richard's himself again ; " Sir Giles Overreach, and Sir Edward
Mortimer. Messrs. Abbott and Latham were the managers of the Eagle
Street Theatre for a couple of seasons. They were English gen
tlemen, " quite English, you knaw,'' both clever actors, with cul
tivated tastes. They opened with "The Honeymoon," Latham
the best of " Mock Dukes." They ran the house splendidly, but
with too expensive a company. During their management they,
introduced for the first time here English opera, with Mrs. Gibbs
and Miss  , a lady whose patronymic I now forget, (she sang
here later with Parepa), Mr. Edwin and others. They also brought
out Italian opera. I remember that beautiful woman and benev
olent lady, Sontag, in " Somnambula ; " Logan, the irresistible,
mirth-ptovoking comedian, and his daughter Eliza, appeared in
Abbot's time. In their time was a nice actress, who merits re
membrance, Mrs. Tims, and also a Mr. Trist. He did well as
Claude Melnotte. After Abbott and Latham came Rice, under
whose management the theatre was successful for several years.
Rice's wife was another sister of William Warren. Rice subse
quently became Mayor of Chicago. During his management a
very pretty little woman, bright and fascinating, came here with
the fairy play of " Forturiio." She was Fortunio. She had all the
men as admirers. Her husband, then, Henry Hunt, took the
part of Strongback in the play. During the action of the piece,
she claps him on the back (he was a large man), and exclaims.

374 Recollections of Buffalo.
" Strongback ! " (looking archly at the parade line of men worship
ping at her shrine), "you are my man ! " At another time, at
some triumphant hit of her part, she casts herself on a divan, and
with inimitable grace and naivete says : " I am happy noiv, very,
very happy ! " which of course brought down the house and
young America. That lady subsequently married George Mos-
sop, an actor who was mostly celebrated for singing the ballad
(always encored) ofthe " Irish Emigrant's Lament" After which
she chose, as her " third act," another companion in John Drew.
Among the prominent comedians at that theatre, high and low,
stars and stock, were Wills, Logan, Eberlee, John Sefton, Placide,
Burton, and William Warren, the best of all. Who a better
"Grave-Digger?" Not even worthy Ben. Rogers, always a fa
vorite. James Wallack often played here, and was highly es
teemed as an actor and gentleman ; Lester Wallack, his son, has
also given us the pleasure of visits here. Mrs. Ritchie, of Vir
ginia, nee Anna Cora Mowatt, once played an engagement in this
city, to the delight of those who saw her.
One more play I wish to mention, to my mind remarkably well
played, and strongly manned, Byron's " Werner," Mr. Macready
as Werner, Mr. George Jamison as Ulric. George was a hand
some man — splendid actor. He made a good hit as Grandfather
Whitehead. In that " Celebrated Divorce Case" he zvas an actor,
Mr. and Mrs. Forrest taking the leading characters. Another
evening Mr. Macready gave us "Richelieu," which play was writ
ten for him by Bulwer, but in this character there has been no
equal to Forrest. That remark, however, is only my opinion.
Macready in " Hamlet," which he considered one of his choicest
characters, was afterwards excelled here by Edwin Booth, who
represents that character without a peer. The Eagle Street The
atre had' its last appearance under the management of Thomas
Carr, who recently made his exit.
I presume in tracing these sketches, I have committed some
errors, omissions, and anachronisms, but you have the sub.stance
of the plot.

CHAPTER XXll.
Gayety !
" THE OLD FAMILIAR FACES."
" I have had playmates, I have had companions,
•In my days of childhood, in my joyful school days;
-Ml, all gone, the old familiar faces."
" I have been laughing, I have been carousing.
Drinking late, sitting late, with my bosom cronies ;
All, all are gone, the old familiar faces."
******* **
" How some they have died, and some they have left me,
And some are taken from me ; all are departed.
All, all are gone, the old familiar faces ! " Charles Lamb.
Hereinbefore I have explained why our people were in a
manner cut off and confined to their own resources for occupa
tion, information, and entertainment. In winter business was
practically su.spended, except in a country village-like way. Nav
igation and transportation were closed ; social recreation, amuse
ments and entertainments were necessary concomitants to the
passage of the long winter season. All joined heartily and cor
dially in whatever might be going on. Skating parties on the
Bay, River and Buffalo Creek. Sleighing parties of ladies and
gentlemen in our small population were much more frequent
then, than now. They drove to Hamburgh, " Sherwoods," Wil-
liamsville, Clarence Hollow, " Blodgett's," Niagara Falls, some
times as far as Lockport and Batavia; occasionally a sleighing
party would get snowed in, by an old fashioned " North-easter,"
and be compelled to remain over night; in one instance I knew a
party of mostly young belles and beaux that could not get home
until the third day, but music, dancing and good stewardship
helped them out.

376

Recollections of Buffalo.

The old firm of Stevenson Brothers own to-day a large, six
teen seated sleigh, of the horse-head pattern, which was hand
somely constructed, ornamented and upholstered, brought here
in thirty- nine and has been in their possession fifty years (half a
century,) and when John S., would bring it out in a bright win
ter's day, filled with gay and merry occupants, "tops down," and
he driving six, eight, sometimes ten horses, handsomely matched
and caparisoned, with their chimes of cathedral bells, it was a
Princely sight, and this perhaps supplemented by one, two, three
or more, four and six horse sleighs, and somewhere in the rear a
tender, with " Bankhead's " Second Regiment Band or " Hicks',"
" Delvechio's '' or Delano's band ; a pile of square baskets,
stamped on the ends " Heidseck," with dignified trusty Henry
Hawkins, (colored,) caterer and butler, to cater for and chaperon
the party to one of the aforesaid places : Well ! those who did
not go, envied those who did !

Dancing !
At the balls and parties the popular figures in dancing, were
the " Contra Dances," viz : " Monnie Musk," " Opera Reel,"
"Two Sisters," "Hull's Victory," "Triumph," not forgetting the
rollicking, wind up, "Virginia Reel."
" The Tempest ! " This dance when joined in by a large party,
in an ample room, and danced with vigor and spirit, was very ef
fective and showy ; the movements are like the waves of the sea
under the influence of a recent gale. The " Scotch Reel," when

Gayety. 377
each lad must needs have two lassies. The " Sicilian," a cold,
formal reel. The " Spanish," a rich, warm, seductive dance, sug
gestive of black and gold dresses with black lace flowing man
tilla and fan, the Cachuca, Fanny Cerito and Vestris.
And finally the plain "deux temps" Waltz," which had just
come into vogue with us and was mostly affected by the young
belles and " bloods,'' when every fellcY' could hug the other fel
low's girl. " Imperial Waltz imported from the Rhine." — See Byron's " Waltz."
The Cotillion or Quadrille, a social, graceful dance, with its
many varieties of figures, and combinations, and when set to gay
music may be very lively, as for instance, our old leaders " Hicks "
and " Delvechio " would now and then give us a set of " Christy's"
negro melodies arranged for a quadrille, selections of which would
include the airs of : "Old Uncle Ned," "Dandy Jim," "Rose
of Alabama," " Lucy Long,'' "Old Dan Tucker," etc., and often
the sets known as the " Postillion," a jolly variety, indicating a
sleigh ride, with the cracking of whips, jingling of bells and the
Postillion speaking to and urging his horses.
Who would not remember the waltzing of Mrs. Talcott and
her brother-in-law, Sam Purdy ?
The " Minuet " had gone out with our mother's large head
dresses and father's knee-breeches and ques. The " Gallopade "
and " Redowa " were just coming in; both graceful and quick
moving figures, which were very fashionable at private parties.
The " Schottische," the Polka and the German were not known
here in the thirties, they had not crossed the briny sea ; their
names indicate their origin, one a National dance of Poland, but
was quite common among the miners of Wales and Germany.
The Polka was introduced here, (if I remember rightly), about
the middle of the forties. An exiled Polish officer named Col.
Wengerski, who was acting as a drill-master of our military
here, volunteered to teach a class, and one was formed among
the young people, and they were taught it, at the old American
Hotel ball room, with all the diversity of steps and coquettish

378 Recollections of Buffalo.
figures given by the Corps de ballet on the stage in the " Skaters
of Wilna ; " the writer was in the class.
The attractive military formal dance, " The Lancers," the
outcome of the Crimean War, did not become a fashionable
dance here until somewhere about ISSS-
At the parties, balls and other social entertainments the
deportment of the guests was as generally high-toned, mannerly
and equal in tact, courtesy and geniality in the thirties as in
these later days, perhaps less stiffness of manner and a heartier
enjoyment of the gayety of the hour. Sometimes, as will occur
everywhere, the guests at a dinner or evening party would
become slightly exhilerated under the influence of a too
generous supply of wine. Wine-Moisture.
Champagnes, Madeiras, Canary, Old Port, Sherry and Bor
deaux wines were about the only wines then used here, except a
sweetish Malaga and domestic currant or elderberry wines. The
higher sounding titles of the wines from the more remote
districts of continental Europe, Sauternes and Rhine wines, were
little known to us provincial Americans. The sub-divisional
brand distinctions ofthe various wines was not generally familiar
to us; we did not prate much about Metternich's Johannisberger,
Liebfraumilch or other German favorites ; Tokay, Chateau
'Yquem, or Lachrymae Christi, or even Chateau Margaux, to most
of us it was jargon if we would but admit it. The same may
be said of cordials, liquers, except perhaps the most common
and cheapest, as for " benedictine," we knew that meant a priest,
monk or something, but did not suppose he was a connoisseur
in wines.
Pure cognac (brandy) was much used for strong drink ; it was
moderate in price, rarely doctored, adulterated or diluted, which
now it is quite the contrary. Whiskies were not drank, except
by common people, or in the harvest field ; it was considered a
coarse, vulgar drink ; old Scotch or Irish whiskies were occa
sionally used for hot drinks when they could be obtained, par-

Gayety. 379
ticularly by the old Scotch and English fur traders who were or
had been connected with the "Hudson's Bay" or "North
American" "Fur Companies." Imported London porter was
much drank and thought to be a healthy beverage, particularly
by middle-aged ladies in delicate health. The men affected to
drink it, following the English custom as 'alf and 'alf: equal
quantities mixed of porter and new ale.
At the better class of hotels and taverns New England rum
and gin were served in decanters, and ale in generous-sized
pitchers as common beverages, arranged on the long tables at
convenient intervals as were the casters, free to all the guests of
the house* at dinner, which was at noon from twelve to one
o'clock, the customary dinner hour.
It was the common custom in the houses of the better classes
to have conspicuously exposed upon the side-boards, a full set
of decanters, containing the various wines and liquors, flanked
with pound cake ; butter crackers, (stamped with the maker's
name), and cheese, oftentimes brandied cheese. It was considered
rude if the lady or gentleman of the house did not offer the
hospitality of their homes, in these things, at all times, when
receiving a guest or a morning call of either sex.
A gentleman's decanters were of unique heavy cut glass, in
which he took much pride. Among our old state families and
their descendants, hke the Clintons, Hamiltons, Jays, Delanceys
and others, should now be found some of those invaluable relics
of the old " Colonial," " LaFayette," or " George Clinton "
patterns. Balls and Parties.
It was in the thirties that the several Fire (hand engine) Com
panies united, formed a large body of members; composed of
our most ambitious young men of athletic tendency, that it
became a custom to give an annual
" Firemen's Ball!'

*This custom of free spirits was discontinued very soon after the close of the
decade of the thirties, yet I believe even now in some parts of the country, in old
established taverns, the guests are offered their choice of water or ale at dinner.

380 Recollections of Buffalo.
These were gay and brilliant, and well attended by the elite of
our people The old Eagle Street Theatre not being used in
winter for theatrical purposes, was hired for the occasion. The
" pit " floored over and made level with the stage, making a
splendid " sweep " for dancing. The semi-circular tiers of boxes
being arranged for resting places and for spectators, where one
could see and be seen, while the background of the stage was
framed with classic or sylvan scenery, maybe one of Isherwood's
chef Dceuvre's, (perhaps a little overdrawn and highly colored,
but what mattered it, we were young then).
These balls were thoroughly organized, with selected men as
managers. The interior of the building was tastefully decorated
with flags drapery, and symbolical ornaments of Firemen's
paraphernalia, with the best orchestral band to be found. Every
body went and enjoyed themselves, making the " Firemen's Ball "
a thing to be looked for each season.
Military Balls.
In the later years ofthe thirties, and subsequently after the
formation and organization of our Independent Military Com
pany; the Regiment of" City Guards," and Colonel John J. Fay's
Battery of Flying Artillery. And the establishment here of a
Military Post by the Department of War at Washington, to which
was first detailed the Second Regiment of Artillery, commanded
by Colonel Bankhead, which command included the celebrated
Battery of Artillery, called " Duncan's Battery." Our social life
was much enlivened by military display and martial appearances.
The custom of having " Military Balls" became fashionable, and
they were sometimes given at the theatre, as were those of the
Firemen, particularly on
Washington' s Birthday,
when during the day, all our Military organizations were ordered
out for parade by the Commanding General ; with whom the
United States Regulars would in courtesy join, and parade with
them, closing the day with a grand ball in the evening. This

Gayety. 381
ball would be a most brilliant affair, the preparations on a grand
scale, all the artistic skill ofthe officers, ofthe Garrison, and our
City Guards were taxed to the utmost, to produce brilliant effects,
in decorating with bunting and warlike implements, perhaps
pieces of brass ordnances, Mortars or Howitzers at the corners of
the quadrilateral ofthe great dancing floor, with a central pyra
mid of graduated cannon balls. Here and there stacks of
musketry and accoutrements in " break rank " manner. At
intervals on the panels of the facade of the boxes were placed
crossed swords and bayonets, underneath medallion portraits of
great military heroes, among them as a central figure was one
of " Washington," over them were Chapeaus and plumes and
gauntlets. All this, together with the beautiful costumes and
winning smiles ofthe dames and belles, with the brilliant uni
forms of the men, inspirited by the charming music from the
Garrison band, made these balls exceptional events of our winters.
These Washington birth-day balls were continued for many
years in modified form, down to a recent period, by the last of
our military organizations of the old " City Guards'' of the
thirties, " Company D."
Other " Military and Civic Balls " were often given at the Ball
Room ofthe original American Hotel, where the gentlemen in
civilian dress successfully rivaled their military friends in gal
lantry, courteous and pleasing address. These balls were
patronized by our very best society, and were most delightful
entertainments. " The Assemblies."
The leading young men in society during these later years of
the decade ofthe thirties, inaugurated a series of " Assemblies "
(dancing parties) of six, sometimes seven each winter, which con
tinued far into the forties, given at the " American" as the place
par excellence, and skillfully managed by the young men, dis
creetly and in good taste, and which were more select and
exclusive than the balls given hitherto. They were attended by
our most cultivated and best mannered people, moving in our

382 Recollections of Buffalo.
first circles. They were elegant, unique, and most enjoyable
dancing parties. It was considered quite a privilege to attend
them by those who had the entree.
It was then the custom for the young men giving these parties,
to bear all the expenses, providing all entertainment, music, supper,
wine and livery. A selected committee of the managers to
attend the guests, escort them to and from the parties ; matrons
as well as the young ladies, and also see to it that no young
lady was neglected either in dancing or at supper. The managers
made it a point of duty that the matrons and their guests had
partners for, and opportunities for dancing ; and were provided
with escorts to the supper table, which was always elaborately
and bountifully supplied.
Now-a-days it seems to be the established rule for young
gentlemen in giving " Assemblies " or " Parties " to require, that
each and every young lady, matron and chaperon, or escort,
father, brother or beau, shall pay their entrance fee. In borrowed
words : " Those that dance must pay the fiddler," and those
that go and do not dance, must pay ; that each young lady must
provide her own means of getting to the party, and must have a
chaperon; those mothers who act as chaperons, must also "pay
the fiddler." What is the unfortunate young woman to do who
has lost her mother, and has no chaperon, to get to the ball ?
Evening Parties and Social Entertainments.
The leading, older and influential families who entertained
parties ; gave evening parties and dispensed hospitality with gen
erous freedom during the thirties, forties and later, whom I can
now remember, having been but a lad in the early years of that
period, were those of:
Judges : — Samuel Wilkeson, Charles Townsend, Ebenezer
Walden, Thomas C. Love, William B. Rochester, Philander Ben
nett, James Stryker, Nathan K. Hall, Joseph G. Masten, George
W. Houghton, James M. Smith, Seth E. Sill.
Generals : — Heman B. Potter, Peter B. Porter, David Burt.

Gayety. 383
Commodore : — Stephen Champlin, U. S. N.
Colonels: — Ira A. Blossom, Alanson Palmer, William F. P.
Taylor, William A. Bird, Henry H. Sizer.
Doctors : — Ebenezer Johnson, John W. Clark, Josiah Trow
bridge, Charles C. Haddock, John E. Marshall.
Lazuyers : — Stephen G. Austin, Stephen K. Grosvenor, Joseph
Clary, Millard Fillmore, Henry W. Rogers, Solomon G. Haven,
Israel T.. Hatch, Harlow S. Love, W. L. G. Smith, James McKay,
Seth C. Hawley, Elbridge G. Spaulding.
Merchants, Bankers and others — Sheldon Thompson, Jona
than Sidway, Reuben B. Heacock, Bela D. Coe, Clark Hecox,
Jacob A. Barker, Russell H. Heywood, John B. Macy, Henry R.
Seymour, George Coit, Manly Colton, Erastus Sparrow, David
M. Day, William, James and Robert Hollister, John L. Kimberly,
Hiram Pratt, Orlando Allen, Joseph Dart, John Lay, Noah P.
Sprague, William Fiske, John G. Camp, Samuel Y . Pratt, Mrs.
Barent I. Staats, James McKnight, Samuel W. Hawes, Lester
Brace, Isaac R. Harrington, Edward L. Stevenson, Elijah D. Ef
ner, George B. Webster, Thaddeus Weed, Guy H. Goodrich,
Henry Hamilton, William Ruxton, John W. Beals, Oliver G.
Steele, George C. White, William WiUiams, James B. DeLong,
William Lovering, Hamlet Scrantom, and William A. Thompson,
the last two were bachelors, housekeepers ; John A. Newbould,
Alexander A. Evstaphieve, Gibson T. Williams, Henry M. Kin
ne, Nehemiah Case, James D. Sawyer.
The ladies ofthe families enumerated above were of course the
activ^e incentives in all social entertainments, and if the general
reader of these sketches could recall them to mind as I do, they
would unquestionably realize that they were among a galaxy of
accomplished and spirited women, seldom equaled. And it was
through the influence and spirit of these ladies, their generous
wish to contribute their share of entertainment, reciprocate all
civilities, infuse life and animation into our social gatherings,
which made Buffalo in winters a great home for enjoyment.

384 Recollections of Buffalo.
I remember some ofthe ladies as giving most elegant, private
parties, which I attended in my younger beau-hood days, and
more recently.
Mrs. Bela D. Coe, a leading lady in our best society, with her
husband went abroad early in the forties, traveling extensively in
Great Britain and on the " Continent," at that time considered a
rare and marked event among those we met in social intercourse,
friends or neighbors. It was during the era of those beautiful
sailing packets ofthe "dramatic line," the " Roscius," " Garrick,"
" Siddons" and " Kemble." Shortly after their return, Mrs. Coe
sent out cards to all her friends, inviting them to a series of three
balls or dancing receptions on the Wednesdays of the three fol
lowing weeks. These receptions were usually called soirees;
triplicate gatherings were considered ultra fashionable and stylish,
and they were most delightful entertainments.
Mrs. Robert Hollister, in her time, was much complimented
for her beautiful parties and elegant hospitality. It would be
invidious in me to make further personal mention of the many
winter parties in those years, when and where we each evening
enjoyed and renewed most delightful experiences.
A May Party.
When the mansion of Judge Bennett, on Eagle Street, was in
its glory in the spring of 1839, (perhaps it was 1840); there was
held there an old-time "May-Day Party" of young people.
The festivities peculiar to this occasion can be traced back to
the observances with which the goddess Flora was wont to be
honored. Some of the English customs of May-Day are as old
as the Druids. Royalty itself indulged in the diversions of the
day in the time of the Tudors. It is stated in history that
Henry the Eighth and Queen Catherine went a-Maying accom
panied by many Lords and ladies. Some of the later English
observances were dancing around the May-pole, which was
planted " on the green " and decking it with gadands of flowers.
The custom is too pretty a one to be permitted to entirely die
out or become obsolete.

Gayety. 385
The " Queen of May " was chosen by election from among
the many pretty young girls of Buffalo. On this occasion the
honor fell to Louise Burr.
A wreath and crown of flowers was placed on her brow and
she was escorted by a long procession of young maidens, dressed
in white adorned with flowers, her maids of honor, subjects, and
ladies in waiting, and placed on a throne festooned with garlands
of flowers, where she ruled over the ceremonies and festivities of
that day, her invested prerogative lasting by courtesy throughout
the year.
The great lawn and grounds surrounding the mansion at that
time was filled with gaily dressed ladies, gentlemen and youth
ofthe town, indulging in dancing and other sylvan sports. The
host and his family generously entertained them all with good
things to eat and drink. At that time military ardor was stim
ulated by the occurrences on our frontier, which extended to the
youth under military age ; they had organized a company called
the " Governor's Guard," commanded by a youth named Alex
ander J. Sheldon. They were armed with long spears. This
company was a guard of honor and gave eclat to the occasion
by their fine military bearing and display, — years afterwards
when these youth had grown to men capable of bearing more
effective arms, this organization continued, but changed its name
to the " Spaulding Guards," in honor of our then Mayor,
Elbridge G. Spaulding. The Queen of the fete. Miss Burr, sub
sequently married George W. Merrill, a merchant here.
The writer was present as a participant at the " May-Day
Party."

THE BELLES AND BEAUX.
I sincerely hope that those ladies who were the buds, belles
and young ladies of Buffalo society at the time I am writing : say
the latter years ofthe Thirties, but more particularly the "two fol
lowing decades of the forties and fifties ; (which cover or include

386 Recollections of Buffalo.
the time when I knew them best and was more competent, to re
member and speak of them) ; will not take it amiss that I have
not more fully written of them in these pages. They possibly may
have thought I purposely omitted to mention the zvomen of that
era. I have had no such intention. If I have delayed or defer
red so interesting a matter, kept in reserve as it were, those jew
els with so fine a setting, which would so well embellish my cas
ket, it has been from a disinclination to "tackle" the subject for
reason of its magnitude and for fear I might omit those whom I
would most desire to remember. It has been a subject, which to
evolve, has troubled me more than most others while writing
these miscellaneous sketches ; for when it would recur to me, my
brain would teem with vivid recollections of the beautiful girls
and the happy social events that occurred during those years,
that it would be like a kaleidoscope accompanied by distant and
fairy like music, entrancing my senses ; or the phantazmagorical
flitting of dreams ; thus the subject has lingered until near the
last of my memories and reveries of past decades.
I was quite too young to be critical or particular in observing
or individually remembering the fair women of that day, but only
in their entirety. I had my eyes and ears open, could listen to
the gossip of the time, and hear the praises and compliments said
of them. And could only see a difference in their personal at
tractions and beauty from a boy's stand-point. Even at that time
I loved to look upon and admire them !
It is only my intention to particularize the buds and belles
who reigned and ruled here in society and were our most ad
mired young women for a period of about twenty years from 1 835
to 1855.
I will recall them as nearly in chronological succession as my
recollection will permit.
The first coterie of young women who blossomed and bloomed
in the thirties which come to my mind, were :
Abby Seymour, daughter of Henry R. Seymour, and who
married Horatio N. Holt.

Gayety. 387
Grace Keeler who married Wm. Hollister, and was the
mother of one of the bright ornaments of fashionable society at
a later period, (Mrs. Thaddeus Patchin); Mrs. Hollister subse
quently married the father of " Anna Catherine Green " of liter
ary fame.
Julia Forward, daughter of Judge Oliver Forward, (one of
Buffalo's most valuable citizens); married Henry R. Williams, a
merchant. Jane Staats, a brilliant girl, quite a favorite with the beaux,
became the wife of Horatio Seymour, Jr., a lawyer. During the
"Rebellion" she was the President of the Women's Auxiliary
branch of the United States Sanitary Commission, to which she
gave valuable and efficient services.
Sally Ann Thompson, a daughter of Sheldon Thompson (our
first Mayor elected by popular vote, (previously the Mayors had
been elected by the City Council) was much admired and a great
favorite; she married Henry K. Smith, a brilliant lawyer of those
days. Her two younger sisters, Agnes, who married Edward S.
Warren, father of Edward S. and William Y. Warren, and Letitia,
who married Colonel Henry K. Viele, the father of Sheldon T.
Viele ; these sisters were belles in the forties, they can best relate
the stories of their social successes.
Laura Brace, daughter of Lester Brace, was a handsome, dig
nified young lady who graced society, having many friends ; her
brother, Curtis L. Brace, married one of the leading young
ladies then living at Black Rock, Miss Gelston.
There were others of this set of young ladies who deserve
special mention, but my memory of them as young ladies is very
dim. Among them were Miss D'Angelis, Mrs. O. H. Marshall
(mother of Chas. D. and Colonel John E. Marshall); the Misses
Strong, Miss Van Deventer, Miss Kissam, Miss Ruden, Char
lotte Caryl, afterwards Mrs. John H. Coleman, and " Sis "
Hubbard, whom every person in good society knew.
There were the five daughters of Jerry Radcliffe, a very fine
family of young women, highly esteemed in the limited society
of their time, who severally married Thomas Kip, James A.

388 Recollections of, Buffalo.
Cowing, Walter Joy, Robert Hollister, and later the youngest,
Mary, marrying William Laverack.
Miss Louise Sparrow, a decided belle of the period ; witty,
bright, clever, seductive, pretty, petite, graceful. I saw her as
the wedding party drove to the house of Stephen K. Grosvenor
one bright morning in 1836, on the occasion of her marriage
with the late Judge John L. Talcott.
Pierre A. Barker, who was our Mayor in 1838, had three
lovely daughters, blondes ; the oldest was married to Philander
Hodge, a member of the old banking firm of Johnson, Hodge &
Co.; the second daughter, Louise, was married to Charles M.
Cooper, a lawyer.
Miss Wilkeson married Mortimer F. Johnson, another member
of the banking firm mentioned above ; in later years their
daughter married the well-known artist William H. Beard.
There came here about this time an English family named
Wilson, consisting of the mother, a son, Matthew Wilson (the
artist), and his three sisters. They at once became favorites;
their amiable and unobtrusive English manners, accom
plished and bright demeanor, drew around them the best society
which they graced. They very shortly married; Susan, the
eldest, to John A. Newbould, a successful merchant ; Emily,
to Alexander Alexis Evstaphieve (a son of the Russian Consul-
General at New York), Secretary of the old Buffalo Mutual
Insurance Company ; the other sister to Mr. Ernest of Pittsburgh.
Mrs. Newbould was known in literary circles under the nom dc
plume of " Aunt Sue." She was a very attractive lady of many
accomplishments. Elizabeth Macy was a leading young lady, a daughter of John
B. Macy.
As also were the Misses Kip ; one married Grosvenor Clark,
a merchant here, another, A. Hamilton Caryl. They were sisters
to the late Henry Kip and descended from an old knickerbocker
family who gave the name to " Kips Bay " in the vicinity of New
York City.

Gayety. 389
Harriet Beals, a rare young woman of sterling merit, who
subsequently married Lucius H. Pratt
Eft-soons the belles of the forties crowd into the foreground
of their retreating sisters, shouting " room ! " " room ! " for the
young princesses of the Buffalo blood. Their numbers increase
as the years of the forties augment As their smiling faces flit
by me, each a vivid portrait, interesdng pictures of youth. Oh !
Why can we not call back to reality those that are gone, as we
do their shadows ?
I cannot find appropriate commendatory words for all, and so
many beautiful young women without duplicating and multiply
ing my adjectives. I can only say : That not in the history of
Buffalo or any other community of which I have been conversant,
has there been a period or place, where and when there were so
many bright, clever and beautiful girls as during this period. Ac
complished, elegant manners, rare powers of entertainment, fine
conversationalists, witty, lively, and gay without excess ; they en
joyed life and gave pleasure to others.
The beauty of the Buffalo women of this period was of Na
tional reputation, but one city in the United States presumed to
rival us, the " Sweet Belles of Baltimore " were very pretty and
attractive at that time.
It was in the young life ofthe Country ; the freshness of nature
was here. The luxury and abundance of new wealth did not
stifle and choke us with envious desires. The girls of those days
were of natural growth, cultivated in the modes and moderation
of the time. They did not know too much of life. They were
the buds, blossoms, and full blown pinks, daisies, lilies, camelias,
and roses, sometimes a blue-eyed bachelors' button, now and then
a wild flower or perhaps a tiger lily ! as they may have matured.
Who of our generation of young men and maidens does not re
member with a heart-thrill those belles and beaux of the
decades of the forties and fifties ?
Beautiful Kate Wheeler, who married Charles M. Hopkins,
she died young in '41. The following are a part of some lines
written to her memory, published at the time of her death :

39°

Recollections of Buffalo.

" Fresh in our memories are now.
The sunny glance, the fair high brow.
In every passing change revealing.
The light of pure and noble feeling:
The woman's wisdom firm and mild,
Blent with the gladness of a child.
The brightness of a soul, where pain
Hath never left its earthly stain.''
" We've seen her 'mid the young and fair,
The brightest and the happiest there ;
We've seen her in her maiden pride.
We've seen her as a happy bride ;
We see her now — O ! no, O ! no,
Afar, from weariness and woe.
In the bright Paradise above.
Is she, we mourn, is she, we love."
April 12, 1841. Hermione.
Lovely Kate Hecox, who died the same year ; this was the
first verse of a poem printed in memory of her :
" I saw a train of light and slender forms.
With flowing scarf, the sable badge of grief;
Where stifled sighs thus fell upon the ear.
Seemed like the whispering of the wind-swayed reed —
Their youthful heads bent low, and tear-wet (fheeks.
Like drooping lilies when surcharged with rain.
They followed mournfully, and slow, the bier
Of one who late like them, was flushed with health.
And hope, and love. How brief the time since she
With them had shared the sport, the fond embrace ;
And twined her arm in woodland walk, as gay.
As lithesome in her innocence and joy.
As tuneful bird that warbled through the boughs
That sheltered them." C. C. S.
Miss Elizabeth Stocking, daughter of Deacon Stocking, mar
ried Deacon E. A. Lewis, and is the mother of Judge Geo. A.
Lewis. Harriet Day, who married Ezra Sherman, a merchant, and
went to reside in Chicago, was one of Buffalo's favorite girls in
her time, as he was one of the beaux. She was the daughter
of David M. Day.

Gayety. 391
Another favorite was Phcebe Darrow, who married Captain
Wm. R. Andrews.
Marion Harrington, daughter of Isaac R. Harrington, who
was one of the belles of her time, and a very pretty girl.
Miss Maria Hecox who married Thos. P. Williams and went
to Milwaukee.
Lucia Seymour, the widow of Frederick A. McKnight, and
her sister Julia, widow of Chas. T. Coit, daughters of Henry R.
Seymour, of the firm of Seymour & Gleason, Bankers. I remem
ber both of these ladies as very young girls, of sunny disposition,
engaging manners and handsome.
Virginia and Emily Sparrow, both very attractive girls ;
Virginia married Samuel F. Purdy, (afterwards he was Lieutenant-
Governor of California) ; Emily a Mr. Teackle of Utica, (if I be
correct.) The Townsend family of young ladies are, and have been,
amongst our best representative people. Judge Townsend settled
here at an early day ; his homestead at the corner of Main and
Tupper Streets has been his home and also of his immediate
descendants for the past sixty years. The four daughters sever
ally married Alfred P. Stone, of Columbus, Ohio ; Guilford R.
Wilson, Andrew J. Rich and Charles Rosseel. A sister of Mr.
Rich married Charles Townsend, another sister of Mr. Rich
married Eugene Mulligan. I remember her as a very lovely lady.
The eldest son of Judge Townsend, (George Townsend), married
Miss Matthews, daughter of General Sylvester Matthews; Mrs.
Townsend subsequently married the Rev. Mr. Warren. General
Matthews had three other daughters, one, the eldest, married
Augustus Q. Stebbins, a merchant . here ; Eliza married a
merchant of Columbus, Ohio, Mr. Jesse Stone ; the youngest,
Josephine, lives with her sister, Mrs. Jesse Stone.
Jane Champlin, daughter of Commodore Champlin, married
Lieutenant J. H. Simpson, U. S. Topographical Engineer Corps ;
Caroline Mayhew, daughter of Jonathan Mayhew, was married to
Lieutenant I. C. Woodruff of the same Corps ; she is now a
great-grandmother and still a handsome and young appearing

392 Recollections of Buffalo.
woman. Catherine McKnight, sister of Theodore McKnight,
was married to Lieutenant Wm. F. Barry, U. S. A. All the
officers mentioned became General Officers during the late war.
Miss Truscott, daughter of Captain George Truscott, (a banker
here and a retired officer of the English Army), was married
to Captain Martin of the U. S. Army. An elder sister married
Edwin Thomas, a well-known business man of that day.
The Stewart ladies, a highly respectable family, were severally
married to John Norton, a merchant ; Captain Heintzleman, a
Major-General and Corps Commander, with an honorable record
in the war of the rebellion ; Dr. Sumner, a surgeon in the U. S.
Army ; Solon H. Lathrop, once one of the publishers of the
" Buffalo Commercial," afterwards a Major in the U. S. Army,
and MissMatilda Stewart, the youngest of the family, well-
known in literary circles.
The Misses Langdon were prominent young ladies here.
Two daughters of Newton Rossiter, and also two daughters of
Erastus Hathaway, all handsome and charming girls of that
period. Mary H. Bennett, who was the daughter, of Judge Philander
Bennett, and the wife of Rollin Germain, (a lawyer and father of
Charles B. Germain), a lady m.uch esteemed among her associates.
When time had progressed far into the decade of the forties,
but previous to the hegira of so many of our young men to Cali
fornia in '49, who were prominent among the beaux, the young
gentlemen gave a most brilliant Ball
Which was a charming event in society, i wish I could
remember the names of all the managers of that affair, but among
them were :
Asher P. Nichols. Wm. Lovering, Jr.
Joseph R. Beals. John Bull.
Geo. Truscott. Henry Warren,
Edgar P. Pickering. Lewis L. Eaton.
James T. Goodwill. David F. Gray.

Gayety. . 393
This ball was held at the American Hotel in that very gay
period of the social history of Buffalo. From the well-known
character, high tone and liberality of its managers, it could not
have been otherwise than a very delightful success.
Continuing the list of the young ladies of the decades of the
Forties and Fifties.
I remember Elizabeth Porter, daughter of General Peter B.
Porter, of Black Rock, identified with Buffalo, but latterly were
residents of Niagara Falls.
Mary Norton, now the widow of the Reverend Dr. Thomp
son, and her sister Fanny Norton, both accomplished young
women, they were sisters of the late Charles D. Norton, and
aunts of the brothers Porter and Charles P. Norton.
Maria and Grace Bird, daughters of Colonel William A. Bird,
Miss Maria married Dr. Thomas M. Foote, U. S. Minister to
Austria ; Miss Grace still resides in the old homestead and dis
penses her pleasant hospitalities in the generous and graceful
manner her father did half a century since.
Charlotte and Libbie Sherman, daughters of Pardon C. Sher
man, (who recently passed away, having reached the very ad
vanced age of nearly ninety). Miss Charlotte who married the
late Stephen V. R. Watson, has been widely known in society,
for her many and generous hospitalities ; her liberal, thoughtful
and successful efforts to entertain her many friends, by way of ele
gant, classical masquerade parties, amateur theatricals in her well
appointed salon, constructed for that purpose ; and other refined
social reunions, will long be remembered by those friends.
Abby Heacock, daughter of Reuben B. Heacock, married to
Dr. John S. Trowbridge; she was an exceptionally fine looking
and exemplary young woman.
The daughters of the so remembered Quaker Miller, (James
Miller), one of our earliest settlers, \vere interesting young wo
men and filled a prominent place in our Buffalo Society.

394 Recollections of Buffalo.
Miss Mary Sheldon, sister of Judge James Sheldon, an ac
complished and proper lady, many of our more recent young la
dies are indebted to her for their early accomplishments.
The Misses Lovejoy, daughters of the late Henry Lovejoy, a
well known citizen of Buffalo, well deserve mention here. Their
grandmother, Mrs. Joshua Lovejoy was killed by the Indians in
a very tragic manner at the time of the burning of Buffalo, De
cember 30, 1813.
Harriet Efner, daughter of Elijah D. Efner ; and her cousin,
Ruth Efner, who married Dr. Quinlan, of Chicago.
Sarah Faulkner, daughter of Morgan L. Faulkner ; she mar
ried Frank Fitch.
I see flashing before me as they rapidly follow each other be
fore my memory, the two charming daughters of Silas Man
ville ; Lydia Marcy, Jane Geer, Elizabeth and Kate Bristol, Hel
en and Caroline Walker, Mary Rudd, Betty Palmer, Martha Cal
lender, Kate Deforest, Alice Barnard, and "Cornie" Goodrich,
all attractive companions, in their girl-hood days, for our young
men. Ann Blackwood, now the widow of Charles M. Hopkins, was
counted as one of our brightest belles in her time. And Mary,
daughter of Horace Clark, a lively, handsome girl. Sweet Julia
Palmer, sister of General I. N. Palmer, U. S. A., cannot be for
gotten. Two daughters of J. B. Young, one the widow of Joseph K.
Tyler, and the other Miss Jane Young, who is now the widow of
Robert Codd, (the Banker), both were handsome young women,
but of different types.
The three daughters of Captain William T. Miller : Elizabeth,
wife of David R. Morse, (President of Erie County Savings Bank)
Mary, wife of William A. Bird, and Abbey, now Mrs. Franklin
Allen, of Brooklyn.
Kate and Emily Ketchum, daughters of William Ketchum
(another of our early Mayors.) The elder, Kate, is the widow
of the late George Coit, Jr. She is notably an accomplished
vocalist, now living in England. Her sister, Emily, died the
wife of Mr. Bancroft, the historian of the Pacific Coast.

Gayety. 395
Misses Antoinette and Kittle Scott, daughters of Dr. William
K. Scott. The first married Mr. Cobb and lives in Detroit; the
other is now the wife of our artist, Prof L. G. Sellstedt.
General Lucius Storrs had four daughters, Selim, Maria,
Susan and Charlotte ; the only one living here now is Maria,
who is the wife of the Rev. Albeit Bigelow. General Storrs
and his brother Juba Storrs were settlers in Buffalo prior to the
War of 1 81 2.
The Misses Kimberly, daughters of John L. Kimberly, a time-
honored Buffalo family. One daughter is the widow of DeWitt
C. Weed; another the wife of William H. Walker. Miss Susan
and Miss Charlotte are unmarried.
Julia Webster, daughter of George B. Webster and wife of
George L. Newman, now living in Charlottesville, Virginia, was
one of the most reliable and sterling girls of Buffalo production.
Mary Dodge, another native belle, who married one of the
brothers Cronyn, was one of our prettiest and brightest ; as was
Miss Mary Osier, now the wife of Edward Bennett.
Carrie Hamilton, daughter of Henry Hamilton, widow of
Francis E. Coit, was a merry, bright and interesting girl. Eliza
Coit, daughter of George Coit and sister of the above, married
the late General Alexander W. Harvey. She died this year,
1890. Miss Kate Walden, daughter of Judge Walden, one of our
clever, bright, young women, sensible and witty. She was the
widow of the late General Myer, U. S. A., the originator ofthe
present signal service.
As the years roll on in the forties and cumulate into the fifties,
coteries, bevys and flocks of charming girls rise up serenely
before me, demanding courteous recognition.
One cannot forget those two beautiful and estimable young
women of this period, the Misses Maria and Ophelia Field, whose
father resided on Mohawk Street. One married General Rufus L.
Howard, the other a gentleman of Syracuse, Mr. Bridges. Of
General Howard's two sisters, one married Gibson T. Williams,
the-'younger sister, Miss Eunice Alzina Howard, of very hand-

396 Recollections of Buffalo.
some and queenly person, amiable, accomplished, and of whom
her friends were very fond. Her early death after her marriage
with Mr. John M. Hutchinson, was to her relatives and friends
an irreparable calamity ; this lady was the mother of E. Howard
Hutchinson. The beautiful Mary Lovering who married John Horace Bliss ;
her death near the Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, while on their
bridal trip is a very sad recollection to her old friends. Her sis
ters, Alice and Sarah, all daughters of WiUiam Lovering, Sr.,
the youngest Mrs. Sar.^h Truscott, widow of the late George
Truscott. Miss Irene Leech, daugnter of Elijah Leech ; married to Lucian
Hawley; Miss Lucy Allen, daughter of Orlando Allen, married
to Nelson K. Hopkins, and Miss Evelyn Hall married to Bronson
C. Rumsey; these three couples formed a tripartite treaty of mar
riages, which occured at one and the same time and ceremony.
The weddings were held at the old homestead of one of the
brides (Miss Allen) on Swan Street. It was an event which
caused a good deal of interest socially.
Mr. and Mrs. Rumsey {nee Hall), one of the trio of couples
mentioned above, have in later years been socially known for
their elegant hospitalities in their home-like mansion and beau
tiful sylvan grounds, for their recherche dinners, receptions and
delightful parties and lawn fetes, and entertainment of visiting
strangers and friends. Among which will be remembered their
reception ofthe World's Scientists and the National Convention
of Eminent Medical Men. And the delightful nights of those two
well remembered " Waz'erly Balls," the last of which was given in
the winter of 1888, after an interval of some sixteen years; they
were both so complete in appointments, elegance and enjoyment,
that those who were privileged and attended both balls, were unable
to determine, whether the first given by the elder host as " Sir
Walter Scott," surpassed that of the younger members of the
family of entertainers, Mesdames and Messrs. Rumsey's ;
Movius ; and Dr. Charles Cary.

Gayety. 397
Lydia Russell, daughter of Wing Russell, who married Wells
D. Walbridge, was one of our society favorites, as were the
Misses Loomis, daughters of Dr. H. N. Loomis
Emma Cochrane who married Captain Amasa T. Kingman,
and his sister Sarah Ann Kingman, daughter of Mahlon King
man, and Miss Lacy, daughter of John T Lacy, married to
Francis Clark and went to Cincinnati, were all well known and
favorite girls here.
Among the young ladies of Buffalo were Mary Colton who
married R. H. Shearman, cashier of the Hollister Bank ; * and
her sister Louise Colton, who married Ransom S. Haight, a
merchant here. They were daughters of Manly Colton.
The daughters of Horatio Warren ; Miss Jewett, sister of
Elam R. Jewett; Miss Sarah Hall, sister of Judge N. K. HaU ;
Miss Mary Eaton, daughter of the Rev. Sylvester Eaton, and
Miss Maria Eaton, daughter of General Lewis Eaton were all
interesting young ladies.
In another constellation, I see Lottie Wicks, Miss Shumway,
now Mrs. Lee, daughter of Horatio Shumway ; Sarah Hall,
, (Mrs. Forbes) ; " Liska " Farnham, daughter of Thos. Farnham ;
Emily Babcock, (Mrs. Alward), daughter of George R. Babcock ;
Carrie Cobb, daughter of E. Stanton Cobb, (once Cashier of a
Buffalo Bank, was lost from the Steamer Erie when it burned
August 9th, 1 841.)
There were also the daughters of Wm. Tweedy, severally
married to Levi H. Rumrill, James C. Evans and Edwin A.
Holbrook. Eliza Ruxton who married the British Consul (Donahue) and
her sister Mary, Mrs. Norris, daughter of Wm. Ruxton, were
always favorites here.
The Misses Hager, of Swan Street, were interesting girls with
many friends.

* la the panic year of 1857, when failures of banks had become epidemic, reports
were rife affecting the integrity ofthe credit of the Holhsler Bank, which annoyed Mr.
Cashier .Shearman and caused him to publish a card in which he stated that the bank
was as strong and firm as the " Rock of Ages." It failed wiihin forty-eight hours
after the card was published.

398 Recollections of Buffalo.
Can one ever forget the handsome, stately Miss Elizabeth
Dorsheimer (Mrs. Clifton), sister of the late Lieutenant-Gover
nor Wm. Dorsheimer; himself a grand appearing man.
Or Miss Lizzie Williams (now Mrs. E. Carleton Sprague) who
dignified, cultured, was among our most admired young ladies,
The Patchins were an interesting family; the sister of Mr.
Aaron D. Patchin was a conspicuous figure in society here in her
time ; of his two daughters one married William Dorsheimer ;
the other, Dr. Nachtel, and went to Paris to live. The two daugh
ters of Mr. Thaddeus Patchin, Carrie and Jessie, were beautiful
and most attractive girls ; both were drowned a few years ago
from off a foundering or burning steamer near Sandusky, Ohio.
A stately. Queen-like girl, a relative of Mrs. Bela D. Coe, Miss
Wells, was captured by Sidney Shepard, a thrifty merchant here.
One of the most brilliant stars in the galaxy, was Jeannie
Rogers, daughter of Henry W. Rogers ; she married Professor
Ellicott Evans, of Clinton College. Miss Skinner, daughter of
Isaac W. Skinner, and Miss Dayton, (Sister Harriet), daughter
of Judge Dayton, of Lockport, were cotemporary with and
friends of Miss Rogers.
Julia, Maria and Libbie Love, daughters of Judge Thomas C.
Love ; the first married Dr. Walter Cary ; the Love and Cary
combination have largely contributed to the pleasures of Buffalo
society in past years. A spirited family, thej^ have given life and
tone to it, infused animation when society was in hum-drum con
dition ; and have accomplished much in Church, Charitable and
Patriotic work.
Abiah Hatch, daughter of Israel T Hatch, now Mrs. George
B. Hibbard was one of Society's special favorites.
Mary Abigail Fillmore, ("Abby,") one ofthe most cultivated and
interesting girls of her time. She did the honors ofthe " White
House," when her father was President, much to her credit Sad
to mention, she died very soon after her father's retirement from
office, too young to be thus cut off in the midst other usefulness
and example.

Gayety. 399
Eliza Rochester, daughter of Judge William B. Rochester,
quite a pet with aU her friends, was married to Augustus B.
Fitch. Miss Emily Buck, (Mrs. Bach), mother of Mrs. Charies H.
Utley. Of the belles ofthe decade of the fifties an exceptionall}; hand
some young woman was Miss Ramsdell, who captured and mar
ried our genial friend Charles H. Gibson ; the years seem to have
passed lightly over her.
Among the buds, belles, and brides of that decade and later,
were .several of Buffalo's own daughters, who were and are well
known in our society. The daughters of the late Henry H. Si
zer, namely : the late Mrs. Robert P. Hayes, Mrs. Richard Hil-
liard and Mrs. Albert Barnard. Miss Belle Riley, daughter of
the late General Bennett Riley, U. S. A. Miss Maria Burt, now
Mrs. Reed, daughter ofthe late General David Burt. Mrs. Hen
ry W. Burt, daughter of the late Septimus Lathrop. Mrs. Ho
bart Weed, daughter of the late William Monteith.
One of the junior young ladies of the fifties was Miss Emily
Hall, daughter of the late Judge N. K. Hall. She will be re
membered as the first wife of George Gorham, the well known
lawyer here ; as a young lady and wife her old friends retain many
pleasant recollections of her and her winning ways.
Miss Minnie Haven, daughter of the late Solomon G. Haven,
and now the widow of Charles Day ; Miss Haven was one of
the youngest and brightest ornaments that ever shone here in
society gatherings.
Among the brides here in that decade were Miss Maria, daugh
ter of A. M. C. Smith, wife of Edward M. Atwater. Miss Char
lotte Hazard, daughter of George S. Hazard, wife of Frank W.
Fiske. And yet more recent Miss Kate Ganson, daughter of the late
John S. Ganson, wife of James Sweeny, and her sister, Helen
Ganson, wife of William H. Depew.

400

Recollections of Buffalo.

The Bachelors' Ball,
OF 1853.
Here follows a copy of the notes of invitation :
" The Bachelors request the honor of your company at the American Hotel,
on Thursday Evening, Jan. 13th.''

Joseph Stringham,
Richard Williams,
Hugh Cameron,
Edgar P. Pickering,
Slvester F, Mixer,
James L, Butler,
Charles E. Peck,
Samuel K. Worthington,
Schuyler Coye,
Christian Metz, Jr.,
Buffalo, January 1, 1853.

A. Porter Thompson,
Ellicott Evans,
Edward F. Folger,
Harmon S. Cutting,
Alexander W. Harvey,
George B. Hibbard,
Harvey M. Mixer,
Benjamin F. Greene,
William H. Walker,
Samuel G. Bailey,

Charles W. Evans.
Calvin N. Otis,
Edward M. Atwater.
Samuel M. Welch,
Alexander Murray,
Samuel B. Hard,
DeWitt C. Weed,
John Allen, Jr.,
Matthew Wilson,
Henry Evans.

Perhaps this was the gayest social event that ever occurred in
the annals of Buffalo society. The large parlors of the hotel
were used for the reception of the guests. The Reception
Committee were, Joseph Stringham, Dr. Sylvester F. Mixer,
George B. Hibbard, Edward M. Atwater and Samuel M. Welch.
The supper was served in the long dining room on very long
tables. The dancing was done in the old " American Concert
Hall," a beautiful room, most profusely decorated, and carpeted
with white duck ; the approach to the hall from the reception
rooms, a distance of three hundred feet was through an inclosed
archway, hung and carpeted with white, and festooned with ev
ergreens, through which the guests were constantly passing to
and fro.
The music was under the direction of Delvecchio.
There were many guests from out of town : New York, Bos
ton, Cincinnati, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Rochester, Can
andaigua, Syracuse, Batavia, Lockport, Niagara Falls and Canada.
A number of the young lady visitors subsequently became per
manent residents here. Everything connected with the affair
was ofthe most brilliant and enjoyable character. The dress.

Gayety. 401
music, flowers, supper and wines. The dancing at that time was
gay and lively, and upon this particular occasion grew more
furious to the end.
A pretty incident occured at this ball : At the head of each
supper table was a pyramid of artistic confectionery, and at the
apex of each a small, silk, American flag ; an impromptu vote was
taken as to which two of the young ladies present should be
crowned with these flags ; the choice was declared to two out-of-
town guests: Miss Lizzie Deshler, of Columbus, Ohio, and Miss
Lizzie Swan, of Boston, Mass. The flags were worn in their
quoiffure's {en cheveux) during the remainder ofthe evening. The
writer still treasures one of those trophies.
'Twas said that at the close of the ball, from the white floor of
the haU, were picked up two quarts of hair-pins, and at least two
of those interesting articles which Edward the III. of England
picked up at a ball five hundred years before ; said to have been
dropped by the beautiful Countess of Salisbury. That incident
is recorded in history as the origin of the highest order of
Knighthood in Christendom. The emblem or motto of the
order is : " Honi soil qui mal y pense!'
The effect of that ball lingers over Buffalo society to this day;
as ten of the thirty bachelor managers were launched into mat
rimony within the space of two years afterwards ; the writer
acknowledges to being one of those ten.
Accessions — Visitors.
Intermingled with all the foregoing groups of young women,
our native belles, there came from time to time the beauties from
other social spheres, circulating through the interstices of our
home circles, like rills and gurgling brooks, forming vivid mosaic
like pictures of feminine loveliness. Often instances of clinging
to our masculine prizes and being grafted into our home stock,
as our choice flowers visited and were chosen to establish their
homes elsewhere. As a quick-witted young woman who was

40 2 Recollections of Buffalo.
about to visit another city said to me not long since, when asked
quizzically what she was going for ? quickly answered : " I am
going on business, seeking for new blood, prospecting in other
fields and pastures new."
I have known many instances of this sort of interchangeable-
ness, this kind of matrimonial-commercial union, reciprocity, or
whatever I may call it, during those decades of the thirties, for
ties and fifties.
I remember a handsome Cleveland belle. Miss Calista Fiske,
who visited her aunts, Mrs. Sidway and Mrs. Foote, and while
here was persuaded to remain at the solicitation of Mr. Orson
Phelps. A similar circumstance occurred to another of Cleveland's fair
young women thus : A young gentleman here about making a
trip to the West, was requested, and provided with a written re
quisition, to bring back under his escort, the young lady in ques
tion ; on his return he called at her father's home and presented
his credentials, which were promptly honored, and Miss Julia
Steadman was carefully escorted and handed over to her friend
Mrs. George R. Babcock. Without alluding to his intentions, or
the many fascinations of this belle of Cleveland, Mrs. Babcock's
commissioner had to put aside his pretensions when William
F. Miller came ; he saw and conquered.
The accomplished Miss Childs of Rochester, adopted Buffalo
as her home through the earnest persuasions of Mr. Asher P.
Nichols. Some of our very best matrimonial connections in the past
have been made with the maidens of Canandaigua, and our Buf
falo young men have not been slow to discover the feminine at
tractions and other advantages of such alliances, with the best
families and blood of that ever social, aristocratic and beautiful
town. Among those I can enumerate were the daughters of
Henry B. Gibson, (the most noted banker of Canandaigua,) who
married General Henry L. Lansing, and John 3. Sibley. Wil
liam B. Peck married Miss Bemis. George W. Clinton married
the daughter of John C. Spencer. John Ganson, one of our prom-

Gayety. 403
inent lawyers, married Mary Sibley, daughter of that disting
uished lawyer, Mark H. Sibley, Charlotte Wells, one of Canan-
daigua's accomplished daughters, was happily constrained to
make Buffalo her home and Henry Kip her husband. And
Charles D. Norton found there a gem when he obtained Miss
Janet Phelps.
I am not certain whether the late James M. Ganson was so
fortunate as to obtain his wife, Miss Nancy S. Belden, in Batavia
or Rochester; one or the other, perhaps she represents both
places. The iron interest seems to have been promoted by the Pratt
and Beals combination, when the partners took matrimonial
interests of Mr. Lorenz of the old house of Messrs. Lorenz,
Sterling & Co., of Pittsburgh, Penn. In less enigmatic language :
Messrs. Pascal P. Pratt and Edward P. Beals married sisters who
were the daughters of Mr. Lorenz. The sisters have passed
away, but have left with us to mourn their loss representative
daughters, interesting and accomplished young women.
Maria Mead, an educated and beautiful girl, came all the way
from Maine and while sojourning here, was won in the suit by
her legal adviser Thomas C. Welch.
We are indebted to Brooklyn for Miss Anna Titus, widow of
the late Orrin P. Ramsdell.
Miss Mary Pearce of Erie was the choice of the late James C.
Harrison. I remember one Christmas many years ago witness
ing the delight of young Mr. Harrison, when he remarked that
the book he held in his hand was for the young lady who had
promised to marry him. The book was a copy of "The Belle
of a Season," By the Countess of Blessington ; it was bound
in red-watered silk. The young lady was the daughter of a
Naval Officer, stationed at the time in Erie, Pa., but her birth
place was in Virginia.
A most welcome visitor here in her young lady days, was
Miss Margaret Louise, daughter of Judge John P. Sherwood, of
Vernon, Oneida County. She adopted Buffalo as her permanent
home when she married James M. Smith. Her death not long

404 Recollections of Buffalo.
since at Edinburgh, Scotland, at nearly the commencement of a
series of travel through Europe with her family, was a crushing
blow to them, and a severely felt loss to her many friends at home.
Another of our pleasant visitors. Miss Mancer, captured one
of our well-known young men of his time, John J. Hollister. He
surrendered gracefully.
Louise Ballard, daughter of Orin Ballard of Syracuse, married
Edward P. Hollister ; both seem happy in the alliance
We had frequent and very pleasant visits from Lucia Ransom
of Clarence, but Mr. Wm. Edwards of Cleveland, carried too
many arrows for our Buffalo beaux.
A. Porter Thompson, surrendered with discretion when he was
captured by a daughter of DeGarmo Jones of Detroit
We were visited by those admirable young ladies, the Misses
Pumpelly, of Albany ; the Misses Arnot, of Elmira ; Mary Holden
and her cousin Eliza, of Batavia ; and who forgets the winter, and
that brilliant girl, Jane Redfield, and her handsome sisters from
Batavia, who visited at Dr. Walter Gary's in 1853 when Buffalo
was so lively !
Eliza and Lizzie Swan of Boston, accomplished and lively, the
first found her mate here in John D. Townsend, now a success
ful lawyer at the New York bar. Sister Lizzie Swan won in the
chase for the " American Deer," Mr. Wm. Heath, the broker of
Wall Street. Before and since his death she has resided in Paris.
We were often visited socially, with much pleasure to our
selves by those interesting young ladies, sisters ofthe late Hon.
Thomas Street, of Niagara Falls, Ontario, and also the Misses
Laura Ranson, Mary Bruce, Mary Jackson, of Lockport, and
Miss Kate Sweeny, of Tonawanda.
Miss Lizzie Deshler, daughter of David W. Deshler, of
Columbus, Ohio, was a visitor at her brother's, Mr. John G.
Deshler, then a resident here in 1853. The writer of this record
could not resist so powerful an attack of blue eyes and other
persuasive attractions, and succumbed to the inevitable. And
this caused by example, the raid and capture of Miss Rachel
Woods, of Hamilton, Ohio, by Samuel K. Worthington, whose

Gayety. 405
persuasive powers were irresistable. Another of Ohio's lovely
daughters. Miss Anna Osborn, of Sandusky, permitted herself
to be taken by Richard Williams. Ohio has been a generous
contributor of fair and goodly women to our Buffalo homes.
Not the least of our gains in the society world of Buffalo were
the accession of the two Misses Knowlton, of Cincinnati ; Mrs.
Mary E. Mixer, widow of Dr. S. F. Mixer, and her sister Mrs.
Townsend Davis. Mrs. Mixer is a lady of decided literary
attainments, an accomplished and ready writer, both in prose
and verse, a sympathetic and generous contributor, in all matters
emanating from the head or heart. I remember a poetical mem
orial written by her as a tribute to the memory of Mr. Fillmore
at the time of his death in 1 874 ; read before a private literary
circle of which they were both members, which received the
highest commendation.
Under the care of her kinsman, the late Wm. Williams, Con
gressman and Banker, we were visited by Miss Lizzie Isham, of
Cincinnati ; after a winter's social campaign, she decided that
Buffalo was to be her home as the wife of Mr. Thos. H. Mendsen.
Miss Sibyl and Miss Maria Williams, two noble young women
who came here occasionally from New Bedford to visit their
elder sister, Mrs. Samuel W. Hawes, and their brother, Richard
Williams. Miss Harriet Rathbone often came from Genesee County to
visit her brother, John and James Ganson, and who would dare
to say that she was not one of the most beautiful girls of her
belle-era, witty and charming in manner, she excelled in her apti
tude for bright sayings and facile repartee. Even she could not
reject one of our best known young gentlemen, William
Lovering, Jr.
Miss Davenport, of Bath, came to see her relative, Mrs. Joseph
G. Masten, and although many candidates appeared for alUance
with the best blood of Steuben County, none could win but he
who knew it so well, Sherman S. Rogers.
I may be treading upon the limits of a later decade than those
I assumed to be my limit, in making these desultory records ; yet

4o6 Recollections of Buffalo.
I cannot refrain from mentioning the name of Evelyn School
craft, the late Mrs. Wm. K. Allen, who prided herself (fairly) for
her American Ancestry ; lovely in person, the more we all knew
of her character, the more we learned to admire and esteem her
for her many good qualities. Seminaries.
It would be manifestly unfair, were I to omit mentioning the
ladies and gentlemen who had much of the responsibility in
forming the characters and cultivating the manners of the
daughters of Buffalo. Many of those young ladies were
instructed in their fundamental education as well as in the higher
branches, under the tuition of Professor and Madame Williams,
whose institute was in the large granite front dwelling in lower
Pearl Street, near Seneca Street.
More of the young ladies who made a later debut were pupils
of the Misses Hill, who established their school here, under the
patronage of the Episcopalian Church, and under the supervision
of the Bishop of the Diocese. The Misses Hill themselves
purely educated and of refined manner, were earnest and con
scientious in their efforts to guide the young minds in proper
channels and imbue them with good principles ; in which they
were usually successful, as those young women who have gradu
ated from their careful teaching can testify, and who can look
back with pride and honor to the training they received from
them in their studies, deportment and morals.
Professor Charles E. West, so long the Principal of the
" Buffalo Female Seminary," is justly entitled to great credit for
the many accomplished young women he has sent forth to grace
society. Others of our young ladies of past decades received
the finishing polish of their education at those celebrated
(boarding) schools of:
Mrs. Emma Willard, of Troy, New York.
Miss Porter, at Farmington, Conn.
Madame Chegarry, of Philadelphia.
Miss Catherine M. Sedgwick, Lenox, Mass., and the Mrs.
Hoffman and Mrs. McCauley Schools, of New York City.

CHAPTER XXIII.
EXCURSIONS.

"The Sloop Ferry" to Old Fort Erie.
Long ago, say in 1835 and later, a sloop-rigged yacht of
about twenty tons measurement, capable of carrying (comfort
ably) thirty or more passengers and their light freight, trunks,
picnic baskets and such truck, did ply as a ferry and excursion
boat, between the foot of Main Street, touching at the North
Pier (where now stand the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western
coal docks and chutes) and the naturally formed stone landings
in front of the ruins of " Old Fort Erie."
The sloop was called the Lapwing and is well remembered by
some of our older Buffalonians. Many are the gay parties the
writer has joined for an excursion and picnic to the grounds
about the old fort, when the shrubbery and other adjuncts were
more primitive and romantically picturesque. Or for a day's
shooting in the woods in the vicinity, so often indeed, that the
forms and appearances of the rocks of that " natural dock " are
even now after fifty years indelibly pictured on my mind.
The Lapwing, though not a chartered ferry boat, made her
trips with such a degree of regularity that it came to be regarded
as a reliable means of passage for the traveling public ; mostly
Canadians, with their portmanteaus ; in place of going down to
Black Rock and taking the old horse ferry boat to Waterloo,
where the stages usually started for all points in Canada,
frequently did the stages lengthen their run the three miles to
Fort Erie to accommodate the Lapwing passengers.
It was not uncommon at that time for excursionists to pick up
round about the " Fort " old military buttons, broken sabres and
bullets, reminders of the War of 181 2.

4o8 Recollections of Buffalo.
Of a " Fourth of July," on one of the days of the thirties, an
excursion party, composed of a jolly set of the elite of Buffalo's
best young society, provided with all the requisites, to aid in
making a pleasant time, including hampers of luncheon, wine,
etc., and an American flag, "Fort Erie" the objective point.
There they hung out their banner on the highest pinnacle of the
outer wall of the ruined fort and proceeded to enjoy and make
themselves merry over this last successful attack on the old fort.
They thought they " held the fort " to themselves, as there were
not many neighbors in the immediate vicinity, but alas for
blighted hopes ! " Pleasures are like poppies spread,
You seize the flower, its bloom is shed ;
Or like the snow falls in the river
A moment white — then melts for ever ! "
This bold way of re-taking Fort Erie gave umbrage to the
natives, and at high noon or thereabouts the Lord of Waterloo,
the renowned Major James Kirby, the Reeve of the town and
Collector of the port at Fort Erie or Waterloo, called out his
posse commitatus and other myrmidons, and made a counter
attack on the possessors of the Fort, captured, and took all the
party prisoners, tore down the stars and stripes, confiscated their
boats, their contraband stores and supplies, liquids and flags.
This doughty Major, however, after marching the party, ladies
and all, through the sand and in the heat ofthe day, to Waterlo,
magnanimiously gave the ladies a parole on their assuring him
that they intended no indignity to his Britanic Majesty, William
IV., nor belligerent or war-like purpose in thus takingpossession of
the frowning ruins of those old walls, and permitted them to find
their way home as best they could ; but took the masculine
ring-leaders down to Fort George, Niagara, and delivered them
to the Commandant there, by whom they were soon discharged
with ample gentlemanly apology by that officer, with an under
tone ejaculation of " coarse ignorant brute." If the writer's mem
ory be clear, the American forces were led by the late Colonel
Wm. Y . P. Taylor, a genial gentleman, resident here, and included

Excursions. 409
in the party as I have been informed, Samuel W. Hawes, George
P. Barker, Henry M. Kinne, Hamlet Scrantom, Wm. Tell Jones,
Samuel F. Purdy, Ed. Jessup, John A. Newbould, A. A. Evsta-
pheive, John W. Buckland, H. K. Viele, accompanied by an
equal number of ladies, some of them the young wives of the
gentlemen of the party, and the Misses McElwee, Staats, Strong,
Kip, Sparrow, Wilson and others not remembered.
Major Kirby was rarely seen in the streets of Buffalo subse
quent to this affair. The only possible excuse for this outrage
and abuse of hospitality on the part of Major Kirby, might
have been that political affairs at that time were getting to be of
a rebellious character, which did finally culminate in the
Canadian Rebellion; and that Officer was desirous of demon
strating .his loyality to the Crown, as he was known to be a
violent tory. The temporary discomforture of the party gave
rise for much merriment ever after.
A few years later, on a lovely September day with cerulean
sky, lake and river on which were hundreds of white winged
craft of all descriptions, covered with English and American
bunting; another excursion party of ladies and gentlemen
crossed the Niagara in a six-oared yawl, manned by sailors, in
precisely thirty minutes and took improvised front seats within the
waUs of the old fort, just as the Prince of Wales landed on the
platform with his escort, the Duke of Newcastle, and General
Williams. The Prince doffed his battered old white hat,
saluted the audience and delivered his address to the people of
Bertie, Welland and Haldimand. After its close and as the
royal party was about departing, one of the Buffalonians, recog
nizing the General WiUiams, as the world-renowned " hero of
Kars," rising from her seat proposed " three cheers for General
Williams, the hero of Kars." They were given with a will by
the surprised assembly, which had no idea until the cheers were
proposed, that they had a hero in their midst. The excursion
party returned to their Buffalo homes amid the dipping of flags,
tA\efeu dejou and huzzas of the multitude, in welcome for the
Prince, arriving after an absence of only two hours.

41 o Recollections of Buffalo.
A Sleigh-ride in April!
At the close of one winter, or rather on a warm, fair day in
April, after a long winter of ice, snow and sleighing, the snow
still heavily covering the ground ; a party of young ladies and
gentlemen one evening improvised a sleigh-ride to Niagara
Falls for the following morning. The opening day was one of
sunshine, the air was crisp, and almost opaque, the glittering
particles of frost scintillating sparkles of light in the sun's rays
like flashes from diamonds. The party, with several four and
six-horse teams, with open sleighs (the tops laid back), plenty of
wraps and buffalo robes, early started, gay with anticipated
pleasure ; the route was out Main Street, to the " Guide-board
road," and thence following it down to the river road. When
coming to the " old " St Louis Church, they found from there
onward to the base of the hill deep drifts of snow, which had
been cut through for the passage of teams. So high were these
drifts (in April), they were like high walls on either side that no
one of the party standing on the seats of the sleighs could see
over them.
This particular location from Virginia Street up as far as where
Allen Street is, as far east as Michigan Street and further and
west almost to Nia,gara Street, was at that time nearly destitute
of buildings or trees and but little shrubbery, hence a bleak,
barren, open space, where the wild winds had full sweep. This
place became commonly known as " Saginaw Bay."
The drive was delightful and the party hilarious. No special
event occurring excepting while passing through a deep gully
below Black Rock dam, there the drifts had become choppy,
and into which two of our sleighs were upset, which caused con
siderable fun and muscular exertion to righten them. Arriving
in good season at the Falls we drove up to the " Cataract " to
find it just sufficiently open to accommodate the party, and
while the Whitneys were having our dinners prepared, we made
our way on foot over to Goat Island, where every place and tree,
branch and rock, was covered with beautiful ice, the trees and

Excursions. 41 1
branches forming natural arches and grottoes, robed in pearly
white, all dazzling in the bright sun.
The surface of the ground excepting in the beaten track of the
path, was one vast sheet of wavy glare ice, while the party were
recklessly wandering about, a few approached on that treacher
ous ice, the point of Goat Island overlooking the declivity and
Lunar FaUand Island, the trees of which seemed loaded with the
sparkling winter fruit of the place called " ice apples," (frozen
balls of snow). On this point underneath the trees and so near
the precipice, it was very dangerous footing, among its brilliant
attractions. A venturesome young lady of the party ascended a
small rise nearest the point, intending to grasp a branch of one
of. the trees which were each glistening fountains of ice, with
stalactites reaching down from them, making kaleidoscopes in
the sun's rays ; the young lady failing to grasp the tree, lost her
footing and slid down the ice where it inclined inwardly, in reach
of a young man, who grasped her clothing, which only saved her
from going shear over the precipice.
Returning to the hotel with appetites strengthened by vigorous
exercise, we dined heartily, the fumes of " Veuve Cliquot "
sharpened our wits, impromptu speeches and toasts became the
order of the day. Among the young ladies were several with
Auburn or golden hair and ringlets; becoming lively, one of
these golden-haired demoiselles proposed to give a toast which
should be drank, all standing; when all were standing, she said:
" here is to ladies with gilded domes, may their shadows never
grow less.''
When the day was waning our party made preparations and
started for home ; on their return a lovely full moon appearing
to welcome and accompany them in their drive. While
driving towards Tonawanda the ladies and gentlemen made the
welkin ring with melodiously singing, " sparkling and bright "
and other merry songs, shouts and merry laughter.
On our arrival at Monsieur Chaselet's, hostelry, at Tonawanda,
he was ready to welcome us with a hot French supper; a saddle
of venison from off the sheep's back, grouse from the chicken

412 Recollections of Buffalo.
roost, with French wine from grapes grown on the south side of
the moon. After supper the party still continuing hilarious,
some wicked chap proposed that they should improvise a
wedding, when Tom W. promptly asked Ann B. if she would
stand up with him ; with snapping eyes she quickly assented.
Monsieur Chaselet was called and asked if there was any one
near who could perform a marriage ceremony. Oh! Oui ! Oui!
I am what you call de Notaire — Magistrate — and he proceeded
to draw forth a table, placing a couple of tall candles upon it
and a large Bible and announced himself as ready. The volun
teer groom jumped up, but the bride had miraculously dis
appeared ! She had already gotten into the .sleigh, going on her
bridal trip.
As the moon shone from the zenith, the party arrived at home
without a shadow to cloud their happiness.
The Sulphur Springs.
For a morning drive, or a trot on the back of a spirited horse,
it was a pleasant excursion to go out the Aurora road by the
" Red Jacket " tavern, where our old friend, George B. Gates at
one time dispensed hospitalities, then turn off the main road near
by the Indian Church, leading to the " Sulphur Springs." [The
water of these springs the only Spas in this County, of which we
made account at that time as having medical or salutary quali
ties, were highly seasoned and perfumed with old boots, rubbers,
antiquated eggs, and other impure contingents. ; therefore con
sidered health promoting.]
At that time it was a picturesque spot on the earth; a dreamy
place for lounging of an afternoon with your friend, or perhaps
languishing with your sweet-heart.
I recall a morning ride of a merry party of six of us, * who
started out at sunrise one summer morning; the Spa our point
of destination with the intention of imbibing of those bad an'
bad'n waters. One of the party, a merchant in active business
*The party were Samuel J. Hinsdale, O. P. Ramsdell, Albert J. Starr, Edward D.
Wells, Geo. Starr and the Writer.

Excursions. 413
here, (until his recent death), after all these years, whom to dis
tinguish we will call " O. P.," fancying some wonderful curative
power in water so powerfully bad, prevailed upon the proprietor
of the Hacienda to rake up for us some discarded Heidsick bottles,
cleanse them for the vile liquid, (to my thought, a work of
super-purgation),- fill, cork and pack them, that we might manage
to tote them on board our chevaux.
When " O. P." and we found ourselves in the usual condition
of the original native inhabitants of that region, which is
expressed in their vernacular, " Tan-ta-gau-ya wis-taw," (with
out cash). Mine host of the Spa began to have doubts that we
might not be what we seemed ; a party of gentlemen ; expostu
lated with us, and began to question our rectitude in the matter
of deferred payment for his bills and labor; when our destitute
condition suggested such a solution of the dilemma, he was
becoming indignant to vehemence. Then our valorous leader,
O. P., rising in his stirrups in majestic dignity, with his oratorical,
lordly suavity of speech and outstretched gesturing hand,
pointing towards the excited doubter, said to him, in the most
extinguishing terms : " Why, my dear sir !
" We are all gentlemen oi t!s\e first water, out in our riding
costume for a morning canter. Having discovered here as we
think the water of Lethe, desiring to possess ourselves of a home
draught, to test its purity, we did not suppose for a moment
that we should require the use of filthy lucre to buy this dirty
water, and we did not come provided with the necessary
quid pro quo.
" Wishing some of our friends after our experience with it
might partake of the wholesome beverage, we put you to
trouble prematurely. However, do not doubt but that we .shall
ultimately discharge our financial obligation to you, (and the
water), upon one of the many frequent visits we may make here
or hereafter."
This flourish of diction in our chief seemed to crush the
individual's presumption.

414 Recollections of Buffalo.
When " O. P." waving his hand in his chivalric style said :
" Come, gentlemen, let us to horse ! Time is money," away
we started, leaving the man agape with amazement. Neither
" O. P." nor I have been there since, to my knowledge. The
morning ride, however, was delightful, and the episode provided
us with material for merry talks ever after.
Niagara River and the Falls.
It was a delightful summer outing in those old days of the
thirties, before the advent of railway travel, to provide yourself
and companions with a well equipped and stylish coach and
chariots, according to the number of your party and their
requirements, and skirt Niagara River from Lake Erie to Lake
Ontario. The coaches and chariots of the day were luxurious, and really
aristocratic in appearance. For those who could afford this
mode of travel, in place of the ordinary stage coach, they were
often adopted for excursions of pleasure or extended trips of
summer travel.
An early start in the long, leafy days of June you could easily
and pleasantly drive down the Canadian shore of the Niagara
River to Lake Ontario, and return by the River road on its east
erly or American side, in two days if you so wished ; the writer
accomplished it handsomely once, between sunrise and two
o'clock of a moonlight night, but that team of fleet, sturdy bays,
were rare ones and had great power of endurance.
It was a delightful way to give our Eastern cousins an enjoy
able visit to the great cataract when they came to visit us.
The choice route and mode of doing it, was to drive out Main
Street to the "guide board road," (North Street); thence to
Haggart's Ferry at Black Rock. The ferry boat was propelled
by four horses, two on each side of the boat, tread-mill fashion,
on a road which itself was a horizontal, revolving wheel, which
by the use of cogs were in connection with the paddle wheels.
Crossing the Niagara to Waterloo, thence along the picturesque,
shaded and embowered river road, which then had a considerable

Excursions,

415

margin between it and the water edge, luxuriant with wild berry
bushes, sumachs, alders and thrifty grasses, here and there
clumps of willows, and lines like ranks of grenadiers of Lom-
bardy poplars. The natural country road, in many places
bordered with shapely sycamores, oaks and beech trees, forming
romantic vistas, charming nooks for resting places and lunching.
During the past fifty years the water has encroached upon the
margin of the river and made sad havoc with these old trees and
the romantic beauty of the river road.
Passing thro' Chippawa, where once was a thrifty village, hav
ing a considerable agricultural trade, and an exporting and
importing trade with the " States," and I do not like to add, a
smuggling trade, the home of the Macklems, Streets, McMick-
ings, Hepburns, Cummings and Kirkpatricks, well known
families to the Buffalonians. But now the little town, so near to
so much thrift, has fallen into decay, and those leading families
have nearly all gone, mostly " over to the majority."
Two or three miles farther on we reach the " Pavilion " Hotel ;
it was on a high bluff, overlooking the " Horseshoe Falls " and
" Table Rock ; " the latter a once fine feature of Niagara Falls,
which has disappeared since the thirties ; and during the inter
mediate time, the form and picturesqueness of the " Horseshoe "
has much changed, and the entire Falls receded an average of
quite a hundred feet. The " Pavilion " stood on a charming
spot. It was a large, white structure, with a high pillared
portico, the piazza facing the broad sweep of the rapids above
the Falls, and the " Horseshoe " and " American Fall " proper.
It was a bright, attractive and gay hotel ; where we took our one
o'clock dinner leisurely, royally. Passing on, our drive leads
through DrummondviUe and Lundy's Lane, where General
Winfield Scott won his first historical record and promotion ;
down we go through the bluff and facing the " American Fall "
to the river road at " Table Rock," and along the road on the
high bluffs ofthe river to the " Clifton House," where we refreshed
our horses and ourselves with liquid satifaction. Then continu
ing the same road along its grand cliffs, we soon reached Queen-

41 6 Recollections of Buffalo.
ston Heights, where stands the monument of Sir Isaac Brock,
the British Commander who lost his life here, in the battle of
Queenston, October 13th, 18 13.
Before descending to the village of Queenston, nestled down
beneath the heights, let us look at our surroundings : The grand
expanded, buena vista that is all about us. We are at the centre
of the broad escarpment, where the rushing torrent of the
Niagara ploughs it way through the rocky gorge several hundred
feet below us ; discharging its waters into the lower level. The
scene is ever grand and fascinating ; you see the white ribbon of
the Niagara before you, advancing with sturdy energy in broad
bending sweeps, a silver line, sparkling and shimmering in the
rays of the June sunlight, delivering its water to the blue
Lake Ontario, which is plainly visible miles away from
where we stand on the heights. The broad expanse of
country on either hand, below this rocky escarpment of Lew
iston and Queenston heights, shows in vivid pictures the vary
ing green of the thrifty farms and fruit lands, the delicate and
timid green of the peach orchards, the rich, dark and cool green
of the deciduous trees, which are plainly defined, as a bird's eye
viewing ; and is all inexpressibly beautiful.
One hardly realizes that here is where the many waters of the
far northwest from the Lake of the Woods hither, discharge
themselves into the vast reservoir of Ontario, after being boiled,
churned and filtered by the great Falls and rapids of the Niagara
and thence onward down the St. Lawrence, and out on the wide
bosom of the Atlantic Ocean.
From the little village of Queenston, under the Mountain, our
road passes along by the river, and the site of old Fort George,
near its mouth ; and, not far away, Fort Mississauga in the old
town of Niagara, once a lively and important town of the frontier
and shire town of the county, but now in reduced circumstances.
with its quaint old houses and lonely lanes. On the opposite or
American side of the river, on the point of its mouth, the beacon
light of commerce stands sentry over our old Fort Niagara.
Near by, a little way from this, is the viUage of Youngstown, our

Excursions. 41 7
first point on the home side of the river, to which place we re-
cross again by ferry boat.
Now for the home drive along the easterly shore of the Niag
ara : as 'twere thro' a park and meadows to the then beautiful
village of Lewiston, named for one of our early Governors, where
we rest for the night; bait our cattle and ourselves with greedy
appetites at the " Frontier House," a large rough-cast building,
with Grecian portico ; still standing on the northerly side of the
main avenue. We then look over and do up the village. The
Academy looms up at the head of the Avenue or artery of the
town. This was a favorite school in the thirties ; the Alma Ma
ter of some of our older Buffalonians. At Lewiston dock tour
ists took passage on those remarkably tidy and well ordered
steamboats of the " Ontario Line," commanded by Captains
Ledyard, Throop, and VanCleve, and others of their ilk, for a
trip through Lake Ontario to Fort Frontenac, the " Thousand
Islands," and the Rapids of the St. Lawrence to Montreal and
Quebec. The morning sees us take a fresh start up the mountain, and
along the cliff road, stopping at " Devil's Hole," at which place
a massacre occurred in 1763. A supply train passing up the nar
row river road, and overlooking this Devil of a hole, escorted by
English troops, were here surprised by an ambuscade of Seneca
Indians, commanded by a noted chief and orator of the tribe,
" Farmer's Brother," and all but about half a dozen ofthe whole
party ruthlessly scalped, murdered and thrown over the bank.
Leaving Devil's Hole we soon reach the descent to the Whirl
pool, and shortly arrive at General Whitney's old " Cataract Ho
tel," which now, after fifty years, is kept by his son. Major Solon
Whitney. There, if we so desire, we remain until the third morn
ing, driving all about the Falls, seeing their wildness and beau
tiful surroundings as they then existed ; faring sumptuously at
the hotel under the General's care, and lulled to sleep in the dor-
matories down over the rapids, by the musical roar of the " hell
of waters."

41 8 Recollections of Buffalo.
On the third morning. Ho ! for Buffalo and home, " twenty
miles away." As we pass the decayed ruins of old Fort Schlos
ser and the dock, at the old warehouse there, our thoughts revert
to the dead Duffy, lying there, after the destruction of the Car
oline. We continue along the river, under the full leafed verdure of
the trees and beautiful green of the grass on either side of us,
each leaf and spear glistening with the pearly drops left from the
sun shower of the early morning, to where is now LaSalle ; named
for the man who on that spot built, in 1679, the first vessel that
ever sailed over the great lakes. It was called the " Griffin," in
which LaSalle made his explorationjourney to * "Missilimakinak,"
on his route from Quebec to that place ; and thence down the
Illinois river and the Mississippi.
From LaSalle we bowl along to Tonawanda, resting at Mon
sieur Chasselet's, who upon private personal request, would give
you a choice saddle of Venison ! from the best wether of the flock
at any season ofthe year, which the party enjoyed hugely; little
thinking of the wool that had grown on that saddle; but the
cunning French caterer, had a knack at that sort of counter
feiting. But the story of this excursion is getting too long. We reach
home before the sun sets behind the walls of old Fort Erie, near
where our trip began.
Those bright days, over which the memory stiU lingers are
past; the horses are dead, the coaches and chariots decayed, the
tires of the wheels grown thin, the spokes are rattling loose, the
coach lace and cushions are moth eaten, horse boats are obsolete
and most of the good people upon those excursions have gone
to a " diet of worms." Now it is but a dash of the locomotive, a
look at Niagara Falls, and away to the Rockies, and Mauna Loa
and Japan. " Now twilight lets her curtain down.
And pins it with a star ! "

* The orthography of this name is from the narrative of Father Hennepin, who
was with LaSalle.

CHAPTER XXIV
Concluding Chapter.
The writer of the foregoing sketches, and excursions among
the institution people, and events ofthe past of Buffalo, especially
of that decade of the thirties, concludes herewith the work he
has long been preparing. Attended with considerable labor in
collecting and arranging materials, it has nevertheless proven
" its own exceeding great reward," thus vividly to have had
recalled to his memory a very large number of the active people
of Buffalo, whom he familiarly knew as boy and man, prominent
here in the era of the thirties — so great a multitude of whom long
since joined the " Shadowy Band " and to have witnessed through
the same mysterious process of memory, the typical events of
that most important period [in view of results] of all the past, of
the superb city it has become.
No one, alive to the amazing developments of the last fifty to
sixty years, living at such a centre as Buffalo, can regard it
otherwise than as an inestimable privilege to have been permitted
to have his own brief term of life cast in that remarkable period
in the world's history extending from the decade of the forties to
that of ninety. That wondrous era in all traditional, legendary,
authentically recorded history of the human family on earth.
An era in which were greater developments than many preced
ing centuries had witnessed.
Prior to the thirties, while some improvements had slowly
obtained, civilized mankind for generation had mostly followed
the old beaten paths which their fathers had trodden, in all prac
tical affairs ; in education, in learning and the so-called " higher
accomplishments," as well as in the arts and trades. Had con
tinued " the good old rules " in living, in all methods of farming,
business, building, mechanics, household economy and usages.

420 Recollections of Buffalo.
That they were those in use " in the old country," with many
silenced all argument. All proposed improvements, including
better architecture, involving the laws of hygiene, tending to pro
long life, to promote health, more leisure and greater comfort in
living, denounced as " New ?' angled Notions." " The ways our
fathers followed should be good enough for us," was the govern
ing sentiment among those who respresented "public opinion."
In the beginning of the thirties most of the common domestic
conveniences, mechanical devices, and farming implements, were
still of the simplest and rudest character. Stoves of the most
primitive design were just beginning to be used — a fire-box
below and an oven above. A few heroic experimenters had
their deep, wide fire-places walled up, and " fire frames " adjusted
in front. "The conceit of 'crazy folks' to save fuel!" It was
still a very long way from those to the artistic heating and
cooking stoves of a few years later, and of the marvelous,
numberless other heating and cooking apparatus now in common
use everywhere.
In the thirties, the old-time flail was the only implement with
which the grain was beaten out. It involved, however, some
amusement; difficult to find material strong enough to connect
the swingel with the handle, which would not break. Dried eel
skins were found to be the toughest. For the most part eels
could only be caught at night, in ponds. Great fun for the boys
to be off, on still summer nights, fishing for eels. " Good to
eat " and the dried skins made the best of all flail hinges.
The device for separating the grain from the orts and chaff
was after raking off the straw to shake down the grain from a
height, in a current of air, into different size riddles, by which it
was finally left in a tolerably clean condition. Even there
remained in my old family home, that oldest fashion of a " fan "
(brought from England by an early ancestor), which even in the
thirties, was sometimes used when there was haste and the wind
was light. (This is the sa,me implement referred to in Matthew
3rd, 1 2th.)

Concluding Chapter. 421
The writer remembers when in the thirties a principal care
had to be observed " not to let the fire go out." At bedtime, or
when the family were preparing for many hours of absence, it
was an art only entrusted to the most experienced member ofthe
household " to cover up the fire so it will keep." At the best it
would sometimes go out. Then flint and steel and tinder, (and
you know how to use them), and brimstone dipped matches
wherewith to re-kindle it ; the only alternative was to resort to
neighbors, perhaps some distance away, to " borrow a fire
brand, kept alive by deftly swinging it on the way back. At my
" old homestead," when there was any powder in the house at
such a crisis, the old " Queen's Anne flint firelock which had
seen service in the Revolution and ''the war of '12," was brought
into requisition. Filling the " pan " with powder and nicely
adjusting a wisp of tow from it to the kindling in the fire-place
and flashing it, was a very good method of re-lighting when the
fire was lost.
It was a considerable step (in the thirties) from the tinder box
to the sulphur match lighted in oil of vitriol contained in a little
wide-mouthed vial, packed with wool. Then came the " Lucifer
matches," drawn forcibly through a fold of sand paper, when
finally came the so-called " Loco Foco Matches," the same as
those of improved quality in general use to-day.
It will readily be seen on reflection the great utility there is in
so simple and common things as friction matches, in our daily
lives; facilitating every variety of business whatsoever in shop,
office, or household. And the thought surprises us that they
were not invented till well along in the thirties ! It were literally
an endless undertaking to enumerate the inventions of great and
constant practical utility, originated during and since the decade
of the thirties. And these few details are given as showing that
nearly all the later, prodigious advancements, inconceivable at
that day, took their rudimental origin and first advance in the
thirties. When " Clinton's Big Ditch " was proposed in the Twenties
or earlier, it was regarded by the " wise " as but the conception

42 2 Recollections of Buffalo.
of a lunatic and wholly impracticable. But it did prove another
long step forward ; as a means of travel and transportation much
in advance of stages and Canastota wagons, and still daily demon
strates itself a great utility — when not frozen up !
But it proved another vast step forward when at the first trials
on the strap rail of the Albany and Schenectady Railroad, was
attained a speed of eight miles an hour I with hopes ultimately to
double it ! which were more than realized in a very few years, till
now, the Iron Horse has acquired a speed as of " a rushing mighty
wind," even outstripping the movement ofthe tornado. The extent
of tracks reaching hundreds of thousands of miles, if we reckon all,
in all of the lands ofthe earth. We move "as on wings of air,"
in a day, distances which a few years since would have required
weeks of laborious travel, (actual travail). " We step upon a magic
carpet " and are wafted to our destination over intervening hun
dreds, or thousands of miles, as floating away in an aerial car,
through a section of Beauteous Dreamland.
Lake and ocean navigation have kept equal pace with all else,
'till instead of the slow motion, dangers and discomforts as at
tendant on a trip from Detroit to Buffalo, described in the body
of this work, the improvements have been such, that a trip to
Chicago or Duluth is absolutely not only devoid of special peril
but is a splendid luxury. The same can be said of a trip across
the ocean. Less than a week from New York to Liverpool. If
we cannot transport our bodies over wide distances by a glance
of thought, as in fairy tales, and if distance be not annihilated, it
is amazingly abbreviated.
That period of the thirties [while the rude ways and customs
of antecedant ages still prevailed to a considerable degree, and
the aboriginal Pagans were still in our midst, the great chief Red
Jacket dying in '32], was the threshold of entrance to a far more
excellent temple than the people themselves began to imagine
they were rearing; a miraculous expansion in aU things and
steadily augmenting to the present time, these efforts proved but
the scaffolding to the structure they were actually erecting
" though they knew it not." Instance the magnetic telegraph

Concluding Chapter. 423
realizing as a fact that " Puck would put a girdle around the earth
in forty seconds ! " Morse was reckoned but another " crazy fa
natic " when announcing here, to our amazement that he would
enable the people of Buffalo to hold instantaneous intercommu
nication with New Orleans through his proposed telegraph. Now
for a generation past every hour and minute demonstrated, that
we can hold immediate converse with all people all around the
world. While in glorification of Franklin, " The lightning yielded to
his philosophy," and the like — it can only be said he demon
strated to some extent what electricity was. It remained for
those of later times to compel it to our use, a great intelligence
bearer, a great illuminator, and mighty moving power. Liter
ally, we chain it to our cars and it obeys our will. Compare the
electric light with the tallow dips and mould candles of the
thirties ! Truly, " We live in a grand and awful time," Longfellow.
For, added to all that has been enumerated, we now have for
daily convenience, so common that it no more excites comment
than the air we breathe, that ne plus ultra of wonders, the tele
phone. We speak directly into each others ears through hun
dreds of miles of distance, quite as a thing of course.
The suggestion is startling, that if the phonograph had then
been known, even the utterances of Christ could have been kept
and reproduced in the ears of the people to-day, identical with
those of his daily conversation !
We are steadily in these decades, succeeding the thirties, when
we had so broad a beginning, illustrating that in all the advances
we are making, each seeming as if the best had been reached ; it
proves but the commencement of far greater improvements. That
we are in all these steps of progress, but " Making stepping
stones for our dead .selves to higher things."

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