.YALE'WMWEI&SSTrY'

J901

THE
EARLY HISTORY
OF THE

TOWN OF ELLICOTT,

CHAUTAUQUA COUNT Y N. Y.

COMPILED LARGELY PROM THE

PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS

OF THE AUTHOR,

BY

GILBERT W. HAZELTINE, M. D.

JAMESTOWN, N. T :
JOURNAL PRINTING COMPANY,
1887.

TO
MRS. MARY NORTON PRENDERGAST.
THIS VOLUME SPEAKS OF THE BRAVE, HEROIC, AND SELF-SACRIFICING
EARLY SETTLERS OF THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT, WHO SHARED
THE TOILS OF THE WILDERNESS WITH THOSE NOBLE
AND GENEROUS FOUNDERS OF JAMESTOWN,
JAMES AND AGNES THOMPSON PEENDEEGAST,
THE PARENTS OF THAT EQUALLY NOBLE AND GENEROUS SON,
ALEXANDEE THOMPSON PEENDEEGAST,
YOUR LATE HUSBAND, SO SUDDENLY TAKEN AWAY, AND OF YOUR ONLY
SON, SO GREATLY BELOVED, AND SO DEEPLY MOURNED
BY THE CITIZENS OF JAMESTOWN; THE LATE
HON. JAMES PEENDEEGAST,
TAKEN IN THE FLOWER OF HIS MANHOOD, THE LAST OF HIS FAMILY.
TO YOU, THE LOVING WIFE,
THE AFFECTIONATE MOTHER AND GENEROUS FRIEND, THE GRIEF
STRICKEN WATCHER AMONG THE TOMBSTONES, WHERE
ALL OF YOUR IDOLS LIE BURIED, I RESPECT
FULLY DEDICATE THIS VOLUME. THE AUTHOR.

PREFACE.
What is the ratio justified of this book ? Simply this.
Our friends desired us to write it, and we wrote it ; the Jour
nal Printing Company printed it, and Merz put on the covers.
It is a home made book for home use ; and the critics, if any,
we expect to be to the manor born.
Our friends will justify themselves by saying, — "we de
sired to rescue the memory of our grandfathers and. our
grandmothers, and our parents, from the deep pall of obliv
ion which was fast settling down upon them, — and the history
of their homes in the wilderness, in which they labored so
hard to secure blessings which we alone have lived to reap
and to enjoy. The hardy, generous, and in many instances
gifted men and women, who lived and labored in what are
now our busy streets, have left enduring monuments of their
united labor, but the records of their individual selves, have
been meagre and unsatisfactory. The records imprinted on
the memories of a few yet living — whose boyhood days were
spent in Jamestown, before it had become an incorporated
village, have been found, of all remaining sources of informa
tion, the most reliable and satisfactory. There are still living
here a number of persons who became citizens from 1825 to
1835, whose memory of events has yielded material assistance
by sustaining and strengthening the memory of the writer, —
by what they themselves knew of, and had frequently heard
related, of the early settlers. As the years roll on, their
deeds would soon have been forgotten, if the extended
sketches we have caused to be made by one who was an on
looker, had not been written and givento the world." This is
the answer you elicit from our friends.

VI PREFACE.
It has been our attempt to record the names and the deeds
of the fathers, surrounded by all that constituted their homei
— as we once saw them, and as, to-day, they are vividly de
picted in our memory. We have labored to place before you,
their children and successors— pictures of their persons, —
their homes, — and their surroundings in the long ago when
Jamestown was a hamlet in the wilderness — when the Pearl
City was the Eapids — when instead of the busy hum of a
hundred factories and a thousand industries, and a city of
comfortable homes and palace residences there were a few
lowly dwellings, and the hum was of the saw mill and the
busy boatman by day, and the howl of the wolf or the scream
of the wild cat in the Big Fly, by night. The homes,
the industries, the scenes here depicted, were to our noble
but humble-minded fathers the all of human life — they
bounded the horizon of their being — they were the environ
ments of their existence. Memory had embalmed them in
the hearts of their children, now few remaining, old and fast
passing away. What is known of these Pioneers among the
children's children, the present generation, is weak and shad
owy, and is yearly becoming more and more dim, and at the
end of another decade — even within that short period — folk
lore would have claimed the little remaining of the memory
of the early settlers. We interpose this feeble book to prevent
such a disaster. We present it as a rough monument to
their memories — their homes— their deeds — their lives.
Although conscious that we have used every effort,
which could be reasonably expected, to accurately describe
the scenes and events herein depicted, yet the invariable ex
perience of others should teach us not to claim entire exemp
tion from those errors and imperfections always found in
works pf biography and history. History has been defined
" An approximation towards truth." We cannot believe that
this definition even approximates to a true one,- nevertheless
it may embody a shadow of a truth, for every thing human is
marked by imperfections.

PREFACE. VU
We are sorry to admit that the reader will find in this
book a number of typographical errors, largely from the mis
placing of types by the compositor. Two of us read the proofs.
We were not expert proof readers, but we were of the opinion
that if we were careful we would be able to correct all mis
takes, and are now, when it is too late to rectify them, not
only mortified but astounded that we have overlooked so
many. We have prepared a table of errata — but believing
that such tables are seldom consulted by the reader we have
concluded to omit it. We also discover the following errors
of importance, which we trust that each one who purchases
the book will correct before he attempts to read it. By so
doing, they may save themselves the display of unnecessary
temper, and confer a great favor on the author and pub
lisher. On page 13, eighth line from the bottom, please note
that A. T. Prendergast was born in 1809 — not in 1807. Com
positor says he cannot tell our 7 from our 9, and places the
blame on our penmanship.
On page 116, eleventh line from the top, the sense is de
stroyed until yon have manufactured that period after Dix
into a comma.
On page 131, eighth line from top, if you will convert
that now into a not — the sentence will convey to you just the
opposite meaning.
On page 227 we speak of Lieut. Einaldo Jones and Eich-
ard Jones as the sons of Ellick and Louisa (Walkup) Jones.
They were the sons of Ellick and Harriet (De Jean) Jones.
On page 401, we state that Wm. Landon married Jane
Palmiter. That won't do; it is not true. Broadhead married
Jane, and Landon married her cousin, Hannah Spencer.
On page 427 the compositor makes us state that Eobert
Miles "was a Frewsburg man." How it was possible to con
vert Sugar Grove into Frewsburg we cannot say, but we long
ago found out that the types and the Devil can do whatever
they undertake . Eobert Miles lived near Sugar Grove, on the
flat this side, which for many years after his death was the

Vlh PREFACE.
home of his son Frederick Miles. Eobert Miles died there in
the year 1810.
On page 413 — Types make the statement that Eev. Ab-
ner Barlow married Polly Strunk in the year 1723. The
reader will please shorten the time one hundred years and
change that 7 into an 8 — 1823.
On page 441 Joseph appears where it should be Jasper.
With these corrections we believe the most critical reader
will find our statements truthful, at least in all matters of im
portance. The sources from which we have compiled this vol
ume are, first and most important, our own recollections,
which seemingly to us, are as vivid as when the events trans
pired ; and these for the most part strengthened by the recol
lections of others. Of those things bevond our remembrance
the historic memorandums of our father, Dr. Laban Hazel-
tine, and of Abner Hazeltine, who were on lookers and par
ticipants in the affairs of Ellicott from 1814 and '15 up to the
times of their death — and of papers relating to the early trans
actions in this locality, and which for many years have been
in our possession. Many of these early papers, some of which
date back to 1812, relate to transactions not always creditable.
From them another, unacquainted with those early days,
might conscientiously write a history which would differ ma
terially from the one we here present, and to the serious in
jury of otherwise worthy early settlers of this country. Before
this book is given to the public, we shall do ourself the honor
of placing those old papers where Alexander placed the notes
— and thus blot out the last evidence of transactions which
belong not to history, and should have been forgotten long
ago. We acknowledge having received important material
assistance m aid of publishing this volume — and as further
contributions are still hoped for, and as a few have desired
that their names should not be mentioned here, it has been
concluded best to make these acknowledgments at some future

PREFACE. II
time, after all contributions in aid of the undertaking have
been received.
We are indebted to N. Brown for a chapter on Ohio
river trade from flat boats, of which, if not the originator he
has become the " autocrat." And to Elijah Bishop, for a val
uable contribution to our early history of the Methodist Epis
copal c. lurch; and what is more, for his constant verbal addi
tions to our items of early history, gleaned from his own
historical scraps and memorandums, which are a large and
valuable collection, and which we trust Mr. Bishop will place
at the disposal of the Prendergast Library for future use. Mr.
Bishop spent much time and labor in preparing an article for
•our newspaper series, on the history of temperance societies,
which we have been compelled to omit from this volume. To
Judge Marvin we are indebted for constant advice, which we
have followed in preparing this volume. He has constantly
kept before us that the principal men, active in the settle
ment and building up of Jamestown, were noble, self-sacrific
ing men, and that there was so much that was good and
generous and noble to be written of them, that their few faults
and mistake's were not worthy, for the most part, even of
mention. We most heartily thank him for the advice and
encouragement he has so heartily given.
In our own opinion anecdotes relating to the early settlers
of the country are exceedingly valuable, in illustrating the
•condition of the country and its inhabitants, in those early
days. We have considered them useful in aiding us to shade
up the pictures we have attempted to draw of the country in
its wilderness days, and therefore have introduced them
freely. Another one has said to us : " You have treated
your subject philosophically, poetically, ethically, satirically,
critically, metaphysically and humorously, and at times sen-
tentiously, and you ought to be satisfied.' ' We hope each one
will find something that will accord with his taste. Such as
it is, we send it forth to them for whom it was written — hope-
ing they will find therein much to commend and but little to
condemn.

CONTENTS.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
THE PRENDERGAST FAMILY.
Remarks on Jjjarly and Local History. — Travels of the Preoder-
gasts from Pittstown, N. Y., to Tennessee, and from Thence
to Chautauqua Co. — Black Tom. — Thomas Prendergast Buys
a Farm.— The Family Winter in Canada. — Their Purchase
of Lands on Chautauqua Lake. — The Stray Horses and
James Prendergast's Search for Them. — Sees the Rapids,
and Visits Kiantone. — James Returns to Pittstown in 1806. —
Agnes Thompson. — Marries in the Spring of 1807. — His
Brother Mathew Buys Land for Him in 1808. — Alexander
Born in February, 1809. — James Prendergast again Visits
Chautauqua in 1809 with John Blowers. — Visits the Rapids
with William Bemus. — His Ride and His Reflections on the
Lake and Outlet. — Emigrates with His Family to Chautau
qua in 1810. — Moves into his Log House at the Rapids in
1811. — Burning of the House and Mill?. — Wm. Forbes
and aNew House. — Dr. La ban Hazeltine. — The Blowers
House.   Page 1
CHAPTER II.
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY, ETC.
The Labor Question, Socialism and Anarchy. — First Town
Meeting in the County. — Division into Chautauqua and
Pomfret. — Some Early Settlers in the North and West Parts
of the County. — First County Officers. — Building and Burn
ing of Prendergast's Mills. — Joseph Ellicott. — Town of Elli-
colt Organized in 1812, — Coming in of the Early Settlers. —
Brown buys Fish Hooks and Loses his Dog.— Cotton Fac-

CONTENTS. XI
tory. — Darius and John Dtxter. — Slippery Rock and Dex-
terville — Btnjamin Ross. — Stealing Lumber. — Work's First
Grist Mill. — Big John Bale. — The Burial of the Sprake
Child. — The Rapids Caused by a Natural Dam. — Chautau
qua Lake and Outlet a Highway in the Last Century. —
Complanter Goes to Du Quesne. — Jadauquah, the Indian
Name for Chautauqua. — William Bemus  ..Page 19

CHAPTER III.
EARLY MEANS OF TRAVELING.
The Early Settlers the Descendents of the Puritans. — The First
Court. — The First Case Tried. — Capt. Jack. — Joseph Akin.
— The Durham Boatmen. — First Town Meeting in 1813 at
Akin's. — Village of Stillwater. — The First Roads. — James
town Located in a Swamp. — Early Topography. — Early
Fishing. — Roads Leading From Jamestown. — A. F. Allen
as Pathmaster. — Sarcasm of History. — Early Navigation. —
Miles' Road and Canoe — Durham Boats. — Horse Boat. —
Schooner Mink. — Capt. Carpenter — First Mail Coach. —
Boys as Passengers. — First Steamboat. — Plumb and his
Friends Take a Ride. — Other Early Steamboats. — The Firing
of a Canon Astonishes the Native Boys  Page 47

CHAPTER IV.
SOME EARLY INDUSTRIES.
Present Utility and Future Destiny — Judge Prendergast's Yard.
— Allen's Wagons and Cow Yard. — Barrett and Barker Meet
With a. Mishap and are Avenged. — How the Village was
Named. — The Junto. — Cloth Dressing and Cloth Manufac
turing. — Daniel Hazeltine. — Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Kinney.—
Edwin Hazeltine. — Henry C. Arnold.— George Caskey. — D.
H. Grandin. — Manufacture of Hats. — Pier, Freeman, Sayles,
Strickland, Rice, Barker and other Hatters. — Furs and Pelt
ries. — A Bear Steals Johnson's Hog, which Rice and Hazel
tine did not Kill. — General Harvey's Chubby. — His Capture
and his Escape. — Barrett Climbs a Tree. — Tiffany Informs
Harvey how to Make a Bear Squeal. — Military Tactics. —
Three Bears Killed and One Taken Prisoner  Page 79

xii CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
EARLY INDUSTRIES.
Rapid Advance of Arts and Sciences. — Tanning— Barrett, Bar
ker, Grout, Stevens, Kellogg, Havens, Ransom, Foote, Fen-
ton, Hutton, Bradley and others.— He Fell into the Lime
Vat and was Mad.— Asheries. — Scofield, the Pearler, makes
a Cross Gun.— Boys Cheat in Trade —Gen. Harvey makes
Steel Bows, and Freeman makes a Speech.— Chipmunks Be
come Scarce.— Boys Cheat in Game and their Mothers Stop
their Grub. — Logging Bees. — Manufacturing Black Salts. —
Pottery — Fenton.— Whittemore.— Whittemore Trades Milk
Pans for a Calf.— Axe Helves and Ox Yokes — Elvin Hunt.
—Joseph Smiley.— Jeremiah Griffith and Family Move into
the County. — A Canoe Journey to Franklin. — Swaps Maple
Sugar for Corn. — Saddles and Harness. — Knights. — Silas
Shearman Covers a Ball.— John P. Shearman. — Dan. S.
Williams Gives a Young Doctor a Horse  Page 109
CHAPTER VI.
EARLY INDUSTRIES — CONTINUED.
Memory.— Dr. Foote Purchases the Reserved Section.— A Notch
ou Fourth Street. — Blacksmiths.— Daniels, Campbell, Port-
man, T. W. and C. R. Harvey, Lyman Crane. — Other
Blacksmiths. — Necessity of, in a New Country.— Scythe
Snaths, etc. — Garfield, Wood, Cobb, Broadhead, Breed,
Denslow and others. — Chair Making — Palmiter, Cunning
ham, Morgan, Bell, Flints, Warner and others. — Cabinet
Ware. — Keyes, Breeds, Todd.— Obituary of John C. Breed.
— The Keyes Family. — Mill Wrights.— Elijah Bishop.—
Crippen Sleeps when the House is Burning. — Phetteplace. —
Ben. Nichols.— Fanning Mills. — Walter Stevens, Reynolds.
— Wagons. — Welch, Burlin, Forbes, Warner, Allen. —
Tailors. — Dinnin, Harrington, Johnson, Mason. — Shoe Mak
ers. — Chestnuts. — Strap Oil and Crates. — The Crate Law. —
Shearman, Carey, Merrill, Arnold, Hazzard, Curtis, Wood.
— Carpenters. — Coopers. —Shingle Weaving. — Axes and
Edge Tools. — Gunsmithing. — Machine Shops  Page 133
CHAPTER VII.
NATHAN BROWN'S CONTRIBUTION.
The Sash Factory. — Pail Factory. — Their Origin and their Own-

CONTENTS. Xlll
ers. — Mr. Brown's Trips on the Ohio River, and the Sale of
Jamestown Manufactures from Flat Boats  Page 185
CHAPTER VIII.
HOTELS AND DISTILLERIES.
Hotels Precede Civilization. — The Fenton Tavern. — A View of
Jamestown from. — Indian Burying Ground. — Digging the
Factory Race.— A New Kind of Forgery. — Building of Tav
erns in 1815.— The Allen Tavern.— The Ballard.— The Kid
der.— The First Dance in Jamestown.— The Blind Hor3e. —
Allen and his Clerk from Wadsbery. — Solomon Jones Rents
the Allen Tavern. — The Cass Tavern. — The Drunken Squire.
—The Effigy.— Wm Hall Buys the Kidder Frame.— W. D.
Shaw Buys the Jones Tavern. — Big Fires on Main Street. —
Allen House — Bale Stabs Nat Smith. — Seneca Two Kettles
Cuts the Dog's Tail Too Short. — Nicknames. — Van Velsor
Triangle. — Ellick Jones and Family. — First Meat Market —
Willard Rice's Temperance House. — The Writing Master
Marries the Landlord's Daughter. — Industry and Wealth. —
The Old Distilleries.— A Literal Laying Out  Page 20G
CHAPTER IX.
THE EARLY NEWSPAPERS.
Newspapers Hie American College. — The Newspaper the Teaeher
of Evils. — Early Newspapers. — Jamestown Journal. — Adol
phus Fletcher. — The First Issue. — J. W. Fletcher, Frank
Palmer, Coleman E. Bishop and ether Publishers and Ed
itors of the Journal. — Daily Journal. — Chautauqua Repub
lican. — Morgan Bate;.. — Lewis C. Todd. — Liberty Star. —
Northern Citizen. — Henry A Smith. — Undercurrent. —
Asaph Rhodes. — The Chautauqua Democrat — A. B.
Fletcher  Page 235
CHAPTER X
Boyhood Memories — Dr. Laban Hazeltine — His Visit in 1814.
— Comes with His Family in 1815. — Incidents of the
Journey. — Indigenous Medicines. — His Family. — Anecdotes.
— Other Early Physicians. — Early Pharmacies. — First Drug
Stores  Page 250
CHAPTER XI.
Allegory of Human Life. — Inns of Court. — Volunteers in 1861. —
Early Patriots. — Early Lawyers. — S. A. Brown, Abner Ha-

XIV CONTENTS.
zeltine, Joseph Waite, Franklin H. Waite, Geo. W. Tew,
Richard P. Marvin, Abner Lewis, E. F. Warren, Lorenzo
Morris, Madison Burnell, Orsell Cook  Page 279
CHAPTER XII.
Organization of the Early Churches. — Church Quarrels and Di
visions. — Mormonism in Jamestown. — Abolitionism  Page 311
CHAPTER XIII.
The Bad School Districls.— Leg School Houses.— First Schools
in Jamestown — Thomas Walkup and the Bird Nest Rob
bers. — The Pine Street School House. — Early Teachers. —
Juty Smith.— Old Put Takes a Ride.— The Academy.— Its
Teachers and its Pupils — The Jamestown Academy. — The
Quaker School  -Page 350
CHAPTER XIV.
Early Merchants — J. & M. Prendergast, Richard Hiller, Silas
Tiffany, Jehial Tiffany, Samuel Barrett, J. E. Budlong,
Henry Baker, Alvin Plumb, Elisha Hall, William H.
Tew  Page 370
CHAPTER XV.
William Forbes. — Gen. Horace Allen. — Jesse Smith. — Phineas
Palmiter, Sen.— Cyrus Fish. — Milton Sherwin. — Abram
Winsor. — S. B. Winsor. — Augustus Moon. — Amos Fergu
son. — The Strunks. — Simmons. — Judson Southland. — Uriah
Bentley. — Woodward. — Halliday. — Aaron Forbes. — Russel
D. and Warner D. Shaw. — Oliver Shearman. — Joseph and
Eliakim Garfield. — Elisha Ailen. — A. F. Allen. — Dascum
Allen. — Solomon Jones, Jr. — English Families. — Swedes. —
Carroll. — Geo. W. Fenton. — John Frew. — Myers — John
Russell. — John Owen. — Kiantone. — Joseph Akin —Ben j.
Jpnes. — Ebenezer Cheney. — Nelson E. Cheney. —James
Hall. — Wm. Sears. — Ebenezer Davis. — Samuel Hall. — Cha-
pin Hall. — Jasper Marsh. — Ezbai Kidder. — Poland. — Dr.
Kennedy.— Erastus Marvin. — Robert Falconer. — Nathaniel
Fenton. — Elias Tracy  Page 395
CHAPTER XVI.
Chautauqua Bank. — Arad Joy. — A. D. and T. W. Patchin. —
Robert Newland. — The Museum Society. — Fourth of

CONTENTS. XV
July, 1860. — Wm. Broadhead. — Early Burials. — Ceme
teries  _  .Page 453
CHAPTER XVII.
Semi Centennial of the Chautauqua Co. Agricultural Society. —
Origin of Marvin Park. — Dedication of the Log Hcuse to
the Early Settlers. — Chautauqua Undivided Now and For
ever. — Addresses of Dr. G. W. Hazeltine and of Judge R.
P. Marvin.— Centennial in 1936  Page 476

MEMORIALS OF PAGE
Gov. Reuben Eaton Fenton  *  498
John Adams Hall  _  508
Gen. Thomas W. Harvey  516
Alexander T. Prendergast-.  _  525
Hon. James Prendergast  536
Conclusion  549

CHAPTER I.

Remarks ox Local and upon Early History. — The
Settlement of the Prendergast Family in Chau
tauqua. — James Prendergast finds the Horses.
— Marries in 1807. — Sketch of Agnes (Thompson)
Prendergast. — Birth of Alexander. — Settle
ment at the Rapids in 1810.

T T has been frequently stated that one of the most
-*- difficult and thankless of tasks is to write a local his
tory, and that the difficulty and thanklessness are in
" inverse ratio," to the size of the locality, and the
number of inhabitants. This statement must be cor
rect. In giving the history of a large extent of coun-
try,or of a nation,or of great events, the people in masses
are spoken of; but in a small town or village, each in
dividual rises into importance, and those for whom the
work was produced are extremely liable to be dissatis
fied and condemn the whole, because especial Mends
are not given a more prominent place.
These pages are largely the author's own recollec
tions strengthened by the recollections of others whom
he has consulted, and by the statements contained in

~Z THE EARLY HISTORY OF
pages of manuscript written by, and historic records
made by his father, the late Dr. Laban Hazeltine.
The task was undertaken at the urgent solicitation
of many, who desired the facts herein contained to be
preserved. The papers from which this volume is
partly compiled -were first given to the public through
the columns' of the Jamestown Jotinud, and by the yet
more urgent solicitation of those for whom they were
prepared are now gathered into this volume.
It is not expected that the facts herein contained
will be of equal interest to all who are now the resi
dents of the locations mentioned. They were gathered
for the descendants of those who subdued the wilder
ness that once covered these fair fields ; who endured
the trials and privations of pioneer life, and who
founded the surrounding villages, and reared the first
rude structures of our beautiful city, in which so many
within a few short years have made their homes. To the
descendants of these hardy pioneers this volume will
prove a choice legacy ; they will read the most trivial
anecdote, or the most unimportant circumstance, with
an interest that the new coiner can not be expected to
entertain, for on every page, in all of its words, it speaks
of grand-fathers and grand-mothers whom they vene
rate. And yet to those who have lately taken up their
residence in this active little city or have become own
ers of farms reclaimed from a primeval forest bv those
of whom we herein speak, should feel a slight interest
in knowing who first claimed as home the places thev
now occup3r.

The title of this book, " Early History of the Town
of Ellicott," awakens thoughts to be mentioned.
Seventy-five years ago a dense forest, the growth of

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 3
ages, enshrouded these beautiful fields and these busy
marts of trade. We herein speak of a few occurrences
during those years ; of the subduing of the wilderness,
and of the making of this locality a fitting resting
place for the arts of civilized life.
This country was not entirely unknown to civi
lized man during the last century, for how many cen
turies previous to that, this was the happy, joyful home
of civilized or uncivilized man we know not ; for even
here are the works of the Mound builder, and the evi
dences of that former civilization, of which all history
is silent. What we do know of these head waters of
the Ohio during the 17th and 18th centuries, either
traditional or historical, would make a volume much
larger and to many of greater interest than this.
Many of the most interesting facts, not only of science
but of history, are those of which we are profoundly
ignorant. We can truthfully say of this whole country that
the spirit of civilization has conquered an empire in a
region that had been divested of a former power and
importance. We find ourselves on all sides surrounded
by dumb yet eloquent chronicles of a former age and
civilization. We are taught the general fact, but noth
ing of the people and their condition. The crumbling
gigantic ruins of Central America teach us as clearly
as those of ancient Egypt and of Greece of an ad
vanced civilization ; but no more clearly than do the
more humble mounds and relics in our own county.
We are prone to speak of ourselves as the inhabitants
of a new world ; and yet we on all sides find the most
sure and unanswerable evidences that we live in one
that is old. We clear away the forests and speak fa
miliarly of subduing a " virgin soil," and yet the plow

THE EARLY HISTORY OE

upturns the skulls of a race whose history is lost. Our
advent here is but one of the changes of time.

As the sons of William Prendergast Sen., were
prominent among the earlier settlers of Chautauqua
county, and one of them, James Prendergast, was the
founder of our city, a few words about their first settle
ment in the wilderness of Chautauqua will not be
misplaced. William Prendergast Sen., the father, was born in
Waterford, Ireland, in 1727. He emigrated to America
and settled in Pawling, Dutchess county, X. Y., before
he had reached the age of manhood. He remained
there several years, and married Mehitable Wing, who
was born in America of Scotch parents. Seven boys
and six girls were the fruits of this union. All of these
save one, attained the age of manhood and woman
hood, and the most of them lived to old age.
James the 5th and Jediah the 6th son, studied
medicine in Dutchess county and afterwards in
Rensselaer county, to which William Prendergast Sen.,
with the most of his family had removed at the break
ing out of the Revolutionary war. James Prendergast
in 1794-95 made an extended tour into the south and
west, and had many thrilling adventures with the In
dians. He practiced medicine a short time in Nash-
ville, Tenn., and then pushed on into the then Spanish
country of Northern Louisiana. Soon after the battle
of Mad River he met the young chief Tecumseh, with
whom he swapped rifles, the Indian getting the best of
the bargain. He intended to pass up the Mississippi
to the lakes, but finding this impossible, he returned
home. A year or so later his brothers Jediah and
Matthew, made a trip as far west as Nashville, Tenn.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 5
with the view of finding a good location for all of the
families to settle, and in 1803 Thomas Prendergast and
William Bemus, a son-in-law of William Prendergast
Sen., made a trip into Canada on the same errand,
and also came to Chautauqua county. After the return
of these exploring parties, each was anxious to settle
in the country they had visited, but the Tennessee
party carried the day, and immediate preparation
was made for the emigration.
It had been agreed that wherever a majority
should conclude to go all should go ; that they would
live and die together, as in patriarchal times. William
Prendergast Sen., was then 78 years old, his wife ten
years younger, but they were in as good health as they
could expect at that age and full of courage ; they
said to the children, wherever you go we will go with
you, live with you, and where you are there shall be
our graves. In the spring of 1805 the emigrants left their home
in Pittstown in five canvass covered wagons, and a
heavy travelling carriage, for the older and weaker of
the party. These six vehicles were drawn by eighteen
stout and valuable horses ; while en route $1200 was
offered for one span with harness, which was promptly
refused. The emigrants numbered twenty-nine per
sons, including Tom, a favorite negro slave, an heir
loom of the family. The old patriarch William and
his wife Mehitable were accompanied by four sons,
viz : William, Jediah and Thomas with their wives
and children, James who was single, William Bemus
who was married to Mary Prendergast the eldest
daughter, and their children, Susannah Prendergast,
the widow of Oliver Whiteside, and her children, and
two unmarried daughters. It must have been a cour-

6 THE EARLY HISTORY OE
ageous undertaking, for the best of the roads were poor
in those days ; nevertheless, they made their way by
the nearest route possible to Pittsburgh. There they
placed their horses and wagons on flat boats and pro
ceeded down the river to the Falls of the Ohio. From
thence they again proceeded in their wagons to their
place of destination in Tennessee. As they travelled
across the state of Kentucky and through northern
Tennessee, the majority of the party became more and
more dissatisfied with the country and its inhabitants.
They were permitted to see slavery as it then existed
in the south, and it displeased them, and the manners
and customs of the whites was equally displeasing, and
the whole country soon, in their eyes, became poor and
worthless. Several of the party had sore eyes, and
many of them began to show the effects of the malari
ous climate. In fact, it may be said that all expressed
a desire to return, but Dr. Jediah, who had tenaciously
insisted on coming south instead of to Chautauqua as
desired by Bemus and his brother Thomas. Bemus
now declared he would not be bound by his pledge, if
they concluded to remain there, but would return
north and settle on Chautauqua lake. Thomas de
clared that he would prefer 100 acres that he knew of
near the cross roads in Chautauqua to 1,000 acres there,
and strongly advocated a return. Tom declared "that
there were too many niggers therefor him, and if they
stayed there he should rund away to Pittstown. shuah"
This decided the matter and all voted to return except
Jediah, who did not oppose what he was already con
vinced would be the result.
They were soon on their long, weary return jour
ney ; passing by the best ascertained route acrost Ken
tucky to the Ohio river, and thence in a northwesterly

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 7
direction through Ohio, passing through what was
then known as the Western Reserve to Meadville, Pa.,
and from thece north to Presque Isle, now Erie. The
next day in passing over the ford of 20 mile creek they
lamed one of their most valuable horses, but continued
their journey until they had passed the present village
of Quincy, in Chautauqua county. Thomas desired
them to make a halt before a log house owned by a
settler named Farmsworth. He had been there before
and now in his mind a serious but as yet unspoken re
solution had been reached. He exclaimed with much
energy ; " I have travelled far enough. Our lame
horses need rest, and I inform you all that I intend
here to make my future home." He disappeared into
the house, but returned in a few minutes and declared
to his astonished relatives that he had made the man
an offer for his interest in the location and that his
offer had been accepted, and that he should go no
further. Bemus declared he should remain with Thomas
for he was anxious to gaze on what he hoped to make his
home at the narrows of Chautauqua lake, although he
feared it was then too late to secure it. Tom, the slave,
declared he was glad to get back into a free state, and
that he should •'rund aivay from Master William and
stay with Masser Tom, shuahT
Up to this time there had been no agreement to
settle in Chautauqua. Wm. Prendergast Sen., was of
the two inclined to settle in Canada, but now was a
chance to carry out the agreement made in Pittstown,
and the decision of Tom to rund away, again settled
the matter. Wm. Bemus found a place not far distant, near a
Mr. Bells, in the town of Westfield, where he could re
main during the winter. He soon, however, became

b THE EARLY HISTORY OF
owner of the coveted tract on the east side of Chautau
qua lake, onto which he removed early in the follow
ing spring ; he also purchased a farm on the west side
opposite, which became the home of his son Thomas
Bemus. The fall of 1805 and winter of 1806 was the time
of great famine among the few settlers of Chautauqua.
Provisions were extremely scarce and difficult to be
procured at any price. It was arranged therefore that
the remainder of the party should proceed to Canada
where provisions were plenty, for the winter and return
to Chautauqua in the spring and purchase lands.
Leaving William Jr., and James to prospect for a good
location during the winter the remainder departed for
Canada. The brothers William Jr., and James spent
much of the winter, having a span of horses at their
command, in viewing the country, and finally made
choice of about 3,500 acres on the west side of the
lake a few miles from Mayville. In the spring before
the party had returned from Canada, James made
them a visit. His report was satisfactory, and he was
requested to proceed to Batavia and enter the lands
at the land office. Having performed this duty he
with his brother William, who also had come on for a
visit, again returned to Chautauqua. The rest soon
followed except Dr. Jediah, who had entered into a
profitable practice of his profession and concluded to
remain for the present in Canada. When the families
arrived William and James had a log house ih readi
ness for them. James remained with his father and
brother William during that season and helped them
to make a clearing and get in some crops. William
Prendergast had now with him his two sons William
and James, and the redoutable swarth skinned Thorn-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 9
as, who concluded he should "not rund away, shuah;"
several span of horses and plenty of implements with
which to subdue the forest and to commence agricul
ture. Several experienced choppers and loggers were
at once employed, and in a remarkably short time
blackened fields, and a wilderness of stumps appeared
where but a short time previous had been a wilder
ness of trees.
Was there a directing Providence that induced
James Prendergast to remain, as a dutiful son should,
and assist his aged father during that spring and sum
mer of 1806 ? A slight circumstance directed and
colored his whole future life and of his descendents
and of thousands of others, then unborn. We do not
stretch our imaginations or distort the facts, when we
express the conviction that James Prendergast was
Providentially chosen to be the pioneer of the Pearl
City ; and shall we cease to believe that the same Un
seen Hand is yet guiding our pathway ?
A span of horses which had attended all their
wanderings in the wilderness, and to which they were
greatly attached, although they had ceased to be valu
able, were turned loose in the woods to pick their own
living, and if possible to recuperate from their crippled
condition. During the season they wandered away
but no effort was made to find them, for it was con
cluded that they would finally return. Tom said he
"knowed they would shuah; they wouldn't rund away
no quicker as he would, thade come back shuah, if the
wolves hadn't eaten them up." During the latter part
of the summer the horses had been seen near the lower
end of the lake, and soon after James made prepara
tions to follow and reclaim them. Equipped with a
knapsack of provisions he followed down the west side

10 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
of the lake, crossing at the narrows and staying with
Wm. Bemus the first night. Bemus informed him
that he knew of no white settlers east nearer than
Kennedy's mills and that when he came to Miles' road
he had better turn south and go to Marshes where he
might get some intelligence of his horses. That he
probably would find Indians fishing near Miles land
ing, and that there was an Indian camp at what was
called the rapids.
The next morning he continued his journey down
the west side of the lake. Arriving at the Miles road
he was undecided what course to follow, until provi
dentially he found the tracks of horses which he was
able to follow for a considerable distance farther to
the east and down the lake. He continued on and
finally reached the head of the rapids near the pres
ent steam boat landing. He traversed the present site
of Jamestown, and was the first white man to visit
the locality of which we have any record, except of
soldiers passing down to Pittsburgh. His second
night out was spent in an Indian camp not far from
where L. B. Warner's residence now stands.
He .remained at the Rapids a day or longer,
fascinated with the location. The dense pine
forest, the rapid stream whispered to him scenes con
nected with his future. His Indian friends intuitively
seemed to understand his errand ; they undoubtedly
had seen the horses and tried to tell him so. A party
was about starting for Kiantone and he was invited to
join them. Was not this another act of Providence, guid
ing him on his way ? He passed through the vast pinery
of the ( 'onewango valley. He saw the little clearings
on the Conewango and the Kiantone on which the
Senccas had planted their corn for centuries. Here

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 11
had been one of the granaries of the Six Nations, here
had been one of their cities of safety. At Kiantone
they pointed him to go north for his horses. He followed
their direction and passed through those forests of enor
mous pines, the largest and the best any country ever
produced. He found his horses on the grass meadows
near what is now known as Rutledge, in Cattaraugus
count)', in fine condition. They appeared to remem
ber him as an old acquaintance, and were willing to
return to their home.
This memorable tramp of James Prendergast
through the unbroken wilderness of southern Chau
tauqua, by chance if you will, took him through the
two locations which were to be his future homes ; he
found his horses, his fortune and his fame. All of his
acts from that time indicate that the inspiring idea of
founding a city had been generated in his fertile brain.
* " He had traversed unbroken miles of as magnificent
pine forests as ever stood. He reasoned that the first
and for many years the only remunerative industry of
the settlers on these head waters must be lumbering ;
that the first mills and best water privilege would in
evitably be the center of trade and population for the
whole section. He therefore selected Chautauqua lake
as his mill pond, the nearest point to the lake where
the outlet broke into a ripple, as the site of his mills
and city. The prophetic sagacity of this location, as
well as the subsequent management of the enterprise,
stamps James Prendergast as the most marked char
acter of this family of able men."
At that time James had not sufficient means to
carry through the extensive operations necessary to
success, but he had already placed his heart in the
keeping of one who would be able and willing to aid
* See Prendergast Memorial, by Coleman E. Bishop.

12 THE EARLY' HISTORY OF
in so noble an undertaking. There was a noble
hearted and wealthy Scotch lassie waiting for him in
Old Rensselaer. James with his brain teeming
with castles and saw mills and his bosom full of
Nancy, made but short tarry after returning the horses,
but speedily returned to Pittstown and was married to
Agnes Thompson early in the spring of 1807, * " and
the shamrock and thistle were again crossed on the
family escutcheon." Tom said "he knowed the' old
hosses would come hack; old hosses, like old niggers,
never rund away. Too tough for the wolves; would come
hack to see Tom, shuah."
Permit us here a passing notice of that gifted,
noble woman, Agnes Thompson Prendergast — the fu
ture never to be forgotten "Aunt Nancy" of the village
of Jamestown, the pride of her husband, the willing,
generous helper in all of his undertakings, — the saint
whom the early inhabitants of Jamestown worshiped.
Agnes Thompson was born in Galloway, Scotland,
November 18th, 1771, and came to this country with her
parents, who settled in Rensselaer Co. They were fore
handed and left her a handsome property. She
was well educated, had fine literary taste, and with all
was a most notable housewife. When their log house
home burned, where the railroad round-house now
stands in 1811, among their serious losses were stores
of linen, much of it of her own spinning, and there
fore highly prized ; and a large library of well
selected books which she had brought into the
wilderness with her. All who ever knew her will re
member her, for her hospitality, her kindness, and her
generosity, especially to the unfortunate, the needy, the
sick, the distressed, and the dying. Oh, there was
weeping on Main street in front of that lowly house
* Coleman E. Bishop in Memorials.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 13
when Aunt Nancy, in 1836, stepped into the carriage
which bore her from Jamestown forever.
In the fall of 1806 James returned to Pittstown.
Doubtless many pleasant evenings were spent with
Agnes, recounting the hardships and the perils of the
wilderness, and more than all the fairy land he had
visited at the foot of Ja-dau-quah, the ancient medicine
waters of the Senecas. That they would go there and
make it their future home, build mills, grow up a vil
lage and peradventure a city. To accomplish this
great dream, it would be necessary to use her wealth
as well as his own. Agnes Thompson must have ap
proved of the plan for she married him in the early
spring. During that year, 1807, two brothers not before
mentioned, Martin and Matthew, who remained in
Pawling when Wm. Prendergast Sen., went to Pitts
town to reside, emigrated to Chautauqua county and
joined their relatives there congregated. Matthew took
up lands on the west side of the lake, near what has
long been known as Prendergast Point, and Martin lo
cated himself on the bank of the lake at May ville.
We know very little of James and Agnes during
the next two years. There was a delay in the wife's
disposing of her property and receiving her money ;
and after Alexander Thompson Prendergast was born,
in February, 1807, they had to wait until it was sate
for him to be taken on such a journey. But James
kept up good courage. One of his brothers, just men
tioned, at his suggestion secured 1,000 acres of land at
the Rapids on which was the water privilege, and he
was content to remain a while longer and watch the
growth of his son. When he was six months old it
was considered safe for him to travel, but when prepa-

14 THE EARLY' HISTORY OF
rations were about being made Nancy concluded that
she and Alexander better remain in Pittstown another
year, and consented that her husband should come on
alone and make further purchases and arrangements
about the lands, then return for the winter, and they
would all go on together the next season. As here
stated the plan was carried out.
In the early autumn of 1809 James Prendergast
again came to Chautauqua accompanied by his faith
ful henchman, John Blowers, and after a visit to his
father and mother and brothers on the west side of the
lake, and especially to his brother Matthew, with whom
he arranged the purchase he had made for him at the
Rapids, and removed from his tongue the band of
silence as to the true purchaser, he passed down the
lake to visit his brother-in-law at the Narrows,
accompanied by his most constant attendant
Blowers, whom he thought he could make useful.
Blower's young wife was a favorite servant of Mrs.
Prendergast and had remained to assist in the care of
Alexander. James suggested to William Bemus that he would
be pleased to visit the rapids of the outlet, that he was
through there three years previous when hunting for
the old horses, and he wished to go there again ; that
if he would furnish him with a good canoe and some
one to help Blowers row it would be all he needed.
Bemus replied : " I will go witli you myself
and take along the stoutest young settler in this
country, Joseph Smiley who came in about a month
ago and lives four or fives miles down the lake."
The next morning they started, stopping at what
is now known as Smiley's bay to take in Bemus' stout
young friend. During this trip James Prendergast for

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 15
the first time had an opportunity to see the outlet be
tween the lake and the rapids ; he expressed himself
not only as delighted but charmed at the beauty of the
scene. Arriving at the rapids he spent the remainder
of the day in examining the location on both sides of
the stream. Finally he said : "I will build my house
here, and place a saw mill there, and possibly grow
up a town on the hill." "Your house ! Your saw mill !
What are we to understand ?" " This, that the
land where we stand and on both sides of these
rapids are my property. I intend to build a
house near the place I have indicated, and come on
next year and occupy it. I shall build a saw mill and
cut these pine trees into lumber. I think this country
will settle rapidly, and I shall build a grist, mill, a vil
lage will be needed somewhere hereabouts, and I shall
try to bring it here." "James, do you think that
Nancy will consent to make this wilderness her home ?"
"0 yes, that was arranged long ago. When I returned
to Pittstown the whole matter was thoroughly can
vassed. She approved, and ever since it has been a
prominent subject of conversation. She is as anxious to
be here as I am to come. Soon after Matthew moved
in, two years ago, he secured 1,000 acres for me here
and I intend to buy more immediately."
The shades of evening had began to gather when
they started on their return, and as they were taking-
the first recorded moonlight ride up the narrow
crooked outlet, the sound of their voices mingled with
the wail of the lynx, and the howl of the wolf, but
they were too busy with grand thoughts touching the
future of this wilderness to attend to the voices
it gave forth. They discussed the cutting down
of these mighty forests, — the toils and privations

16 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the first settlers would be obliged to endure,' — the rich
rewards they would receive for their labors, — and the
beautiful farms they would leave as a heritage to their
children. When they arrived at the narrows they
were surprised that the distance was so short, and were
inclined to doubt the accuracy of Bemus' old clock
when it announced that it was two o'clock in the
morning. James in giving an account of this second visit to
the Rapids to his brother Matthew, pointed out the
necessity of securing anotlier tract of land adjoining
his present purchase, was surprised to hear his brother
say that the articles for the lands desired were al
ready in his possession. "The first thousand acres Avere
paid for in cash, the articles secure the balance of the
lands which you- wish, and you better leave it as it is until
you have absolutely made the Rapids your home ; if
not wanted it will be easy to dispose of the articles."
The visit ended, James Prendergast returned to Pitts
town accompanied by Blowers. During the next sea
son he came to Chautauqua with Nancy his wife and
the young Alexander, together with John and Mary
Blowers, and three persons who came as drivers and
who afterwards were employed, two of them by Mat
thew Prendergast and one by William Bemus. The
family of James Prendergast found a home at Mat
thew's until the following year when they moved into
their new log house at the Rapids.
During the year 1811, besides building the log-
house, he built a dam across the outlet just above the
present Steele street bridge and erected a saw mill.
Within a twelve month the house and the mill burned
down. This was a bad beginning and a great loss, and
the loss was total ; there were no insurance companies

THE TOWX OF ELLICOTT. 17
in those days. Nearly the whole contents of the house
which were of groat value were burned. But the in
domitable will and courage of the pioneer did not
break under the disaster. He made immediate prepa
rations to repair damages.
As complaints had been made by settlers on the
lake that his dam raised the Mater in the lake and
overflowed their flat lands, he built his new dam
fartlier down the stream, where in his own judgment
it should have been built in the first place; the reason
why it was not, being the difficulty and the heavy cost
of erecting a dam at that location.
There came,happily,almost immediately to his assis
tance Capt. Win. Forbes, of whom we shall speak here
after. Within a few days boards and plank were hauled
from Work's and a cheap plank house built on the east
side of what is now Cherry street, between First and Sec
ond. This was a long, one-story house, with a huge double
fire-place and chimney in the middle. Of this rude
structure Prendergast occupied one end and Forbes
the other. The second dam after great cost in money
and labor was completed in the fall of 1812. The
dam then built is the present Warner dam.*
A race was made from the dam to what now
is Main street, and a saw mill erected about twelve
feet east of Main street and south of the present rail
road track. A wooden flume connected the race with.
the mill. This mill did not get into operation until
late in the summer of LSI 3, and in the fall of 1815
burned down. We leave the subject of saw mills
for a future chapter, but would here state that after
* Since Mr. Warner became owner of the saw mill a portion of
the bed of the dam washed out and was repaired at a heavy expense
As it was originally built at one of the most difficult places on the
outlet, the work must have been well done.

18 THE EARLY" HISTORY OF
the burning of his house and mills in 1812, and hav
ing decided the location of his new dam and mill,
he set John Blowers with several hands getting out
timber for a house t intended as a boarding house
for the men engaged in building the dam and
mills. The frame of this house was of heavy white
oak timbers, 20x35 and one and one-half stories in
height. This was the first framed building erected at
the Rapids. It was also intended as a tavern or stop
ping place for those seeking locations until a tavern
(Hotel) should be built. This house for several
years was known as the Blowers' House, although it
was sold to Dr. Laban Hazeltine in 1814, and occupied
by him in June, 1815, and continued to be his resi
dence for nearly 40 years.

CHAPTER II.

The Organization of the County-. — Prendergast's
First Work at the Rapids. — Organization of
the Town of Ellicott. — Sketch of William
Bemus.

'T^HE present appears to be one of those periods of
upheaval not only in methods pursued in all kinds
of labor, but has become also a governing influence in
all the professions, arts ¦ and pursuits of life. A new
principle in political economy is requesting to become
established as the guide in all human transactions.
Many appear to submit to this new movement, and
the majority appear to be guided by it. To the
" mind's eye " it is seen posted up in our legislative
halls and in all of the departments of government. It
is emblazoned upon all our mills and factories. We
find it on all of the steamboats and railroad cars. It
is cut in letters of gold on the doors of palatial resi
dences, — it is scribbled with charcoal and chalk on the
hovels of the poor and starving. It has become the
universal guide, and yet every one knows that it is a
false one. Many of the rich and those who think they

20 THE, early history of
see riches within their grasp view it as the stepping
stone to greater wealth ; the lazy and non-supporting
dangerous classes, the degraded hater of his race,,
whose greatest pleasure would be to imbue his hands
in his neighbor's blood, — the nihilist and the anarchist
are equally its dangerous supporters. What is to be
the result ? We apprehend that the danger is more
apparent than real.
The labor question which so agitates the country
at the present clay, and threatens with all of the
evils of Socialism, and even with the horrors of An
archy, destructive alike to life and civilization, is not
one of the present times only. In many respects the
agitation and danger was greater 300 years ago than
now. Then it was almost impossible to introduce la
bor saving machines of any kind. The idea that a
machine might accomplish some labor possible to man
brought together a mob, and the suspected machinery
was immediately destroyed. As an example, the first
saw mill was erected in England in 1<>53 ; the mob
seeing that the mill would save an immensity of labor
then performed by man, (much to his physical hurt.
for but few could withstand the severe labor of the
saw pit for over half a dozen years without becoming-
unfitted for even the lightest labor of the farm,) col
lected and in a short time the offending mill was torn
down. Ignorant, excited men cannot be made to see
the groat benefits that labor saving machinery confers
upon all alike, the poor equally with the rich : they
can only sec that the machine will do the labor of 20
or of 50 men — that is enough — the machine must be
destroyed, or 50 men starve, is the height and depth of
their philosophy. The excitement of to-day will be
exceeded bv the calm of to-morrow.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 21
To the better understanding of our history it is
obviously necessary to go back to the first of the pres
ent century, (1802,) when the county of Genesee was
set off from the county of Ontario, the former com
prising all of the territory of New York State lying
west and south of the present county of Ontario, in
cluding the present counties of Genesee, Orleans,
Niagara, Erie, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus
and the western four-fifths of Allegany. Up to 1804
the western portion of the state was all comprised in
the county of Genesee, and the present counties of
Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie and Niagara belonged
to the town of Batavia.
The town of Chautauqua was formed from the
town of Batavia, April 11th, 1804, and comprised all
the present county of Chautauqua, except " range " 10
of the Holland Company's surveys. This county
was, therefore, at that time made the town of
Chautauqua, Genesee county. In what is now
the town of ( ihautauqua there was then no settler.
The first settler, according to most trustworthy ac
counts, was " Dr." Alexander Mclntyre, who hAed at
the sulphur spring in the gulf south of Wcstfield vil
lage, long called "the Mclntyre Spring." In June,
1805, Filer Sackett settled near Dewittville, and in
September Peter Barn hart settled near what is now
Point Chautauqua.
The first town meeting, or election, ever held in
this county was at what was then known as the Cross
Roads, now Westfield, in April, 1805. At that time
John McMahan, who was the first purchaser of land in
the county, if not the first settler, was elected Super
visor and James Montgomery Town Clerk. Col. James
McMahan's land, or farm, was on the west side of the

22 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Portage road, and Edward McHenry's widow lived on
the east side of the Portage road, at the Cross Roads,
and she kept a little "tavern" there for many years.
Her husband was drowned in 1803. This was the
first known death of a white settler in the county.
His son John, born the previous year (1802) was the
first white child born in the county. Gen. John Mc-
Mahan settled near the mouth of Chautauqua creek,
on the west side of the Portage road. He built the
first grist mill in the county in 1804, and the old mill
race is still plainly visible. James Montgomery set
tled west of the Cross Roads in 1803. He was married
in 1805, and this was, we believe, the first mamage in
the county. David Eason and Perry G. Ellsworth were com
missioned justices in 1806 and were the first for
Chautauqua county. In 1808 Chautauqua was divided
into two townships, the line running from north to
south, from Lake Erie to the -state line, the parts be
ing nearly equal in area ; the new town on the east of
the line being Pomfret and the one on the west Chau
tauqua. The present town of Ellicott was then a part
of the town of Pomfret.
In 1805 a post route was established between Buf
falo and Presque Isle (Erie) the mail to be carried once
in two weeks. On May 6th, 1806, the first post office
was established in Chautauqua County, at the Cross
Roads ; it was called Chautauqua, and Col. James Mc-
Mahan was appointed postmaster. On June 18, 1806,
the second post office was established and called Can-
adaway ; it was located about four miles east of Fre-
donia, near what is now Sheridan Centre. The office
at Fredonia was established in 1809 ; the post office at
Mayville in 1812 ; and was the only office " south of

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 23
the ridge " until Dec. 13, 1816, when a post office was
established at Jamestown.
Horatio Gates Spafford, who compiled the Gazetteer
of New York which was published in Albany in 1813,
spells the name of the county Chautauqua, though the
final a was changed to an e later on, why and for what
reasons is not clear. Several years ago the original
and correct spelling was restored, and undue credit for
the change given to a single individual.
In the year 1808 Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie
and Niagara counties were erected into separate coun
ties, but all of these were parts of Niagara and were
attached to Niagari county until each one should have
a voting population of five hundred which would entitle
it to elect a member of assembly; consequently the
member of assembly elected in that year from Niagara
county received the votes of Chautauqua's electors.
The population did not entitle Chautauqua county to
an assemblyman until 1811, although the location of
the county buildings was made soon after the division
occurred. The commissioners to fix the site were
Jonas Williams, Isaac Sullivan and Asa Ransom. The
record they made of the manner in which they dis
charged their duties describes in general terms the spot
chosen, and that there should be no mistake in iden
tifying the place, a large hemlock post was driven in
to the ground.
At the final organization of the county in 1811
Zattu dishing was appointed the first judge, and Mat
thew Prendergast, Philo Orton, Jonathan Thompson,
William Alexander, associate judges ; John E. Mar
shall, clerk ; and David Eason, sheriff. The first
court of common pleas was held in Mayville in June,
1811, when the following attorneys were admitted to

24 THE EARLY" HISTORY OF
practice : Jacob Houghton, Daniel ( 1. Garnsey, Caspar
Rouse, Anselm Potter, a Mr. Patton and James
Brackett, who wa.s killed at the battle of Black Rock
in 1812. Soon after James Mullett, Samuel A. Brown
and Abner Hazeltine became students in the law office
of Mr. Houghton. The foreman of the first grand jury
in the county was the late Gen. Leverett Barker, a
brother of the late Wilford Barker of Jamestown.

James Prendergast's was not the first saw mill but
the third on the waters running from Chautauqua
county to the Allegheny river. Dr. Thomas Kenne
dy of Meadville, who married a daughter of Andrew
Ellicott, the celebrated surveyor for the United States
under Jefferson, built a saw mill on the Conewango in
1804 at a point long known as Kennedy's Mills ; after
ward as Kennedyville, now as Kennedy. He was a
brother-in-law of Joseph Ellicott, the well known mem
ber of the Holland Land Company, after whom the
town of Ellicott was named. Edward Work, whose
family lived in the town of Franklin, Pa., studied
law in Meadville ; and after Kennedy had com
menced operations on the Conewango, Work said to
him he thought he would make a better lumberman
than a lawyer, and asked the privilege of coming in
to the wilderness with him. This was granted and
Work remained with Kennedy nearly two years, and
in 1806 Work * Kennedy bought 1,000 acres of land
three miles below the Rapids, now known as Falconer.
In 1808 they erected a saw mill and small grist mill
on the outlet at that point which were called Work's
Mills ; and eventually Worksburg. Work sold his
property to Robert Falconer and others in 1836. In

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 25
1806, two years previous to the building of Work's
mills, William Wilson and one or two others had
taken up land between Work's and what is now Le
vant, and George W. Fenton, (father of our late Gov
ernor Reuben E. Fenton), had located at the junction
of the outlet and the Cassadagua. James and Joseph
Aiken and Laban Case had opened up locations on
the Stillwater about three miles away. According to
the Holland Land Report there must have been one
or two hundred settlers in what are at present the
towns of Carroll, Kiantone, Poland and Ellicott, be
fore a single stick was cut at the Rapids.
In 1813 James Prendergast built his second saw
mill, located east of Main street and south of the pres
ent railwa}7 tracks, as stated in the previous chapter.
In the spring of 1816, after the second of his mills
had burned, he erected a third saw mill, the location
of which was west of Main street and south 'of the
present rail road track. The Baker manufacturing
building which was burned several years ago stood up
on the ancient site of this mill. Between the saw mill
and the race previously mentioned was located a grist
mill, the north end nearly reaching the race and the
other coming within a few feet of the saw mill.* The
grist mill was built before the saw mill. In the grist
mill were two run of old fashioned flint stones and
these were brought down the lake and outlet from May
ville by Henry Shaw and his son Henry, the latter
the father of Ira D. Shaw who is now a resident of
Jamestown. The upper floor of the grist mill was oc-
* I should be pleased if in some way I could preserve the precise
locality of this mill. There has been no building there since the
burning of the Baker block. The location is now owned by Mr.
L B. Wa:ner, and I am informed he intends to erect a fine block of
buildings there the coming summer.

26 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
cupied by the carding machine of Simmons & Blanch-
ar, * and afterwards by Amory and Joseph Stearns
for the manufacture of reeds for cloth weaving. Mr.
Prendergast at this time also erected on the site of the
present Baker brick block on the southwest corner of
Main and First streets, sheds and yards for customers
of the grist mill. Long and close sheds were built on
the north and west sides of the square, and a high and
close fence on the south and east sides, leaving an en
closed yard where those put their teams who came too.
late to secure sheds.
About this time a company was organized who
erected an enormous, high, heavy building to be used
as a cotton factory. It was five stories in height and
its frame was composed of timbers of unusual size
which the forests of that period afforded. The inten
tion of those who caused this building to be erected
was for a cotton mill, but the plan was never carried
out. As far back as we can remember, this building
was owned by Judge Prendergast who never made use
of it, until he converted it into a grist mill, except one
season, when a small room was boarded off for the
Prendergast academy, of which more hereafter.
The third saw mill and the grist mill last men
tioned burned down in 1823. It was a heavy loss to
the owner and to the town, as all the grain of the in
habitants was stored in the building ; and it was the
financial ruin of the Stearns's as they had just received
a large stock of cane for reeds. Judge Prendergast
with his usual energy set to work and in a short time
* The present owner of (he mill in making repairs during the
past summer (1886) found timbers and planks used in the deep parts
of the mill below the water wheels, as sound as when laid down 82
years ago.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 27
had a new and better saw mill on the same foundation,
while the cotton mill building was utilized as a flour
ing mill ; four run of stone being put in and all kinds
of new machinery then in vogue in flouring, were
added. In those days the grinding of grist for the in
habitants was the principal business, though some
flour was put up in barrels. After the erection of these
mills we have frequently seen in the morning a line of
wagons and carts, and boys on horseback sitting on
bags, with grain in one end and a stone perhaps in the
other lo preserve the balance, in a line reaching from
the bridge far up Warren street to the point where
it is joined by Allen street, coining to the mill ; and
this was but part of those who cameto have their grain
made into flour. The settlers of Pennsylvania even
from beyond and below Warren, came to Jamestown
for their milling as well as for the largest portion of
the merchandise used by them. It was the great mart
of the country in those days.
JOSEPH ELLICOTT.
It may be interesting to know something of the
history of the man after whom our town was named.
The ancestors of Joseph Ellicott were Andrew and
Ann Bye Ellicott, natives of the town of Cullopton
in Wales. Andrew was a Quaker and his wife was
not, consequently he had committed the almost un
pardonable sin of "mar ry i? ig out of the meeting" and
was disowned. Deeming themselves unjustly dealt
by, they resolved to flee to the great American wild
erness. Tradition awards to him this eulogy : He
was a man of high character in every respect, one of
nature's noblemen ; to Ann the praise of being a wo
man of great goodness, worthy of her husband. With
an infant son they landed in New York in 1731 and

28 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
purchased land in Bucks county, Pa. That Ann was
a poetess, the following relic bears witness :
Through rocks and sands
And enemies, hands
And perils of the deep,
Father and son
From Cullopton
The Lord preserve and keep.
Ann Bye Ellicott, 1781.
The sons of these pioneers were numerous and in
1770 they purchased a large tract of wild land on the
Patapsco in Maryland. They became important men,
not only in the state but in the nation. Joseph, the
grandson of Andrew, became a member of the Holland
Land Company and removed to Batavia in 1798. He
had, however, been connected with the company for
eight years previous as chief surveyor.
The Hon. S. A. Brown speaks of Ellicott as fol
lows : "Judge Ellicott was possessed of a strong dis
criminating mind, and by reason of the station he oc
cupied, wielded a prodigious political influence.
From the avails of a liberal salary, as well as purchases
made by him of eligible lots and water privileges, he
became very rich. But the latter part of his life was
deplorably wretched. He was removed from his
agency. He was a stranger to domestic happiness,
the only bliss of paradise which survived the fall, for
he lived and died a bachelor. Corroded with the
cares of wealth, and disappointed in his earthly am
bition, his mind became diseased. His friends on that
account thought it advisable to place him in the in
sane asylum in the city of New York. We cannot but
shed a tear as we in imagination behold this once in
fluential and distinguished individual entering its
gloomy portals. The thrilling language of the poet

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 29
comes to the mind, as he whispers in the ear of an in
mate these' words addressed to the new coiner :
'How can I bid thee welcome to a place
Where joy yet never entered. '
To a place where sorrow only reigns,
Groans are our music, and sorrows our companions. '
"After a short stay at the asylum, Judge Ellicott
with his own hands destroyed the life God gave."
The town of Ellicott was organized in 1812. It
then contained four townships, namely : One and
two in the tenth, and one and two in the eleventh range.
The. townships were divided into 64 lots, of 360 acres
each, making 23,040 acres in each township, or 92,160
acres in the first town of Ellicott. James Prendergast
was the first supervisor and Ebenezer Davis the first
town clerk. In 1814 Mr. Prendergast became county
judge. This was the first count)' office held in the
town. The History of the Holland Land Purchase
states that the settlement of Chautauqua county was
rapid almost from the commencement up to the war
of 1812. It had at an early period the high reputation
which has been so abundantly justified and demon
strated since and with increasing force through each
succeeding decade of the more than eighty years, since
Amos Settle squatted at Silver ( 'reck, or John Mc-
Ma.han bought land in Ripley. After James Prender
gast got his mills in full operation in 1813 the settle
ment up to 1820 of the south part of the county went
on still more rapidly. We can well remember since
1820, up to 1825 or 1826, the emigrants with their covered
wagons passing down Main street daily on their way
to new homes in the neighboring towns. It was the
land of promise with these new settlers, and their
hopes were not doomed to disappointment ; but those

30 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
hopes were not realized until after long years of priva
tion, -severe labor and endurance such as the settle
ment of a wilderness involves. We in imagination see
them now, moving along with stout hearts, the pioneer
himself driving his team, with ruddy and cheerful
countenance, undismayed by all of the difficulties, pri
vations and hardships before him ; his boys following
with rifles on their shoulders, or, what was then com
mon, United States muskets or old Queen Anne arms ;
a dog and a cow or so and a few sheep or hogs being
among the belongings. A coop of chickens was gen
erally to be seen, fastened to the hind end of the wa
gon, and a huge tar bucket hanging beneath ; and
not unfrequently the wagon or wagons so crowded with
household goods that the wife and daughters were
contented to trudge along on foot. We now know
prosperous farmers, — old men, a few only remaining- —
of the many that were seen moving into the country
sixty-five years ago in the manner described. Their
advents are mingled with our earliest recollections.
Well do we remember seeing them making their slow
progress — ten miles a day perhaps — over the rough,
muddy, corduroy roads of those early days: they and
their glorious pioneer wives and sturdy sons and
daughters, worn down, almost overcome, with the toils
and fatigues of a long journey : sheltered at night
either in their co\-ered wagons, or in the humble log-
house taverns of those days — feeding perhaps on their
own scanty stores spread out on an old chest — yet
cheerful and happy ; and with that courage which
only could have subdued the dense and heavy forests
covering the beautiful landscapes which now surround
us. There are a few, a very few of those old pioneers
left. They lived the best part of their lives in log

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 31
houses. Their sturdy arms subdued the forests. The
howling sheep-stealing wolf and the more-to-be-
dreaded panther have disappeared. The log house has
given place to the elegant mansion, the forest to the
most beautiful farms. These are the legacies they
leave to their children. The pioneers haY'e nearly all
passed away ; their names are to be found on marble
slabs in our church}rards.
Many are the anecdotes that might be related of
the early settlers of Ellicott and surrounding towns.
There is a wealthy family not far distant from our
city, the father of which pawned his rifle at the land
office in Mayville in making the first payment on his
land. After the proper entries wore made Mr. Pea
cock asked the man to take care of the rifle for him,
that he might find it convenient to have the firearm
and he was willing to lend it to him. The land office
books say that the rifle was redeemed and the land
promptly paid for.
Mr. Nathan Brown, an old resident of Jamestown,
after reading a paper published by us in the Jamestown
Journal, sends the following reminiscences of a jour
ney he made to Jamestown when he was a boy — over
60 years ago. We think it will not fail to entertain,
and we give it space here.
"Finding one of the reeds bought at Emory
Stearns's reed shop sixty years since, brings to mind my
first visit to Jamestown and the incidents connected
with the trip. At that time Clear Creek and its tribu
taries, where Ellington now stands, were literally
swarming with " speckled beauties," and no fish-hooks
nearer than Jamestown. I suggested to the boys that
if they would furnish the money I would go over and
purchase a supply of hooks. They raised twenty-five

32 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
cents and decided that my interest was to be one-
fourth of the hooks.
In the meantime my father had sheared the lambs
and got. four pounds of wool, which my mother ex
pected to card by hand and spin to make stockings for
the family. Father proposed that I should take the
wool and have it carded in Jamestown, and also call
at Stearns's and get the two reeds for the looms he had
ordered, making my trip for business as well as for
pleasure. I was soon ready, as there was not much
nonsense or " dudeism " about the Young America of
that early day ; my outfit consisting of tow pants and
shirt made by my mother, also a roundabout, with the
ample pockets well stocked with Johnnycake for lunch,
and a straw hat made by my oldest sister. Thus
equipped I started at three o'clock in the morning,
taking my dog, Carlo, for campany, and also for pro
tection against wolves or any other wild animals I
might happen to meet with. The path lay over the
hill through an almost trackless forest, by way of
Vermont, then called Bucklin's Corners. I reached
Jamestown at 9 a. m., a boy stranger in a strange
land, but soon found Daniel Hazeltine's, carding
machine, and left my wool. So many others were
before me that mine could not be ready before 2 p. m.
I next, found Stearns's reed shop, and, as he had only
one of the reeds ordered, partly finished and could not
complete it until three o'clock, I went to take a view
of the village and to make my important investment
at Prendergast's store on First street. The proprietor,
Dr. Jediah Prendergast, waited on me himself, and
when I asked for twenty-five cents' worth of fish
hooks, wished to know where I came from. On learn
ing that I had walked from Clear Creek he said.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 33
" Twelve miles through the woods to buy fish hooks I
You have more grit than most 1 » >ys of your age, and
ought to have a good many hooks. We sell hooks at
a cent apiece, but you shall have them at cost," count
ing out fifty. I thanked him and, turning to leave
the store, noticed a number of auger holes through the
door about 18 inches from the bottom. On inquiring
why those were there he said that some one intended
to rob the store, but had been frightened away by
sawyer going up to Dr. Hazeltine's spring for water.
In five minutes more they would have broken the
piece out and entered. This was the first attempt at
burglary in Jamestown, and the last for many years.
After viewing the saw mill with its ponderous
gang of seventeen saws, I called at the shops for my
rolls and reed, and then discovered that my dog Carlo
was missing. Not succeeding in finding him, my trip
home was much more lonely. I returned by way of
Worksburg, stopping at the spring near the grist mill,
there to finish my corn bread and enjoy a drink of that
refreshing water. I went down to the Cassadaga and
followed the path over the hill ; but darkness and a
severe thunder storm compelled me to make for a
light through the trees, and I reached a log cabin just
in time to avoid getting my rolls, reed and fish hooks
wet. It was one of those pioneer cabins occupied by
one of our neighbors, two miles distant from our home.
They kindly took me in, gave me a. dish of mush and
milk, and afterwards brought me a saptrough of water
to bathe my feet, blistered from the walk of twenty-
two miles, insisting that I should spend the night
there, as the storm was so severe. I reluctantly con
sented, knowing that in a cabin not far away there
would lie much anxiety on my account. But spread-

34 THE EARLY" HISTORY OF
ing a blanket on the floor I soon forgot home and all
surroundings. At daybreak I continued my journey,
reaching home to find that the dog had preceded me
and had added to their fears for my welfare, thinking
that he would not. leave me unless something very
serious had occurred. I met with a hearty greeting,
the rolls and * the reeds and the hooks pleased. The
boys soon came for their hooks and decided that I
should keep half of them as then they would have
two more hooks apiece than they had expected.
Thus ended my first trip to Jamestown, and the reed
is preserved in memory of it."
The fourth saw mill erected by Judge Prendergast
was in the fall of 1827. The mill that had burned
was rented to Eliakim Garfield and Joshua Wiltsie.
and they were manufacturing lumber on their own
account. At the request of Judge Prendergast they
furnished their sawyers with axes, marched them to
the woods near by, and in a few days the timber was
cut and hewn and drawn and framed and up. With
equal celerity the millwrights did their work, and in a
remarkably short time the music of the clanging saws
were again heard ; the sawyers were again busy
drawing in the logs up the steep incline with that long
heavy chain, — in carrying out and piling the boards.
and in throwing the slabs on the burning pile, the fire
of which seldom went out. The sound of those saws
was sweet music to the then citizens of Jamestown,
as that which their children now enjoy in the opera
house and the concert room. This mill was erected
on the foundation of tbe old one.
The cotton factory which had been converted
* One of these reeds was exhibited at the semi-centennial fair
held at Marvin Park September 1st, 1886.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 35
into a grist mill in 1823, burned in the fall of 1833,
and on its foundation was built the stone mill which is
now owned by Daniel H. Grandin. This heavy build
ing was erected for Judge Prendergast by William
Bell of Warren, of stone from the Dexterville quarries.
The mill work by Elijah Bishop, and when completed
was considered as perfect as could be found west of
Rochester. The first saw mill built by Judge Prendergast. at
the Rapids was the third in southern Chautauqua,
Nathan Cass in 1815, made a clearing and built a saw
mill at what was then known as the Slippery Rock.
In the fall of 1816 or early in the following spring
Cass sold his interest at Slippery Rock to John and
Darius Dexter of Mayville and Dewittville.
The Dexters were among the earliest settlers of
the county. John, Darius and William Dexter came
to Mayville in 1808, and bought lands in that vici
nity. Darius Dexter cut the first road from the lake
through Mayville towards the Cross Roads. Where
the court house now stands was cleared by him. He
went back to Herkimer county in the fall and returned
in the spring of 1809 with his wife. He was at Black
Rock in the war of 1812 as an officer in one of the
Chautauqua companies. At the close of the war he
became a colonel and was the first commanding o nicer
of the I62d Regiment of N. Y. State militia. He was
one of Ellicott's prominent and most valuable citizens.
He was a prominent and useful member of the church
and will long be remembered for his charities — and
also we must add — -for his one swear word for which he
became as noted as Elisha Allen was for his. He
was everywhere known as ¦• dom " Dexter.
John Dexter was for many Years county clerk,

36 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
serving eleven years between 1815 and 1828. The
brothers for several years had a store and ashery at
Dewittville and Darius resided there ; he removed to
Slippery Rock in LS1.S, and the locality soon after as
sumed the name of Dexter's Mills, afterwards Dexter-
ville, now East Jamestown. Mrs. Dexter, a lady of
great worth, died there in 1820. His son, Harrison
Dexter, now a wealthy lumberman, retired from busi
ness, resides in Cincinnati. His wife, still living, was
the second daughter of William and Laura Knight of
Jamestown. After selling the property at Dexterville
to Falconer, Jones and Allen, Darius Dexter moved to
Perry, Illinois, and died there. John Dexter removed
to Wisconsin. Harrison Dexter and wife may be usu
ally met with daily in the streets of Jamestown during
the summer. The locations of childhood and youth
are not easily eradicated from the minds and affec
tions of humanity. For nearly seventy years Dexter
and Dexterville have been household words with the
people of Jamestown, as also were Tiffany and Tiffany-
ville, Work and AVorksburg, Plumb and Plumbville.
Now all of these locations have changed their names,
and the busy residents who crowd the streets and
highway's of. those once peaceful, pleasant hamlets, not
one in a hundred ever heard the names of their
founders spoken.
In 1816 Benjamin Ross built a mill on the Cassa-
daga, a couple of miles north of Work's, which was
the fifth. The 6th was Myers on the Conewango, and
in rapid succession several others followed. Many
saw mills were very soon erected on small streams
which furnished water for sawing from one to three
months of the year. The lumber from these mills
was used by the settlers near them, for there were no

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 37
means of getting it to any other market. Mills multi
plied so fast from 1820 to 1830 that this region was
stripped of nearly all its first class pine lumber pre
vious to 1840. Vast fleets of lumber, boards and shin
gles were sent yearly down the Allegheny to Pittsburg,
Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and New Orleans.
For several years all the lumber used in the south was
from western New York and northwestern Pennsyl
vania, and it was crowded upon the market so rapidly
that for several years the best pine was worth but four
to five dollars per thousand feet, and for two or three
years it sold for two dollars and fifty cents to three
dollars per thousand feet, a sum not sufficient to pay
the cost of rafting and sending to market, At one
time good boards manufactured in Jamestown and
vicinity sold in the Cincinnati market for one dollar
and fifty cents per thousand feet. The pine lumber
sent to the southern market up to 1820 never more
than paid the cost of production, notwithstanding, as
has been alleged, many "a.ruhed" the trees from which
the lumber was cut, and a few even after they were
cut into logs, and instances are recorded where whole
rafts of boards were stolen while on their way to mar
ket — "broke loose, you know Probably the boards
manufactured in Jamestown brought as remunerative
prices in the springs of 1827, 1828 and LS29 as in
any years. Between 1820 and 1830 Eliakim Gar
field, one of the rentors of the Prendergast mills,
sold boards, "clear stuff" and "good common,"
to his brothers-in-law, Horace Bacon and Richard Hil-
ler, for three dollars per thousand feet, and with the
money made by him during that period purchased the
large farm in Busti on which he now resides. For
many years the slabs from Prendergast's mills were

38 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
burned ; finally lath mills were introduced and the
slabs were cut into lath. In early times shingles
were rived and shaved out of the best pine timber,
but as the first class pine timber diminished shingle
machines were brought into use and timber which
would not admit of riving and shaving was made
into shingles. A few days ago we saw hemlock
shingles put on a roof in our city, which were shaky
and at least one-quarter rotten. Many shingles now
used in early times could not be sold at any price.
The first grist mill in the town of Ellicott was
erected at Work's, now Falconer, in 1809, and was
a great accommodation to the early settlers over a
large extent of country. The erection of Work's grist
mill, although one of the rudest kind, the stones hav
ing been cut out of a large rock found on the surface
of the ground near there, and with no means of bolt
ing the flour after it was ground, was not only a
great accommodation , but a great benefit also, by
stimulating the settlers to open roads to the mill.
The first roads opened in the country were from the
various settlements to Work's mills as the center.
This mill was built four years before there was any
real settlement at the Rapids. There were a few fam
ilies there engaged in the erection of Prendergast's
mills but that was all. The first grain was ground in
Prendergast's mill at the Rapids during the winter of
1814, and the mill was not. completed until mid-sum
mer of that year.
Several years ago much was said of John Blowers's
house at the boatlanding, and of the burial of a child
there, that Blowers came here as early as the spring of
1809, and remained, not returning with James Pren
dergast to Pittstown. John Blowers, an ignorant and

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 39
hard working man, came to the Rapids with Mr.
Prendergast in the fall of 1809, and returned with
him. Blowers's wife was maid of all work to Mrs.
Prendergast, and Blowers was the almost constant at
tendant, servant one might say, to James. He was
one of the rowers of the skiff that brought Prendergast
and Bemus to the Rapids as previously related. He
returned with Mr. P. to Pittstown that fall and re
turned with him the next season. He worked in
building the first and second dams and first and sec
ond saw mills and lived at first, it might be said, in
James Prendergast's house. When the log house was
built at the foot of the Rapids an addition ten feet
square was made to the south-west corner where Blow
ers and his wife slept. After the burning of the house
and the first mills, a long, low one story plank house
with a big chimney in the center was built for Mr.
Prendergast and Captain William Forbes, on the east
side of Cherry street about centerway between First
and Second streets. Blowers then built for himself a slab
cabin on the corner of First street and Potter's alley,
on the east side of the alley. He never built a log
house near the steamboat landing and never buried a
child of his own there.
Big John Bale, a half-breed Seneca Indian, who
had a white woman for a wife, occupied a small cab
in near the spring on the opposite side of the outlet,
Bale came home from a long hunting excursion and
found a woman named Sprake living in the cabin
with his wife. A child of the Sprake woman lay dead
in the dwelling, and John ordered it carried out,
Bale's wife persuaded him to take a skiff and cross the
outlet to where Blowers was cutting logs on what is
now Fairmount, and induce the latter to come over

40 THE EARLY HISTORY" OF
and see her. Bale, knowing what was wanted, went,
and Blowers returned across the outlet with him, but
in his own skiff as Bale would not permit him in his.
The women made an agreement with Blowers to bury
the child, but as Big John would not permit the burial
to take place on his side of the outlet, Blowers came
across with the Sprake worn an and the dead child, which
was placed in a bark coffin prepared by the women,
and buried near the outlet below the present high
way iron bridge at the boatlanding. A tombstone has
since been erected not far from this grave. This is the
true history of the burial at the boatlanding. Why
some are anxious to establish Blowers in a log house
at the boatlanding belongs to the unwritten history of
those days and so it shall remain. It has been stated
that this was the first burial of a white child in James
town ; this is not so, for this burial took place in the
fall of 1816.
For many years lief ore and after Judge Prender
gast settled here the place was known as the Rapids.
taking the name from the natural dam, which extends
from the boatlanding to the present bridge connecting
West Second street with Steele street. This dam is one
of the beneficent provisions ofa designing and all-wise
Creator. But for it our lake at its lower portion would
be too shallow for navigation, even by canoes. But
for it, tbe large lieet of steamboats on the lake; the
big hotels on its beautiful sloping banks; the Assembly
and schools at Fair Point, now Chautauqua, would
never have existed. But for the Rapids the " Chau
tauqua idea" would never have developed.
In the year 1822 an attempt, was made to deepen
the water at this part of the outlet by plowing and re
moving the bottom, but it was a task so difficult of ae-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 41
¦complishment that it was abandoned. At this time
there was discovered a row of white oak piles, four in
ches in diameter and five feet long, driven firmly into
the earth across the stream. The finding of these oc
casioned no surprise, for Cornplanter, the great Indian
chief, had frequently stated to Prendergast and others
that detachments of soldiers had several times come
over the Portage and in flatboats down Chautauqua
lake to the Rapids on their way south, and that pre
vious to Braddock's defeat they had to raise the water
by driving stakes. He also stated that it had been the
tradition for nearly two- hundred years among the
Senecas or Five Nations, that Chautauqua lake, the
outlet and the Conewango had been a prominent high
way from the great lakes to the Allegheny and the
Ohio. The Prendergast. farm in Kiantone is where an
important Indian village was located in the last part
of the XVII th century. It was one of the granaries of
the Five Nations. Cornplanter, when the French
passed down to Fort DuQ.uesne was but eighteen years
old, nevertheless he led a party of sixteen braves to
the defense of the fort, embarking his warriors at
what has been known as Oxbow Bend on the Cone
wango about a mile north of what is now Fentohville.
Origin of the name Chautauqua. — We have al
so the authority of Cornplanter in conversation with
Judge Prendergast, that Chautauqua (Ja-da-quel i ) signi
fied the place where a body ascended or was taken up.
The Seneca tradition is that a bunting party of Indians
was once encamped on the shore of the lake. A young
squaw of the party dug and ate a root that created
thirst, to slake which she went to the lake — and dis
appeared forever. Thence it was inferred that a root
grew there which produced an easy death ; a vanish-

42 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
ing away from the afflictions of life. I am well aware
that the name of the lake has been ascribed to sev
eral other traditions and that other derivations have
been given. Such as "a pack tied in the middle," and
others equally improbable and ridiculous. President
Alden, the first president of Allegheny college, says
Cornplanter's version is doubtless the correct one.
This is Cornplanter's, and he alludes to it in his cele
brated speech against Phelps and Gorham, the pur
chasers at an early day of a large portion of the Hol
land Land tract in the state of New York. (They
were purchasers previous to the Holland Land Com
pany.) I transcribe the following from the long
speech made before the committee appointed by the
government to enquire into the subject in dispute :
"Fathers : — You have said that we are in your
hand, and by closing it you could crush us to noth
ing. Are you determined to crush us ? If you are,
tell us so, so that those of our nation who have be
come your children and have determined to die so,
may know what to do. In his case, a chief has
said, he would ask you to put him out of pain. An
other, who will not think of dying by the hand of
his father or his brother, says he will return to Jada -
queh, eat of the fatal root and sleep with his fathers in
peace." WILLIAM BEMUS.
If not the first among the first to settle on the
banks of Chautauqua lake was William Bemus spoken
of in the former chapter. He was born in Saratoga
county in 1762, at, what was then known' as Bemus'
Heights. His father was one of the prominent men
of that section in wealth and influence. He was
owner and resident on the grounds on which the bat-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 43
tie of Saratoga was fought, and in the most literal
sense it may be said of him, that he fought bravely
for his home and his fireside. William Bemus re
moved to Pittstown, Rensselaer Co., purchased lands,
and married Mary, the eldest daughter of William
Prendergast, in 1782. Early in the present century,
when the Prendergasts and himself were agitating
the question of a removal to the western wilderness,
where their fast increasing families would have
plenty of room in which to grow and expand, he sold
his large landed property, to be in readiness for the
move which he concluded would soon be undertaken.
Soon after this sale was consummated, he made a trip
to the west to visit a brother who had preceded him,
and who at that time was living at or near Batavia. He
was accompanied by his brother-in-law, Thomas
Prendergast. After their visit to Mr. Jotham Bemus it
was their intention to pass into Canada and view a lo
cation which had been recommended as a desirable
one for their future home. While at Batavia they
made the acquaintance of Wm. Peacock who had
lately returned from a surveying tour in the neighbor
hood of Chautauqua lake, and through his influence
they were induced to pay a visit to Chautauqua be
fore they returned. This was in 1803.
The leaving of the families in 1805, their long
and wearisome travel to Tennessee, and then back
again through Ohio to Chautauqua — a pilgrimage in
the wilderness of over five months duration, we have
given in the previous chapter.
As soon as Mr. Bemus had seen his family com
fortably housed in the log tenement, not far distant
from Thos. Prendergast's, as already spoken of, he
made a visit to Chautauqua lake and found that a

44 THE EARLY' HISTORY OF
squatter had already been there at work. It was a
rule at the land office, that if a person built a tenable
log house on any unoccupied lands, that he should be
entitled to the article of 100 acres for each house so
erected. Dr. Mclntyre had built up a small hut of
poles 6x8, and about 6 feet high, covered it with brush
and bark and had claimed that it was habitable, and
had on false representations received an Article for 100
acres at what is now known as Bemus Point, and for
another pole hut on the opposite side, had secured the
Article of a second 100 acres.
This was undoubtedly the choicest location on the
lake, viewed from the outlook of 1805. At least a
hundred acres at the point bore evidence of former
human occupancy, and there were two fields, each of
about 20 acres area free from trees and which gave
evidence of recent cultivation of corn and beans, those
two staples of Indian agriculture. Near by was a
large orchard of wild plum trees, and in this orchard
were the remains of wigwams and their contents. In
one of the fields were two large mounds, showing that
it was an Indian burial place.
This visit of Wm. Bemus to his much desired lo
cation was in October, 1805. The recently erected pole
huts he felt confident could not hold the lands, never
theless they filled him with anxiety. He returned home,
and from thence started immediately for the land of
fice in Batavia, The result of this visit was that he
was authorized to locate at the narrows, and in the
following January Wm. Bemus was booked at the land
office for lots 53 and 54, tier 2, range 12, with the
choice of other lots in the spring at a large discount
for cash down. He had plenty of money in his
pocket and did not wish to pay $2.50 and $3.00 per

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 45
acre when it could be purchased for $1.50 cash at
time of purchase. One dollar and a half is the price
paid by William Bemus for several hundred acres on
both sides of the narrows of Chautauqua lake in 1806.
Dr. Mclntyre claimed that the pole huts were
sufficient to hold the lands and to avoid all vexation
Bemus gave him $100 for his interest. Afterwards
he found a very curious claim upon his lands. Dr.
Thomas B. Kennedy of Meadville, Pa., had a deed
from the Indians which called for 1,500 acres of land
indefinitely bounded "between the two hills on each
side of the creek which empties its waters into the lake
at the narrows." This worthless deed included
Bemus' purchase on the east side. He offered Ken
nedy $80 for his interest which was accepted. In
July, 1806, he took articles for a. large amount of
lands near his first purchase of which it is not neces
sary to give the land office record here.
After his return from the land office at Batavia,
he immediately employed a number of hands and
proceeded to the narrows. In less than two weeks
and before the 1st of December, 1805, he had erected
a large and substantial log house about. 30 or 40 rods
north-east from what is now- known as Bemus Point
at the ferry. As this was a time of famine in Chau
tauqua he concluded to leave his family where they
were until spring. On the 9th day of March, 1806,
his eroods and chattels and family were placed on
sleds at their temporary home in Westfield and
started for their future home. Arriving at the lake
the teams were too smooth shod to stand on the ice.
The sleds were propelled by hand across the lake,,
and the teams sent around by land. At sundown,
March 9th, 1806, the first white settlers on Chautau-

46 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
qua lake were at home in their new log house (and
which many now living wall well remember) at the
narrows of Chautauqua lake, now Bemus Point.
Bemus commenced his farming operations im
mediately b)r girdling the trees which were mostly
oak and chestnut, and in due time planting between
them corn, potatoes, &c. At an early day no man
did more for the advancement and welfare of the
country than William Bemus. He was a highly re
ligious man — the Bible was his constant pocket com
panion, and all his acts were guided by its precepts ;
but he had one peculiar belief, and which he gaY'e up
only a few hours before his death. That belief was
that he should live forever. He died January 2d,
1830. To William and Mary (Prendergast.) Bemus were
born seven children, viz : Daniel, Elizabeth, Thomas,
Tryphena, Charles, Mehitable and James.
Daniel Bemus was a physician of note ; resided
for many years in Meadville, Pa., and there died in
1866. Charles Bemus served in the war of 1812. He
died in Jamestown at the residence of his son, Dr.
Wm. P. Bemus, in 1801.
Elizabeth became the wife of Capt. John Silsbee.
She died many years ago.
Thomas Bemus died in 1829. He had eight
children. Thomas Bemus, now a resident of the town
of Portland, in this county, and Mary, wife of Horace
Cullum late of Meadville, now of California, were
children of Thomas Bemus.
Tryphena became the wife of John Griffith, and
died in 1851.
Mehitable, the youngest daughter, became the
wife of Daniel Hazeltine in 1818, and is still living.

CHAPTER III.

The Early Settlers the Descendants of the
Puritans — A Trial at the First Court Held
in the County — The Early Boatmen — Early
Roads — The Village of Stillwater — First
Navigation of the Lake — The Steamboat
Chautauqua — Mile's ( Anoe — Durham Boats —
Schooner Mink — The Horse Boat.

^ I ^HE early settlement of the western counties of
New York from seventy-five to one hundred
years ago, was something entirely different from the
settlement of a new section of country now. At the
present day, when a new state or portion of a state is
opened to settlement, an immense flow of emigration
sets in from all portions of the globe, especially from
all European countries, and speedily that section is
filled up with the people of all nations, of all lan
guages, and all religions. To those who come after,
these locations will have no early history to which
they can look back with loving pride and filial venera
tion. They look back upon a motley group too fre
quently representing the poor-houses and prisons of

48 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
many countries — the low, degraded, dangerous classes,
from the vilest, dens of the cities of Europe.
This was not true, when the wilderness of Chau
tauqua received her first settlers. They were, for the
most part, the hardy, well educated, reverent descend
ants of the Puritans, — the yeomen and artizans who
shipped at Delf Haven and landed on Plymoth Rock,
— or of the more noble families, better educated but
poor, more refined although oppressed, Dissenters and
Huguenots who soon after landed in Massachusetts
bay. On the banks of the Charles they commingled and
became one people, — the New England Fathers.
During the last century they colonized Vermont, es
pecially that portion of it, of which Windham county
is the center. They served under Standish ; they
were with Wolfe at Quebec, — they fought with Stark
at Bennington, with Allen at Ticonderoga, and Avith
Gates on the Stillwater. Their blood cemented the
union of states.
They conquered the Dutch on the banks of the
Hudson, and in the valley of the Mohawk, by marry
ing their daughters and becoming the fathers of the
most, hardy race of pioneers of which the world can
boast. The descendants of the Puritan settlers of the
Charles, — of the New England Fathers in Vermont, —
of the hardy home loving pioneers from the valley of
the Mohawk, with a few noble spirits from the bloody
vale of Wyoming, were the early settlors of Chautau
qua county. They were a noble race, the flowers of
the families from which they sprang.
When their homes, built of logs in the deep for
ests were in danger of English and Indian invasion in

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 49
1812, they came forth, a gallant band, and fought
bravely for their humble forest homes. They bravely
endured all the hardships of a life in the wilderness
which they made to blossom as the rose.
One of their first cares was to build school houses
for the education of their children, and to es
tablish places for the worship of the God of their
fathers. They were the disciples of Wickliffe. of
Luther, of Calvin, of Edwards, and of Wesley, — they
were Protestants, — the friends and defenders of civil
and religious liberty. The teachings of the fathers to
the sons were the teachings of the sons to their child
ren. When the spirit of slavery rebelled and would
overthrow the spirit of liberty in 1861, the children by
thousands came bravely forth to do battle in freedom's
cause. Chautauqua sent her own born sons, Schofield
and Stoneman to lead her hosts ; we could record a
long list of her leaders of companies and of regiments.
What shall we say of the thousands who so bravely
fought for the cause of freedom universal under them ?
This ; — that on every battle field the blood of Chau
tauqua's children was freely shed in the holy cause,
and that their bleaching bones upon these fields testify
to their brave devotion ; that they were, and are, and
we trust ever will be worthy of the high and noble
parentage which is their birthright.

As already stated, in the year 1808 the town of
Chautauqua of the county of Genesee was divided in
to two towns and erected into the county of Chautau
qua. The eastern portion, consisting of ranges 10 and
11, according to the Holland Land Company's survey,
was called the town of Pomfret ; the remaining west-

50 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
em portion retained the old name of Chautauqua,
The organization of the county was, however, to be
delayed until the assessment roll should show that the
county had 500 voters or taxable inhabitants. In 1810
a land office was established at Mayville with Wm.
Peacock, a former survej'or of the Holland Land Com
pany as agent, On the assessment roll of this year the
requisite number of taxable inhabitants were recorded.
and during the winter following, a petition was sent to
the legislature praying that the county be organized,
with the county seat at Mayville. The petition was grant
ed and the council of appointment, consisting of the gOY'-
ernor and four senators, appointed the first officers for
Chautauqua county, on the 19th day of January, 1811.
These appointments were Zattu Gushing, judge, with
four associate judges and four assistant justices and
two coroners. John E. Marshall Yvas appointed clerk,
David Eason, sheriff, and Squire A\ nite, surrogate, and
the house of John Scott in the village of Mayville was
designated as the place for holding courts until a
court house should be built ; for the locating and
building of which, in Mayville, with other necessary
county buildings, a committee was appointed. The
first court of common pleas was held during the fol
lowing June. One of the trials at this first court we
will give in Hon. Samuel A. Brown's own words:
" At this court a trial was held between Esq.
Jack of Pennsylvania and Esq. Akin of Ellicott, for an
assault and battery. Violent animosity had prevailed
for some time between the southern boatmen, and the
Yankees ; all the inhabitants of the county were
known by that name, regardless of the place or the
nation which gave them birth. Capt. Dunn of this
county had been gouged ; that is, one eye pulled out

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 51
by a boatman named Valentine. This ill will had
now arrived at a crisis, and was settled by a regular
fisticuff fight in a bar room at Mayville. Some eight
or ten were engaged on each side, and the fight was
desperate. Caleb Thompson of our own town had
his thumb bitten off. James Akin Esq., and Esq.
Jack personally engaged ; the one a magistrate in
Pennsylvania, the other was afterwards a justice in the
town of Ellicott. AYhether their fitness to be leaders
in this fray, fitted them for the official stations they
afterwards held, I cannot speak with accuracy, as the
event is too remote, and too much involved in the
legendary stories of that day. Akin knocked Jack
blind in a few moments ; the skin and flesh on his
skull fell lose over his eyes and he could see to fight
no longer, when his party took him from the battle
ground. He was laid up about two months. His
cause was tried at this court, and the jury gave him a
verdict of $80, allowing him his medical bill, and time
actually lost, but no 'smart money,' as the jury doubt
less considered the sport equalled the smart. After
this encounter the Yankees and the boatmen lived in
perfect harmony."
AVe have the following anecdote relating to this
same transaction : The next spring Jack was having
his boat repaired at AYork's mills, — a fellow boatman
having run into him at Slippery Rock, (Dexterville)
for which offense Jack had knocked him, in Brown's
language, nearly blind. Akin met him there and
saluted him with the name that he commonly went
by, " How are things running with you Esq. Jackass?"
and offered his hand. " Running down, * as soon as
* Meaning that he was on his way down the rive:-, not on his
way to the lake. "Salts" was the boatman's name for Onondaga

52 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
we can get the salts on. Rome pulled his old Durme
on to us up at the Rock and busted Old Sal's * starn,
and we had ter draw her load, and have Neddy
(Works) put a patch on to her. It made me durned
sick and I just lifted Rome by his skulp and his starn
and put him where he would have drown-ded hadn't
his pard hooked him out. Well, Jakins f seeing its
you, I'll hand a paw, but it was durned mean to gouge
a Purine's Bower ** skulp off in a pleasant
little rounder for gill cups, ff But I don't hold
animose agin any one, and as you don't, grudge,
we'll gill vp, friendly, and begin anew. Jakins, when
I come back after fall rise, we'll gill up friendly. I
don't hold animose as long as you don't grudge."
The town of Ellicott was taken from the town of
Pomfret in 1812 and incorporated on the first day of
June of that year. It then contained four townships,
over 92,000 acres instead of 25,000 as now, and in
cluded the present towns of Poland, Carroll, Kiantone
and a portion of Busti. Carroll was taken from Elli
cott in 1825, and Kiantone from Carroll in 1853. Po
land was formed from Ellicott in 1832 and Busti was
made up from the towns of Ellicott, and Harmony in
1823. The boundary line of Busti as first formed
reached the outlet a little west of the present steam
boat landing, and for this and other reasons in 1845
nine lots were taken from Busti and added to the south
and west sides of the town of Ellicott,
salt, — usually earned on light keel boats, named after the
maker, Durham, — pronounced by the boatmen as if spelt Durme.
Rome was the nickname for Jerome.
* "Old Sal," — for the Sally Jack which was the name of his
boat. f Akin's nickname among the boatmen.
** The Bower was the captain.
XX A tin cup— holding a boatman's usual drink of whiskey.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 53
The first town meeting(1813), was by the legislature,
appointed to be held at the house of Joseph Akin at
Stillwater. No one now can positively point out
where Stillwater was, but this is sure, at that
time it was expected that a town would be laid out
on the Stillwater creek which should include the
houses of Joseph Akin and Laban Case. It is near
enough to say that the locality of this was-to-be village
of Stillwater was at, near, or about the brick residence
of the late Howard Russell in Kiantone. Some of our
older citizens declare that a town called Stillwater was
laid out at this locality, others say it was only talked
about. I take the following from S. A. Brown's lec
ture : \
In 1815 "the village of Jamestown, then univer
sally known by the name of the Rapids, was laid out
into lots 50x120 feet etc., etc. Joseph. Akin, previous
to this time, laid out a village on the Stillwater, but it
never had any inhabitants." At this first town meeting
James Prendergast Yvas elected supervisor, Ebenezer
Davis, town clerk, Solomon Jones, Wm. Deland, and
Benj. Covill, assessors, James Hall, constable and col
lector. It was voted to lay a road from Akinsville
(village of Stillwater) past Laban Case's and Van-
amie's, James Akins', Ruben Woodward's to Culburt-
son's (Col. Fenton's) and thence to Work's mills. Also
a road from Akinsville to Lawrence Frank's (Frews
burg ;) also a road from Work's mill to Prendergast's
mill. A road from Stillwater to Prendergast's mills
was voted down; of course, it would injure the pros
pects of Stillwater, or Akinsville as sometimes called,
and would benefit the Rapids. The next year (1814)
a road was voted from Stillwater to Heman -Bush's

54 THE EARLY" HISTORY OF
(Busti ;) also a road from Cyrus Fish's * to Bost-
wick's, all leading to Stillwater. The next year (1815) it
was voted to lay out a road "from near the dwelling
of AVm. Sears, (now Kiantone) across Solomon Jones'
bridge over the Stillwater creek, to a bridge across the
outlet of Cha.utauqua lake, near and below James
Prendergast's mills. The next year (1816) the tow
meeting was held at the Rapids and the village of
Stillwater was speedily and forever forgotten.
Prendergast commenced active operations at the
Rapids in 1811, but there were several settlers in the
town of Ellicott previous to that time. AA7illson was
living on the farm below Falconer in 1806, Culbertson
a mile below in 1808, Geo. W. Fenton, John Arthur
and Robert Russell were on the opposite side of the
outlet a mile below AVork's in 1809. During the fol
lowing year Thomas SI one was on the old Indian
clearing (the Prendergast. farm) on the Kiantone, Sol
omon Jones and the Akins's and others on the Still
water. Nathaniel Bird was at the foot of the lake
where Gideon Shearman now lives, and AVm. Deland
on what has since been known as the Solomon But
ler farm. Previous to the settlement, of the Rapids,
the Frews, the Owens's, the Myres's, James Hall,
Ebenezer Cheney, Ebenezer Davis, AVilliam Sears,
Jasper Marsh, and others were settlers on the Cone
wango and the Stillwater in that part of Ellicott now
comprised in the towns of Carroll and Kiantone. The
first settlement in southern Chautauqua was, doubt
less, at what is now called Kennedy. Dr. Thomas
* Cyrus Fifh was father of Mrs. Henry Baker. He lived in a
log house, near the present forks of the road near Wm. Root' s.
There was a burying ground near, and we are told the graves never
were removed.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 00
Kennedy in 1804 built the first saw mill there on the
Conewango, and there were a number of settlers at
that locality but their names are lost. Probably
some of them have descendants living in that part of
the old town of Ellicott now, but so far as we have
been able to ascertain they cannot furnish the date
of their fathers' settlement. The S trunks, Zebulon
Peterson, Augustus Moon, Benjamin Lee, Jonas Sim
mons, Amos Furgurson, Thomas Walkup, and other
early settlers of the -north part of the town came in
shortly before or soon after the settlement at the
Rapids had commenced.
Although Jamestown is built upon a series of
hills, it was at an early clay as rough and uninviting
a locality for a town as could be possibly imagined.
The ground was not only hilly but filled with swamps,
deep gullies and quicksand holes ; it was the jeer
of the stillwaters, and was ridiculed by nearly all
early visitors to the Rapids. Judge Prendergast and
his friends contended that the location was a good
one,' that there was no difficulty that could not be
easily overcome, and what was more — it was the only
location on the outlet where a town could be built.
That Chautauqua lake was navigable to this place
and no further. There is no inhabitant of James
town to-day who will not decide that it is the only
point on the outlet where our city could be built — and
a beautiful city it is, — the Pearl City of the Empire
state. There were but few points at which the outlet
could be reached on either side in its whole course
from the lake to the Conewango, and this the best
and nearest to the lake. Excepting at these points the
outlet, had a fringe of swamp more or less deep
on either side. The undersirableness of the location

56 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
was not admitted by the earliest settlers, as has been
stated, except by the junto, after a thorough examina
tion of what appeared to be an undesirable locality. A few
thought ground farther east was preferable ; others
advocated the south side of the outlet, (and with rea
son) as the most desirable for residences. Up to 1825,
no lot in Jamestown could be sold for more than
Prendergast's original price of $50 per lot of 50x120
feet, except on Main street below Third street. Up to
that time and afterwards, it was not considered prob
able that the town would extend to the south side of
the outlet, except, possibly for residences. In 1822 at
a meeting of the inhabitants to choose the site for a
graveyard, Dr. Elial T. Foote and Dr. Laban Hazel
tine both strenuously advocated the location of the
residence of the late Wm. Hall for that purpose, giv
ing as reasons that the ground was suitable and would
never be wanted for building purposes. Its location
there was defeated by the somewhat whimsical objec
tions of S. A. Brown Esq., "that a burying ground
should be near the meeting house, as in New Eng
land, and that soon there would probably be one built
near the Prendergast academy, which then served
them for that purpose ; that the place suggested was
too far from the village, and that if the bridge should
break down it would be difficult to reach the grave
yard." As whimsical as these reasons appear to be,
they defeated the location of the burying place there,
an event for which the citizens of Jamestown should
be forever thankful.
The central portion of the business part of James
town is built, upon a swamp. This swamp commenced
100 feet east of Lafayette street and extended from
thence to Potter's alley. It was widest north and

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 57
south, between Washington street and Mechanic's
alley. At Washington street it extended nearly to
the north side of Fourth street, and at Mechanic's
alley it extended north to about midway between
Third and Fourth streets. It crossed Main street near
the north side of the Prendergast block and from
thence gradually tapered down to the width of Third
street at Potter's alley. On the south side its southern
limit between Washington and Cherry streets was
along the center of the block on the south side of
Third street. The half block between Third and Sec
ond, and Cherry streets and Mechanic's alley belonged
to the swamp. East from Mechanic's alley the line
may be said to have been a little south of Third street
to Potter's alley. It is within the writer's remem
brance that there was a narrow causeway of logs
covered with hemlock brush and some dirt through
this swamp on the east side of Main street for the pas
sage of teams. Brown in his History of Ellicott states
that " On the east side of Main street just above Third,"
(in front of what is now the Jones block) he has " fre
quently seen horses so deeply mired, that human aid
was employed to get them out," As late as 1825 if
not still later, the land west of Main street and be
tween the outlet and Fifth street had been partially
cleared and was the common pasture for the village
cows. It was rare that a day passed without some
body's cows needing assistance out of the swamp. We
have seen them when they had entirely disappeared
but their heads. Occasionally a cow was missing and
then came the query, was she swamped or stolen ?
At one time, a supply of ropes, short boards, levers,
etc., was kept at a point somewhere between where the
Sherman house and the Presbyterian church now stand

58 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
for the purpose of rescuing cows mired in the swamp.
At the crossing of Third and Pine streets the
street has been lowered from twenty to twenty-five
feet or more. The highest point of this hill was at
the southwest corner now occupied by Bradshaw's
flour and feed store. Upon this pinnacle Elisha Allen
erected in 1819 a large two-storied building which
would accommodate several families and was gener
ally filled with new-comers. This building in 1831
was torn clown and replaced by a one-story house
which was occupied by the family of Elisha Allen
until after the death of Mrs. Allen. The late A. F.
Allen commenced housekeeping here. AVhen A. F.
Allen built the Bradshaw store this building w as re
moved to the east side of Prendergast avenue north
of Sixth street and is still standing. East of this hill
at the corner of Pine and Third streets commenced
anotlier swamp which occupied the larger part of the
block between Third and Second streets and the south
half of the next, block east of Spring street. In addi
tion to these swamps and those bordering the outlet,
the site upon which our town is built was disfigured
by several deep gullies and mirey surface beds of
quicksand. But " the path master has been abroad "
and with pickaxe and shovel has given to nature an
entirely different aspect. The gullies have been filled,
the hills lowered, the swamps drained and the quick
sand deprived of its water, dried up. Jamestown can
to-day boast of its beautiful location ; the most beauti
ful, the most convenient, the most appropriate on the
whole course of the outlet, from the lake to the Cone
wango. AVe well remember when there were but two or
three hundred inhabitants in Jamestown. The streets

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 59
were as follows — stumps standing in every one, even
in Main street. Main street extended from the race
to Fourth street ; Cherry street from First to Second ;
Pine street, from Second to Fourth ; and Spring street
from Second to Third. First street extended from
Cherry to Main and from thence where it did not
belong, east to Daniel Hazeltine's factory ; Second
street from Cherry street east, to Prendergast avenue,
and there the Dexterville road began. Third street
extended from Mechanic's alley to Prendergast avenue.
Fourth street extended from Main to Pine. On
Second street, besides the bridge already mentioned in
front, of the printing offices, there was one just east
and south of Jason Palmeter's house over a deep
slough. To cross the outlet the race was first crossed
by a bridge just above Grandin's grist mill, where
there is one now. The outlet was crossed by a bridge
commencing as low down as the south end of the
grist mill and extending south across the outlet to a
little above the present axe factory. This bridge
was built in the fall of 1814 by Ruben Landon,
grandfather of Mr. A. J. Landon of our city. About
the year 1824 a new but inferior bridge was built, some
rods above the first. The north end of this second
bridge was about twenty feet east of the east side of
Main street and the south end about forty feet east.
This bridge was a very poor affair, and about 1833
Henry Morgan, Phineas Palmcter and others con
tracted to build a bridge of sound timber and in a
workmanlike manner, immediately west of the second
bridge. This third bridge was in use for many years.
One day it suddenly fell in its whole length just after
several teams had crossed. The writer saw it as it fell;
one portion seemed to fall as soon as the others. All

60 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
went at the same moment. The fourth and last
wooden bridge Yvas built by Horace Bacon and J.
Sanford Holman, still above the third and where
the present stone archway bridge stands, and to which
it gave place. Many have wondered why the last
bridge did not extend across the outlet in a line with
Main street. We will give you the reason. About
one hundred feet below the dam the stream took an
abrupt turn to the south and ran along not more than
fifty feet north of Baker street until it reached what
we now call Hemlock row, and there it turned north
erly and ran where a large portion of those buildings
now stand to near where Main street passes over
the arches of the present stone structure. It will at
once be perceived that if the bridge ran in a direct
line Yvith Main street it would be necessary to extend
it to Baker street, in which case four or fiY-e hundred
feet of it would run through the middle of the stream.
It was a favorite amusement not only for boys
but men to stand on this bridge and spear suckers (mul
let) in the swift water below. There are men still living
in Jamestown who will remember that in the race just
above the saw mill and from thence down to the
woolen factory, from ten to fifteen and even more
pickerel were speared daily. We have in the morn
ing and early evening seen from twenty to thirty men
and boys with spears watching the race for pickerel.
One evening the late S. AV. Parks in a very short time
lifted out of the race seven beauties, the united weight
of which was over forty pounds. In early times
many pickerel were speared yearly in the race, but the
superabundance spoken of above lasted for only four
or five years. The, theory was that the steamboat
drove them down from the lake. A very poor theory,

i THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 61
but as in more important matters, better perhaps than
none. Fifty years or more ago it was not necessary to
go to the lake for fish. If a person had a canoe, a
spear and a two bushel basket of fat pine he could in
a couple of hours on the rapids catch all the pickerel,
yellow and black bass and Buffalo suckers he wanted.
We have seen many a pickerel brought from the lake
weighing ten, fifteen, twenty pounds and even more,
sold for a Spanish shilling (twelve and one-half cents,)
or for a pistareen (eighteen and three-fourth cents.) In
those days the very large fish were not considered
wholesome, and much inferior in flavor to the
smaller ones. In those days, when a 6 lb. pickerel
would sell for 25 cents, a 15 lb. one would go a beg
ging at a shilling. Billfish were abundant,
and alligators were the pests of the boys who
wanted to catch pumpkin seeds and rock bass. The
outlet everywhere below the steamboat landing
abounded with the largest size sunfish, weighing a
half a pound and over. Many a boy we have seen
dragging home a long string of them, with an oc
casional fair sized black bass, after a half-day's fish
ing up at the dam. There were three kinds of fish,
some of them weighing a half a pound, that we
have not seen in many years. They were found in
the swift water on the ripples. In form they re
sembled trout, They were called red fins, chubs and
horned dace. Frogs of all kinds and descriptions,
from the smallest to the largest, were abundant every
where. We wish we could once more listen to a
frog concert such as we have heard so many times
in the long ago. It would be agreeable music.
Roads. — The road to Mayville turned off from
Main street at Fourth street, thence to Pine, and

62 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
thence in a tolerably direct line to Lake View avenue;
up that avenue to near the rise of ground on
which the residence of William M. Newton, Esq., now
stands. Thence it bore to the left and proceeded up
through the middle of the cemetery to where Lake
View avenue joins Main street. There it made a
square turn to the left and went down the long hill to
Jones landing, from thence not far from the present
highway to Mayville. The Fredonia road continued
from the junction of Lake ATiew avenue with Main
street, nearly as it now runs to a point somewhat north
of where Flint Blancharcl now resides. There it bore
to the left of the present road and went up over the
hill — Walkup Hill.
In early times in laying out roads if there was a
hill on the route, they wove sure to go over it, espec
ially if Robert Falconer was the surveyor. They did
not act on the old Indian motto that it was no further
around the side of the kettle than up ovrer the kettle
bale. But there were good reasons for taking the hill
routes — the ground was much drier and roads more
easily made. Furthermore the early settlers usually
built their log houses on the high grounds. After the
establishment of a. three-times a week line of stage
wagons, between Dunkirk and Jamestown, the driver
on arriving at AValkup's, since Kimball's, always in
vited the passengers to dismount and walk up the
steep hill a mile or more. One day a passenger (Air.
B. F. Aran Dusen of our city, then coming into the
country) who had been invited to walk, when about
half way up, declared he must ride as he could not
walk further up that precipitous mountain. After
clambering into the wagon he asked the driver "What
do you call this big hill, anyhow ?" " This is AValk-

' THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 63
I
up's hill, sir," was the reply. " Walk up hill ? I
should say so ; I need not note that down, I shall
remember it as long as I live ; have any of your pas
sengers ever walked the whole distance ?" " Oh, yes,
some times when the road was very muddy."
The road to Warren commenced on Baker street,
a little east of L. B. AVarner's late residence, and went
obliquely up the hill to a point in Forest avenue
south of the residence of the late AYilliam Hall. From
there it bore to the left ; and about a half a mile
further south reached a point in line with Prospect
avenue ; from thence it ran directly south about
midway between what is now Warren street and For
est avenue until it reached a point west of Samuel
Kidder's ; from thence it bore to the right and pas
sed through the gulf, and then near the residence of the
late Joseph Garfield ; and from thence in a direct line
to a bridge a little west of the present bridge across the
Bostwick brook. After passing Bostwick's house (now
owned by his daughter, Mrs. Chap in Hall Brown,) the
road made a square turn to the left, and thence
past Van Namee to the bridge across the Still
water this side of the Ben. Jones farm. From Jones's
the road passed not far from where it now runs to
Warren. A road then, as now, continued south from Bost
wick's to the noted village of Stillwater, as the lo
cality near the farm of A. M Kent was then known,
and thence to Busti Corners, Andrus's Corners as then
known. In those days this was the best road to An
drus's Corners, and to Sugar Grove. The other
road to Sugar Grove, called the Frank Settle
ment road, went up what is now Barrett street until
it reached the highest ground, then turned to the

64 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
right, continued on past the residence of the late
Henry Baker, and from thence nearly as the road now
runs to Palmer's Corners, and thence up and over the
hill through Frank Settlement, to Andrus's Corners,
and thence to Sugar Grove.
The Ashville road passed up over " Sine " Jones's
hill from the point opposite to Marsh & Post's bed
stead factory, and struck the present road about half
a mile west of the steamboat landing bridge. The
roads east to Work's, now Falconer, to Ross' Mills
and Dolloff's Mills were very near their present lo
calities. At an early day even primitive roads could not be
said to extend further than these points. There was a
cheap sort of bridge over the outlet at AYork's Mills
and another at Plumb's Mills, and one at Myers' across
the Conewango. These are all the bridges I now re
member of sixty years ago, except the bridge over
the Stillwater built by Solomon Jones in 1811. I be
lieve I have mentioned the main roads of early times.
There was not a mile of turnpike on any of them.
Occasionally a stump was removed and the danger
ous places in the corduroy repaired. In this consisted
nearly all the road repairing at an early day. The
year the writer was of age he had a road tax of one
day. He told the pathmaster he would go and mend
a small but very dangerous spot in what is now Forest
avenue not far from the Busti line. AVe took one of
the men on the farm with us and in less than half a
day had the spot permanently cured. I think a day's
work when commuted in those days was five shillings
(62 1-2.) One of the greatest hardships of any early day
was the making of roads. Turner in his history of the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 65
Holland Land Purchase remarks that hundreds of
anecdotes could be told of the early settlers of Chau
tauqua, that would illustrate that tliere, as in all the
rest of the purchase, as a class they were poor. Manv
of them came into possession of their lands by paving
a mere nominal sum in advance ; in some instances
not more than 25 cents. There are now in Chautau
qua county prosperous families, and their descendants
rich, whoye last dollar was spent when they arrived at
their locations in the forest, erected their log houses
and supplied themselves with a scanty store of pro
visions. With the heavy forests which covered this
county it is not to be wondered at that these first roads
were of the worst kind ; over hills where the land was
dryer, corduroy where it was damp, and that these
roads should be slow of improvement. When the
roads necessary are considered, and the few persons
to make them, and that it, was impossible to make a
passable road until the forest on both sides was cut
down, it is almost a miracle that we have the fine
roads we find now on every side. The making of
roads and bridges lias been a herculean task in this
county. The first piece of through road making in this
country was from the Humphrey house to the foot of
the hill near the residence of Frank E. Giffbrd. Soon
after out late townsman, A. F Allen, was married, he
built a tolerable frame bouse on the Allen farm about
half a mile from town, on what is now known as AVar-
ren street. The house has been for several years oc
cupied bv Anthony Bratt. The flat, as it was called,
was always muddy and full of holes, although great
labor from year to year had been expended upon it.
After "(hist" had broken his nice new homemade

66 THE EARLY" HISTORY" OF
wagon several times in driving down to church, he de
termined that this bit of road that no one had been
able to mend, should be cured, and he had himself
made pathmaster for that purpose. He went to work,
first taking out fabulous quantities of old logs, planks,
etc., casting the mucky soil to each side for sidewalks;
and then drew from the bed of tbe outlet hundreds of
loads of stone with which he filled the canal which he
had made, where once had been the road. This he
covered with bank gravel, opened the ditches on each
side and the road was complete. His older fellow citi
zens looked on with amazement and with grumbling
but "Gust" kept to work and gave them but little satis
faction. He was noted for doing anything he under
took, thoroughly and well. He spent the whole tax of
his district on that short piece of road, but it has
needed nothing more than ordinary repairs in over
forty-five years. SARCASM OF HISTORY.
AVe relate the following to illustrate the mutations
in opinions as time advances : Many years ago Gen
eral Horace Allen, one of the first settlers at the
Rapids, who first, lived at. the lower village and built
the first saw mill there, afterwards bought the Mer
rill farm on the side hill east of Foote's avenue,
built for his second residence the long one-storv
house two or three hundred feet south of Allen street,
and for his third a large wooden structure where
Kimball's brick residence now stands.
In those days it was not thought that Jamestown
would ever become a city ; that the swamp from Brooklyn
square to the lower village would ever be occupied by
factories and dwellings; but that the increase of James
town would be mainly on the north side of the outlet,

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 07
and more to the west than has been the case until late
ly. The interest many years ago of Judge Foote was
to increase Jamestown towards the east on the north
side; and of his especial friend to increase it east on
the south side of the outlet. Allen laid out a few
streets. One which he called Quaker street first ex
tended south from what is now Allen street; upon
which were several residences and a Quaker school
kept by Mrs. Mary Osborn, more generally known
as Aunt Mary, who had several teachers of eminence;
and pupils from hundreds of miles distant. Because
of this school, in which the writer was one of the
teachers from 1835 to 1838, Allen called the street
Quaker street, Finally Allen desired to extend his
pet street north across the outlet, through a most ter
rible swamp, up the hill, through Foote's farm to the
Methodist church. Foote and his friends opposed this.
Foote said it would ruin his farm, which then extended
from Institute street, to the lower village on the south
side of Chandler street. The town authorities opposed
it, saying it would be an expense which the town
could not afford. Allen the next year went to work
and made a good road from what is now Allen street,
to the outlet and drew timber for a bridge. This
caused Foote and his friends to more warmly oppose
the opening of the street, contending that it was un
necessary and would never be used, and the town said
it would cost, §500 at least to finish the road through
the swamp on the north side of the outlet to a little
below the present railway tracks. The General perse
vered and next year put up and finished the bridge
and built the road on the north side of the outlet
through the swamp to the foot of the hill. After this
Foote with increased energy worked to defeat the

lis THE EARLY HISTORY OF
road; but the highway commissioners came and viewed
it and declared that the road should go through to the
church, and the town must build it from the foot of
the hill north thereto. It was two or three years be
fore Foote could forgive Allen for perservering in ex
tending Quaker street through to the church. Some
years afterwards Foote, who for several years had re
sided in New Haven, Conn., came to Jamestown on a
visit, and at his own request and great solicitation the
street which for five years he had strenuously opposed
was changed from Quaker street to Foote's avenue, as
now generally supposed "In memoriam."
Early Navigation. — That Chautauqua lake, the
outlet, the Conewango and the Allegheny have com
posed a prominent highway for travel and commerce
between the great lakes and the Ohio river for cen
turies, is not to be doubted; but the history we are to
record runs back only eighty years or less. In speak
ing of the early roads, we should have mentioned
the first road ever opened in southern Chautauqua
and the third in the county. This road extended
from what is now Shadyside on the lake to the Cone
wango at Pine (trove. This road was cut between the
years 1802 and 1804. Robert Miles, father of the late
Fred. Miles of Sugar (trove, was one of the prominent
men engaged in this undertaking, and the termination
at the lake was in an early day known as Miles' Land
ing. The Marsh Settlement, in what is now known as
Farmington, was of much earlier date than any settle
ment in southern Chautauqua. The object of this road
was to give the setllers — there and on the lower Cone
wango and the Allegheny, easy access to the lake to
obtain the fine fish so abundant in it. and also to ob
tain from Black Rock bv the way of Lake Erie, the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 69
Portage road and Chautauqua lake, salt and .other
necessaries. Afterwards it was used by the early set
tlers of Chautauqua in driving cattle and hogs, and in
drawing in on sleds during the winter from the Marsh
Settlement and below, corn, wheat and other grains
potatoes and other vegetables for food, or for seed to be
used in the spring. This road was the great highway
of tbe wilderness; a guide to the bewildered and lost
pioneer; — if he could strike this road he was safe.
Miles' Landing should not be rubbed out on the west
shore of the lake. It is to be hoped that Lewis Hall,
Gustavus A. Bentley and others will consider this mat
ter. After the completion of this road, Miles made a
canoe from an enormous pine tree which he had no
ticed when making the road. The tree was said to be
over five feet in diameter. I believe the tree stood
in Pennsylvania. During the winter that canoe was
made and drawn to the lake at Miles' Landing ready
for use the coming season, 1806. For several years it
was the principal carrying craft of the lake. A num
ber of years after, it was purchased by Judge Prender
gast for the purpose of preservation, and moored in the
millpond. It was frequently used by the sawyers in
floating logs down the race to the mill, and in giving
the boys a ride up the rapids. Many a ride we have
had in Miles' canoe. Finally, in 1823 or 1824 come
one of the unfortunate breaks in the dam — which first
and last cost the judge a good fortune — away went a
thousand or more logs, and the big t;anoe was never
¦seen afterwards.
Before and after the settlement of Jamestown
boats called keelboats and Durham boats, and large,
long canoes were accustomed to load at Pittsburg with

70 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
goods suitable for trade with the Indians, and neces
saries for the white settlers, and proceed up the Alle
gheny, the Conewango, the outlet and Chautauqua
lake to Mayville. Having disposed of their cargoes
for the furs and peltries of the Indians, and the hard
dollars of the settlers, they loaded with salt and salted
Chautauqua lake fish, and then returned to Pittsburg.
This traffic continued until within the writer's remem
brance. In the stream between where now are D. H.
Grandin's mill and the axe factory, we hav^e seen five
Durham boats at one time tied to the banks. At that
time by agreement they were to go no farther. Their
salt had been purchased and delivered at the head of
the lake. Phineas Palmeter and Reuben Landon had
built for Judge Prendergast a large scow or flatboat,
and they were to deliver the salt from Mayville to the
keelboats at Jamestown free of charge. An expensive
canal Yvith five locks had been erected for the accom
modation of these keelboats. L. B. AVarner's mill
stands on that canal — part of the canal is the head
race and part the tail race of the mill. The locks were
removed or, rather, the decayed remnants of them,
when Baker built his first mill there. Mills accumu
lated on the outlet and the Conewango and the keel
boats after some quarreling, and after the building of
several unnecessary locks, gave up the trade. Saw
mills were too much for them.
After the keel boats ceased running, nearly all
merchandise came bjr -way of Lake Erie to Barcelona;
was carted over the hills to Mayville, and from thence
brought down the lake. A certain kind of liquid goods
called "Monongahela," put up in large barrels, was
bought in large quantities in Pittsburg by the lumber
men and continued to be brought as far as AAarren in

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 71
keelboats and from thence by wagons. For some
years Palmeter's salt scow and other flat boats were
used in this transportation on Chautauqua lake. Fin
ally at the suggestion of Judge Peacock Jared Irwin
and a Mr. Nixon built and placed on the lake the
schooner Mink, which was commanded by Captain
William Carpenter of Jamestown. Mr. A. Burr Hiller
writes us that the "first steamboat prevented the Mink
prospering in a financial way. In the meantime
Nixon had purchased land in Clear Creek, where he
resided for a time." About the year 1829 the Mink
was run ashore at Fair Point, stript, and there went
to pieces. This schooner could come down the outlet
no farther than the present steamboat landing; — then
for the first time we hear of the landing at the head
of the rapids. Previous to that time the landing had
been on the north side of the race just in front of the
present United States express office.
Captain William Carpextfk. — The historian
would consider that he had not discharged his duty if
he did not give, a more extended notice to this indivi
dual. William Carpenter was by birth an English
man. He was one of the Hearts of < )ak, as he used
to express it, of the English navy. For a long time he
was on a man o' war on the ( luinea coast of Africa. He
was steersman of the captain's gig and was frequently
on shore among the natives, of whom he was accus
tomed to relate many amusing stories. Carpenter was
impressed into the service and when he left it was as a
deserter, though much favored and trusted when in
His Majesty's service. His ship afterwaids cruised on
the American coast. Carpenter used to say he was
half American when born, and had long determined
to become an entire one before he died. As soon as the

72 THE EARLY HISTORY' OF
ship touched the American coast and an opportunity
presented itself he said he took walking papers,
saluted the Union Jack for the last time and took to
the forest, with his face turned to the setting sun. AVe
are not informed how long he had been in this coun
try when he arrived in Jamestown. Because of his
stories about Africa, Solomon Jones Esq., gave Car
penter the name of Guinea. He was ever afterwards
as frequently called Guinea as Carpenter. He was a
small but stout, and energetic man, never easy unless
actively employed, a good conversationalist and, as
before said, a good story teller, and withal a great
lover of children. His conversation was so interlarded
with sea phrases that no one could be with, him fiY-e
minutes without knowing that he was an "old salt."
He lived for many years in a building where Dr.
Ormes's office (formerly Elmer Freeman's front hat
shop) now stands; afterwards, and before his removal
to Dexterville, in the old Pier & Freeman hat factory
at the foot of Cherry street.
The first mail coach between Jamestown and May
ville, was built in Jamestown and owned by Gilbert
Ballard, landlord of the old tavern of that name, and
Guinea was the driver. The stage came in every
other day about 9 o'clock in the evening. The boys
would assemble at the old Pine street school house
corner of Pine and Fourth streets, and when Carpen
ter blew his horn (which by agreement was up near
where the cemetery now is) the boys would run up
the road and meet the coach not far from the south
end of Lake View avenue, fill it outside and in and
ride down to the tavern, the driver blowing his horn
every step of the way. Ballard used to say he could
tell whether Guinea had a load of passengers or those

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 73
d — d boys, by the way he blowed his horn. AVelL
that was a long time ago. They have greater amuse
ments now, but we can vouch that riding in Gilbert
Ballard's stage with Carpenter as driver was about the
largest fun we ever enjoyed. Carpenter was the
steersman of the horseboat during its short lived car
eer, and afterwards of the first steamboat on the lake,
¦ — the first Chautauqua.
There was so much merchandize and so many
household goods coming to and passing through
Jamestown that in 1824 Elisha Allen concluded to
build what was then called a, "horse boat," This boat
was built precisely on the ground occupied by the
United States express office at present. It was, one
might say, a large scow, with a cabin on one
side for passengers; and stables for eight horses on
the other side. There were small paddle wheels on
¦either side like a steamboat, and a large wheel in the
center of the boat connected with the shaft, of the pad
dle wheels by gearing. This center wheel was put in
motion by four horses. At the stern was an oar like
those used on rafts. Place Carpenter at this oar to
steer, and Old Godfrey, one of Allen's dependents,
(very frequently it was "Gust" Allen— the late A. F.
Allen Esq.,) on the roof to command, and two or three
stout boys with gads to keep the horses going and
you have the affair complete. The wheel to which the
horses were hitched was painted red; why I do not
know, for that was the only paint wasted on the boat.
The horse boat ran semi-occasionally a year; it may
have made a few trips a second year, and then gave
way to the schooner Mink, and scows with sails. The
horse boat was a complete failure. No four horses
¦could stand it at that wheel over an hour at a time,

74 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
then the}7- were removed and the other four hitched on,
continuing in this way to the end of the trip. The
distance from Jamestown to Mayville was never made
in less than ten hours, with the wind favorable, and
it frequently took a week to make a round trip. The
Mink and the scows — the Mink under command of
Capt, Carpenter, the Palmeter scow under Capt. Jacobs,.
another under Capt. Shaw, competed as the steamboats
do now for the freight from Mayville to Jamestown
and had plenty to do up to 1828.
Chautauqua's first steamboat.
Passengers came and went in Ballard's stages. In
1827 Alvin Plumb formed a company and built a
steamboat for Chautauqua lake and, although the
first, was one of the staunchest ever on the lake. It
was built of the best white oak by a ship carpenter
from Buffalo named Richards. The timber of the boat
was selected and cut by Eliakim Garfield. The plank
were sawed by the boatbuilders from logs which were
rolled up on a staging so that one of the sawyers could
stand under it. This boat was built partly on the
ground now occupied by the old freight station of the
N. Y., P. & 0. railway and partly west thereof. The
reader must recollect that the course of the outlet has
been materially changed by the building of the rail
way. The main stream then ran where the present
freight station stands and close to the bank under the
high hill to a point due south of Maj. Hiram Smith's
residence where it made nearly a square bend to the
south. AVhere the stream formerly was is now solid
ground. Richards worked slowly at this boat during
the winter and had it ready for launching in the fol
lowing May. The launching of that boat was a great
day for the residents of Jamestown and vicinity. The

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 75
whole surrounding country assembled. Plumb had
caused to be brought from AVestfield a large cannon
belonging to Alex. McClurg. It was planted on top
of the hill where Mrs. Charles Sterns's house now
stands on AVest Second street. Captain Carpenter was
placed in command. Then for the first time the boys
of Jamestown heard the roar of artillery. A gun was
fired, Capt. Richards gave the word and the huge boat
began to move, cabin end foremost toward the outlet,
and as she struck the water, Capt. Carpenter gave us
another of his terrific, ear-splitting, earth-shaking
bangs! Oh, that was a great day; we shall never for
get it; the ring is in our ears yet; we thought we were
brave, and would make good soldiers. AVe had pre
viously heard the howl of the wolf, had seen bears in
the woods and had killed deer and never dreamed of
being afraid, or of being brave, but that night we
dreamed we were. AVe had stood within five rods of
a terrible cannon, one that Perry had captured on Lake
Erie, heard its ear-splitting voice and had not run
away. The boys compared notes next day. EYreryone
bragged how close he was to the terrible cannon when
Carpenter touched it off. As the boat touched the
water a lad)- of Jamestown broke a bottle of currant
wine over her bow and said, "I name thee Chau
tauqua." That, woman in 1815 drove a two-horse
wagon loaded with furniture from Syracuse to
Jamestown. The steamboat was poled up to where
the landing now is, and there speedily finished and
painted. A magnificent figure of a female head and
bust was placed on her bow in a place built for it.
Phineas Palmeter soon arrived from Pittsburg with
the machinery, accompanied by an engineer named
Starring who put it in place and was the engineer of

76 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the steamboat the first and, I think, the second year.
After Starring, Palmiter had charge of the engine.
The last of June she was in readiness for work. Cap
tain John I. AArillson, an old Lake Erie captain who
was to command her, came over from Sugar Grove
where he resided, and she made a trip up into the lake
and back. Everything was pronounced perfect. The
first trip to Mayville was on the following Fourth of
July. It was a great day for Alvin Plumb and his
friends. There were about forty who by invitation.
went up to Mayville on that first trip. AA7e remem
ber but few besides Plumb, Barrett, Baker, Budlong
and R. Falconer of Sugar Grove who were considered
the owners. There were several from Mayville. Be
sides these S. A. Brown, Joseph AVaite, Sheldon Fish,
Laban, Abner and Daniel Hazeltine, Gen. Allen and
Col. Dexter were aboard. I think that Frank AVaite,
A. F. Allen, Niles Budlong and myself were the only
boys aboard. The men had a big dinner at a hotel,
but us boys did not suffer. Our mothers had provided
us bountiful baskets of "grub" to which we did full
justice in the cabin, and whiled away the time by
catching "pumpkin seeds" from off the sides of the
boat. That was a great day and us boys were of the
opinion that we had just about attained our growth.
Mark AVillson Esq., a banker now residing in Winona,
Minn., a son of the captain, called upon us a few days
ago, and says he was on board during the trip.
The ( 'hautauqua was commanded by Capt. AVill
son the first year, then by Capt. David S. AA^albridge, *

* David S. Walbridge was at one time the landlord of the
Elisha Allen tavern, corner of Main and Thiid streets. Afterwards
he was a prominent grocer in Jamestown — his store being in the
Ballard tavern where the Hall block now stands. He removed to
Kalamazoo, Michigan, and there was elected a member of Congress.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 7 t
then by Capt. Phineas Palmeter, afterwards by ( 'apt.
George W. Kellogg and at the close by Capt, James,
Hill. In 1835 a larger and faster boat was built under
the superintendence of Capt. Kellogg. This boat was
called the Robert Falconer and Kellogg commanded
her during the season of 1830. Capt. Hill ran the
Chautauqua as an opposition boat. The name of the
second boat was afterwards changed to AVilliam H.
Seward and still later was called the Empire. There
were a few years when steamboating did not pay on
Chautauqua lake. The roads improved and nearly all
the freight was landed at Dunkirk and brought over
by teams. Good coaches were put on this route and
nearly all the passengers went this way. The boat
was dismanteled, bought by Jason Palmeter and
others, loaded, I think, with tanbark and run down
the river. In 1848 Capt. Geo. Stoncman, (father (.fen. Stone-
man, the present governor of California) fastened two
large canoes side by side a few feet apart, planked
them over and used this affair to bring occasional
freight from Mayville to Jamestown. This curious
boat was named the Twins and was propelled the first
yrear bv horse power, afterwards bv a small steam en
gine. A boat called the Hollam ATail was built in
1851. She ran one season and burned at her dock in
the fall of 1852. Either before or after the II. Vail a
boat, which, after building, was found almost unsea-
worthv she careened so badly, was built by Mat. P.
Bemus and others. She was called the Water AYitch,
and afterward, I think, the Lady of the Lake. She
either sank or was burned at Mayville. It 1856 Capt.
Gardner built a large steamboat, at Mayville, and
put in the best machinery that has ever been iD

78 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
any boat on the lake. This boat was called the C. C.
Dennis. She was finished off with dining room, pan
tries, etc., and meals were served on board. The en
gine of this boat put Gardner deeply in debt, but he
continued to run her with some intermission up to
the close of the season of 1861. Her machinery was
then taken out and carried away. The hull of the
boat was floated to the west side of the outlet just be
low the steamboat landing bridge and there allowed to
rot down. Capt. James M. Murray, when he first came
to Jamestown, was connected with this boat. Capt.
Murray was afterwards owner and captain of the un
fortunate steamer Chautauqua No. 2, the blowing up
of which caused so great a loss of life. Since the
abandonment of the Dennis something OY-er forty
steamboats, large and small, have been built on Chau
tauqua lake. AATe now have plowing the waY-es of oar
beautiful ( ihautauqua nine or ten large, staunch, first-
class steamboats, and of smaller ones a host, and busi
ness for them all. Chautauqua with its lectures, its
schools and its colleges, is one of the institutions that
has come to stay. It now casts the shadow of a giant,
but it will never be less. Chautauqua lake with its
shores lined with magnificent hotels has become a
noted watering place, and now a railroad is being built
along the shores. Notwithstanding this the steam
boats will increase in number, size and beauty until
Chautauqua lake will bear upon her bosom a navy
larger than any body of water of its size in the world

CHAPTER IV.

Present Utility and Future Destiny — Judge
Prendergast's Yard — Allen's Cow Yard — Nam
ing THE VILLAGE  THE JUNTO AND THEIR DIS
COMFITURE — Cloth Dressing — Daniel Hazel
tine and Family — Operatiy-es — Hat Manufac
turing — Pier, — Freeman — and Others — Furs
and Peltries — Anecdotes of Bears.
P N considering the present condition and future
prospects of any community, it is well to take into
account the early trials, successes and failures of those
who preceded, and of whom, the present occupants of
their places, the representatives of the industries of to
day, are profoundly ignorant, Those who are now the
inhabitants of the city of Jamestown, doubtless look
upon the knowledge of the present condition of so
ciety, — the transactions of the present day, — present
trades, manufacturers and arts, — upon present know
ledge and culture, as more important than any other.
That the present, requires all the best thoughts, the
best energies of man, from which, if his attention is to

80 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
be in the least diverted, the coming active living fu
ture, is far more important than the dead and silent
past, All this is true; but if we would rightfully ap
preciate the present, and guide it to an honorable and
useful future, we must, in some degree, be acquainted
with the past, for it, is that which instructs us to the
true positions we now occupy in this drama of life. If
we would justly foresee the consequences of the pres
ent, we must be able to see how the present had its
origin in that which preceded it. To know the pres
ent we must not be ignorant, of that which has been.
And yet, with the great mass of mankind, present
utility is the measure of all knowledge and of all pur
suits. The answer given by the Spartan king — "AVhat
study is fitted for a boy ?" the reply, — "the present mo
ment," is as sure to be followed to-day as twenty-five
centuries ago. The knowledge of our surroundings,
of what is affecting us physically, intellectually , and
morally, in couutless ways, ranks far higher than the
knowledge of the circumstances of proceeding genera
tions. "Present, Utility" has become the watch word
of the man of to-day. The present and its duties will
not permit him to study small communities and their
gradual growth into the present; we have not the time
to study that which happened in our own locality be
fore we were born, or to conjecture what is to happen
after we are dead. We have to do our study and our
work within the horizon of our own existence; this
is the philosophy of the masses at the present time,
and it is true. Necessity makes it so. Is this not
"desliny ?" Is it strange than man disbelieves that he
is intrusted by Providence with the care of his own
fate V Is it strange that he is led to think that he is
embarked, without a rudder, — without a sail, — without

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 81
an oar, — upon the stream of destiny, hurried on he
knows not how, — and destined to arrive, he knows not
whither ?
The duties of life are too exacting to permit man
to step aside for the purpose of examining the foot
steps in the path be is now treading. The omnipo
tent, all exacting present, requires if we would suc
ceed, the expenditure of the utmost moment of time
in its service. And when this has been most faith
fully done, the lives of the ablest and most successful,
are too frequently disappointing, and their results un
fruitful. ( )f the thousands of seeds sown, and watered
with sweat and tears, only one brings forth the
healthy, vigorous plant, A hundred soldiers die in
the trenches for one who mounts the breach. Half
our efforts are in the wrong direction, and the other
half are too clumsy or feeble to attain their aim. If
at the (dose of life, we can say we have enjoyed a lit
tle happiness and done some good, we shall have cause
for deep gratitude and bumble hope. But a sense of
complacency, of satisfaction, as ofa part faithfully ful
filled, and a work thoroughly accomplished, can lie-
long to no man who looks hack over his course with a
single eve, and in the light of an approaching change.
Tbe finer the spirit, and the profounder tbe insight'
the more unconquerable will be the feeling of disap
pointment, There conies to us an irresistible intima
tion that this world was not given us to be rested in,
to be acquiesced in, as the only one or the brightest
one; a conviction anil a suggestion sent, perhaps to
weaken oar passionate attachment to a scene, which
otherwise, it might hace been too hard to loose our hold
upon. Centuries have added scarcely one new fact to
the materials onjvhich reason lias to work, nor per-

82 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
fected a single one of the faculties by which that work
is done. AVe possess scarcely a single item of know
ledge, either human or divine, which was not as famil
iar to Plato and to Job as to ourselves. Assuredly we
have no profounder poetic insight than the one, no
finer philosophic mind than the other. The deepest
and saddest ever remains to grieve the heart and to
originate faith. The unknown is the constant re
mainder, hope the solvent.

In reading these chapters if any one should com
plain that the events follow no chronological order,
we reply, that it was not our intention to follow such
order, but to take up various pursuits, trades and pro
fessions of the early settlers as they come up in our
minds, and to write of them, and of the persons con
nected with them, at the same time. AVe have found
it impossible to carry out fully our original design, for
some persons from time to time were engaged in many
different occupations; nevertheless we have adhered
to this plan as nearly as practicable. Not unfrequent-
ly, an old memory — some anecdote — some transaction
of the early days — disconnected with the subject in
hand, has welled up in the mind and we have not
hesitated to transcribe them at once, contrary to our
own pre-arranged rules, which we had intended should
be our guide. We have feared that if we did not pen
down the item then and there, it might not occur
to us again. We are free to acknowledge that the
matter contained in these pages would admit of better
arrangement, and we have made several attempts in
that direction, but with no very desirable results. As
we now offer the pictures from the store house of
memory we give you the result of our best efforts. It

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 83
has been our great desire and study to arrive at the
principal facts in our history, giving generally the
dates of their occurrence, — but to follow up that his
tory year after year from 1810 to 1840 or 45, and even
later, we have discovered to be a task impossible for
us to perform. AVe have not attempted a bare dry
diary of events as they occurred day after day, but
have attempted without much arrangement to give
pictures of the past as photographed in our own mem
ory.

.JUDGE PRENDERGAST S "YARD.
In August, 1814, Judge Prendergast built a small
one story house, consisting of one large room, two bed
rooms in the east end, with a passageway for the stairs
to the garret, between them. In the end towards the
street, was but one window and that lighted the garret,
There were two windows on the south side and two on
the north side with a door between the latter two. A
large Dutch fire-place and chimney occupied the west
•end. This house was made of plank and covered with
wide unplanod clapboards, and was guiltless of paint,
It stood on the ground now occupied by Hevenor's
store, on the west side of Main street, and its east, end
was about 15 feet from the street. As long ago as we
can remember Judge Prendergast's "yard," as it was
called, extended from Main to Cherry street, and from
Second street to a line drawn at the north side of the
store now owned by L. L. Mason. The east, south and
west sides were enclosed by a rough board fence
(stakes "wythed" together to hold the boards); the
north by a shed and fence which divided it from the
barn yard of Ballard's tavern which occupied the
south-west corner of Main and Third streets. Sliding

84 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
bars of wide 16-foot boards answered the purposes of
front gate. These bars were precisely where now is.
the front, of McNaughton's grocery.
Judge Prendergast's "yard" at that early day was
the play ground of all the children in the town, and we
dare say they consumed at least a milkpan full of
Aunt Nancy's doughnuts daily; and better doughnuts
were never made in either the village or city of James
town. South of Ballard's tavern on Alain street a gate
way opened into the barn yard. This gateway was im
mediately north of Mason's present jewelry store.
Where the Sherman House now stands there was a
deep and seemingly bottomless swamp belonging to
Prendergast; the alley (Mechanics) was not opened
through that block or through the blocks north of it
until 18:>8. This swamp lot, where the Sherman
House now stands, years afterwards was sold to Joseph
AVaite, and he built a comfortable residence on
the corner, and later a two storied stone office
east and near the center of the lot. A board
fence extended north from Ballard's barn across
what is now Third street to the premises of
Wm. Hall (Solomon Jones's tavern) where the-
Prendergast block now stands. In Judge Prender
gast's yard, the east half of which was in grass, and
the west part in smart, weed, was the house described
and several small buildings for poultry. On the west
there was a large barn, immediately north of the
present Chuutivqua Democrat building, and barn
yard, and a large goose pond where the Journal
building now stands, which was fed by a large and
constant stream of water arising in the swamp above,,
passing obliquely across Second street west of the
Journal Printing establishment. Crossing Mechanic's

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 85
alley about sixty feet south of the street and crossing
First street about ten feet west from the west side of
the present Baker block, and emptying into the mill-
race. On Second street was a high bridge requiring
two bents and three lengths of timbers. Under, above
and below the bridge was a deep, miry slough, through
which the stream passed. Elisha Allen's large barns
extended from the alley nearly to the corner of Cherry
street on the south side of Second. AVe have at
tempted to be explicit in our description of this old
stamping ground of Jamestown's early youth, hoping
that our description will induce some home painter to
commit it to canvass. There is one whose father well
remembers what we have here attempted to describe.
Get him to assist you. The following anecdote of this
locality is brought, forcibly to mind:
allen's wagons.
Elisha Allen li\'ed in a large house * at the south
west, corner of Main and Second streets. Samuel Bar
rett lived on the north-west corner of Cherry and Sec
ond streets, and in the house now standing there, and
Wilford Barker boarded with him. § Mr. Allen kept
many horses and wagons, and usually half a dozen
wagons were to be found at any time in Second street,
between Main street and the bridge spoken of above.
One dark night as Barrett and Barker were going
home, they fell over the tongue of one of the wagons,
prone into the filth of Allen's cow yard, for he used
the street, for his cows as well as for his wagons. Pro-

* This house (the. 'old Cass tivern) was removed west to the
alley when A. F. and D. Allen built their brick block at the corner
of Main and Second streets in 1836. It formed the kitchen part of
the Jamestown house, and was lately torn down.
§This house has been much changed in jtppearance by additions
3,nd repairs.

86 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
voked by the fall and the soiling of their clothes, they
ran the wagon down an almost perpendicular bank on
the north side of the bridge into the mire twelve feet
below. Several days after this, Barrett needed to use a
wagon and went to Allen to borrow. "H — 1, Mr. Bar
rett," said Allen, "I am very happy to lend you a
wagon. There is no better religion than that Yvhich
leads us to be kind and charitable, and forgiY'ing to
our neighbors. I have always found it best to repay
evil with good." He remembered the transaction of
ten clays previous and a glance at Allen's smiling face
was sufficient to prove that he was- in a scrape.
"AVhich of the wagons shall I take, Mr. Allen ?"
"H — 1, Barrett, the one you pushed over the bank,"
was the quick reply. "You will find it just where you
and Barker left, it," "LI — 1, Sam, I knew that you would
have to pull that wagon out, but thought I would not
ask you to do it until it had gone clean out of sight.
'Old Argue' * saw you when you pushed it down
there." There was but one way out of the difficulty.
Securing a stout rope and several men, Mr. Barrett
succeeded after two hours of hard work in withdraw
ing the wagon from the mire into which it had sunk
nearly out of sight. AVe witnessed the pulling out of
the wagon, as did a score or more of men and
boys, and frequently since Inwe heard the Major tell
the story, with the addition, that the expense to him
self Yvas $2.4-0. "It cost too much to interfere with Old
Lishe's wagons," he would sav, and never repeated the
exploit, HOW THE VILLAGE WAS NAMED.
Perhaps the present will be as convenient time as
we shall have to give the principal doings and
* A character we shall speak of hereafter.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 87
sayings at a meeting of a few gathered for the purpose
of giving a name to the hamlet of the rapids. There
was much ill feeling at the time, and words were
spoken which we do not transcribe from the record.
During the summer of 1815, frequent mention was
made of giving the town a name, especially by the
junto as it was called, which consisted of five or six in-
dividuals opposed in all things to Judge Prendergast.
Some good, as well as some astounding names had
been proposed. In the fall of that year a few friends
of Judge Prendergast, fearing a name might be
foisted upon them in the establishment of a post-office,
through the legislature, or otherwise, that would not
meet the views of most of the inhabitants, came to
gether in the office room of Dr. Hazeltine, in his resi
dence (the Blowers house) which up to that time had
been a usual place for such gatherings, to consider the
subject. Nine persons attended this meeting, and all
agreed that it was best to have a name other than
"Prendergast's Mills" or "The Rapids," the names then
in ust'. It certainly is strange that in a small hamlet con
taining but thirteen families, located in a wilderness
and almost cut off from civilization, should thus early
be divided up in to cliques and juntas, and quarreling
with one another worse than a pack of wolves over a
half-picked bone, and that this quarrel should con
tinue unabated for 15 or 20 years and until the princi
pal personages should be removed by death or other
wise from the scenes of their bickerings and turmoils.
And yet, for the most part, we are convinced that these
very persons had in view the best interest of the little
town in which they were the leading- and most im
portant citizens. The truth is that at that early day.

88 THE EARLY" HISTORY OF
not only the citizens of Ellicott but of the county, be
lieved, and this belief extended beyond the county to
the eastern portion of the state and into New Eng
land, that the little hamlet of the rapids was to be
come a place of importance in the not far distant fu
ture. The forests were not only vast in extent, but
the trees were larger than any ever before known. Its
pineries were the wonders of the day and their
fame had extended even to Europe. The great
wealth which they represented, the vast water powers
which everywhere penetrated these forests in every
direction, rendering their conversion into lumber and
shipments to market easy, by continuous water way
through the great Mississippi valley. The conversion
of this water power when the lumber was gone, into
power for factories of various kinds which even then
had entered the minds of the settlers in their dreams
of future greatness and prosperity, — the beautiful
Chautauqua lake, distant, but a midday walk from the
greatest, chain of inland lakes in tbe world — this lake
bordered by tbe richest agricultural lands in the state,
and itself a vast reservoir of water power. All these
things had passed through the minds of the early set
tlers at the rapids, and filled their brains with ideas
of future greatness. Our fathers were the "Crane de
Creme" of the emigrating classes of those days and in
prophetic vision saw these things nearly as clearly as
we, their descendants, see them after the changes of
two-thirds of a century have stamped themselves on
the country. The truth is, those strong, sturdy men
were fighting for leadi'rship in the grand movements
soon to follow. It was a praiseworthy ambit ion that gave
origin to the junto, nevertheless avc must confess that
their ambition was not without alloy. Human nature

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 89
is prone to stoop to the basest trickery, deceit and
falsehood, to accomplish her ends. As a record of this
meeting, by one who was present, says: "The junto in
tends to rule .us. The Judge is opposed and vexed on
all sides, in the most trivial things, and his friends are
prompted to work against him, not knowing that they
are doing so; The devil is surely here; some think
his headquarters are on the Stillwater, but Uncle Solo
mon Jones says we need not travel so far as that to
find him." "Forbes says Jakins is full of tricks but
harmless. Why is somebody so anxious to have a
post office here? I tell you they have got it all cut
and dried to name the town and intend to use the
post office as a handspike to raise themselves up to the
top of the heap. Akins was over here yesterday and
the junto had a meeting. * * *
know that we intend to give
this locality a name to-night; they are troubled but
dare not interfere." "Captain Forbes," said Phin
Palmiter, "they take off scalps about as saY'age as they
did over on the 'Conjockety;' but you remember that
it was Stillwater, not the Rapids that run away
there; we are to be depended on eveiy time."
"And Stillwater will run again now — not us. You
stand by us as you stood by me at Conjockety and if
we don't whip the junto I'll foot the bill." "These two
sallies caused a great laughter which brought several
to the door; Forbes went out but soon returned saying
they were sawyers and he sent them about their busi
ness, if any of the Akins' crew had been there I should'
have brought, them in." The document from which I
have taken these extracts is too long for our present
purpose. Several names were suggested in which the name of

90 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Prendergast was used; all of them with a suffix of
town, or ton, berg or ville, &c. It did not appear to
have entered the minds of our fathers that Prender
gast would have been an appropriate name, for that
was not according to the fashions and usages of those
days. It was decided that any name containing Pren
dergast would be "too long for so short a town." They
then took up the word James and hitched all kinds of
suffixes to that. Finally the majority favored James-
ville as the name but Dr. Hazeltine opposed it because
there was one if not two towns by that name in the
state already, and favored the name of Jamestown
which was finally decided upon, although the major
ity were in favor of adjourning a few days before the
name was fully adopted. Hazeltine and Forbes de
clared that an}- name they chose would haY-e the
approbation of the Judge and that no one would dare
to attempt a change; and declared for immediate ac
tion. Blanchar declared that it was time to go home.
that he should take the responsibility of naming the
town himself, and that if they would examine the grist
mill door in the morning they would find the name-
there. That if the "junto" wanted to shear their
goats they would find him and AValt at the grist mill,
and they Yvould grind their grist or pick and card
their wool, he didn't care a cuss which — that he had
lived at the Rapids too long to be whipped by Still-
waters and old Jacob's boarders. True to his word
there was found on the grist mill door next morning
an advertisement of Simmons & Blanchar, done with
pen and ink on half a sheet of fools cap paper, calling
for wool to be cleaned, dried, picked, oiled and carded
into rolls if delivered to them at their carding works
in the village of Jamestown, formerly known as the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. !>1
Rapids. The junto declared that the advertisement
was in Dr. Hazeltine's handwriting; that it was a
miserable hoax which Simmons & Blanchar permit
ted fearing that Prendergast, would make them take
their carding machines out of the grist mill if they did
not submit, *
During the winter they attacked the new name with
all kinds of ridicule, givung the town all sorts of ridic
ulous or sarcastic names instead, such as Pendergasses
dam town, Martinsburg, Jeddediasville, Blowerstown,
Hezzletonsburgh, etc. Their plan at the time ap
peared to be to defeat the name by ridiciling it, but
they continued the method too long. AVithin six
months the name was used by all except, the junto, and
during the following year through the influence of the
Prendergast party, a post office was established at
Jamestown, Chautauqua County, N. Y. The oppo
sition afterwards declared that they favored the name
from the beginning, but, did not wish to haY'e Hole
Blanchar go wool gathering from the office of Jim
Prendergast's pet doctor. Thus it was that the city of
Jamestown of to-day received its name and the junto
of the Stillwater beat in their first engagement at tbe
foot of the Rapids 81 years ago.
CLOTH DRESSING AND MANUFACTURING.
The first carding of wool in the town of Ellicott was
done by Simmons & Blanchar on a small single ma
chine built for them in Sheridan and erected in Pren
dergast's grist mill in 1814. In 1812 Solomon Jones
wrote to his nephew, Daniel Hazeltine, then 17 years
old, residing in Wardsboro, Art., advising him to learn
cloth dressing and come to Ellicott and set up his
trade; that there was then no such establishment in
this region of country and one was sorely needed. He

92 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
acted on the advice and immediately commenced an
apprenticeship at an establishment not far from his
home. In 1816 he came to Jamestown with
Samuel Barrett. He immediately erected a small
building, where the west end of Broadhead &
Sons' worsted mills now stand, for cloth dressing and
the next season a much larger one for his carding ma
chines and dye works.
In those early days nearly every settler kept a few
sheep, as many as he could protect from the wolves,
and in nearly every log house was a spinning wheel
and a loom. The most of the cloth for both men's
and women's wear was made at home. In Ma}- and
June nearly every farmer coming to the grist mill,
brought with him one or more big bundles of wool.
This was carded and made into rolls which were then
taken home and spun into yarn and the yarn woven
into cloth. In the fall the cloth was brought to the
factory, scoured, fulled, colored, napped, sheared and
pressed, then taken home and made into garments.
Madder red and London brown were the faY'orite col
ors for women's wear. In imagination we can see a
woman clothed with one of those dresses now. High
in the neck and fastened together by hooks and eyes
along the back, very short waisted, very narrow
sleeves, skirt narrow and short, reaching to the ankle.
A woman was seldom seen who was not clothed in one
of these home-manufactured dresses. Calico was
sometimes used, by those who could afford it, for
"dress up" occasions. The more frequent colors for
men's wear were black and dark brown.
The largest portion of the wool grown in Chautau
qua county was made into rolls and the cloth dressed
at Daniel Hazeltine's factory in Jamestown. In 1823

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 93
Hazeltine added weaving and built an addition to his
factory, and soon after took Robert Falconer into part
nership, who furnished additional capital but other
wise had nothing to do with the work or management
of the factory. In 1830 they added a large stone
building, increased tbe machinery and manufactured
cloth quite extensively.
In 1827 W. AV. Chandler and his brother-in-law, J.
W. AVinsor, built a carding and cloth dressing estab
lishment at the lower clam. In 1836 Daniel Hazeltine
bought Chandler & Winsor's establishment, enlarged
it and continued manufacturing cloths with his sons
or other partners until he retired from the business.
Not long after his retirement the establishment was
sold to Allen, Grandin & Co., and now, after several
changes in ownership, it is the property of Allen, Pres
ton & ( 'o. The business in the old stone factory was
continued for a time by Daniel H. Grandin. About
1847 the large frame building on the south side of
Brooklyn square was erected by Allen & Grandin and
used for the manufacture of cloths until Allen, Gran
din & Co. bought the Daniel Hazeltine factory at the
lower dam.
In 1818, Daniel Hazeltine married Mehitabel Be
mus, the youngest daughter of AVilliam and Mary
(Prendergast) Bemus. After their marriage they oc
cupied apartments in an addition made to the factory
buildings. AVhen the stone factory was built in 183(1
this portion was torn down to make room for the new
building. Previous to this, he bought the property on
the northeast corner of Pine and Third streets, on
which was a large one and one-half story house with a
basement, built a year or more previous by William
Knight. On this lot Dr. Laban Hazeltine cut his fire-

94 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
wood in 1818. Daniel Hazeltine lived in this house
until lie bought the cloth dressing establishment at
the lower dam, when he removed to the house belong
ing to the property, which was located about forty feet
north of the present factory of Allen, Preston & Co.
They had two sons and three daughters,'* Susannah,
the eldest of the daughters, became the wife of AVill-
iam Post, Esq., who was for many years a business
man in our village. They had but one child, Daniel
Hazeltine Post, who was educated at, AVilliams College;
and was secretary to (lov. Fenton when sent to France
as a Commissioner to meet the Commissioners of Euro
pean Powers to regulate the currency. He was for
some time before and after his return from France, as
sociated with John A. Hall in editing the Jamestown
Journal. A year or more ago he married Evelyn
Newland, only daughter of Robert Newland and Eve
lyn (Patcbin) Newland and is now a partner in a
large manufacturing establishment in our city. His
father and mother are both dead. The other daugh
ters of Daniel and Mehitable Hazeltine died in child
hood. The two sons are both living and each at dif
ferent times were associated with their father in the
manufacture of cloths and each haY-e conducted that-
business on their own account, The youngest son,
George, is still engaged in the manufacture of cloths,
his factory being at North AVarren, Pa. AVilliam
Bemus Hazeltine has begun to experience the incon
venience of old age and has retired to bis farm at Be
mus Point, which is a part of the AVilliam Bemus' pur
chase of 1806, and was his mother's portion of her
father's property. He still remains however a partner
in the Iron Manufacturing Company, in Youngstown,
Ohio, of which be lias long been a member.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 95
Daniel Hazeltine when living was loved and re
spected by all classes and conditions of men; he Yvas
considered as the exemplar ofa truly honest man, and
of the true spirit of Christianity. He was truly good
without ostentation, truly religious without bigotry;
his benevolence was bounded only by his means to
aid the suffering and the needy; and it is true that he
used means that he needed himself, in order to extend
his charities to their utmost limit. He became a
member of the Congregational Church at its organiz
ation in 1816. The Church was the apple of his eye,
he lived for its welfare, and continued to be one of its
most active and useful members up to his death Aug
ust 3d, 1807. His last words were, "I have tried to
follow Christ, on him I rely." Mehitable (Bemus)
Hazeltine, his nonogenarian wife still survives him,
with faculties unimpaired. Her personal remem
brances extend from the time that her father came
into this country in 1805 up to the present,
Hazeltine & Falconer's woolen factory brought many
new settlers into the country. Some of them remained
for many years as operatives, and after they left the
factory remained in the country and followed other
pursuits. A few more prominent among the latter
we mention below.
Mi;, and Mrs. Hikam Kinney-. — The following
statement was mostly furnished by their daughter,
Mrs. J. AV. Upham. "Nancy Crapsey came into the
county in the year 1818. She was then nineteen years
old. In the year 1820 she was residing in the family
of Daniel Hazeltine in the factory already mentioned,
and continued so to do until 1823. Hiram Kinney
came to Chautauqua in 1820. For the first six
months he worked on the farm of Dr. Laban Hazel-

96 THE EARLY" HISTORY OF
tine. Afterwards he was employed in the woolen fac
tory of Daniel Hazeltine. In 1850 he removed to a
farm on what is known as English Hill. On New
Year's Day, 1823, Hiram Kinney was married to
Nancy Crapsey at the residence of Daniel Hazeltine,
Samuel A. Brown, Esq., performing the ceremony.
This was among the first marriages in Jamestown.
There were present at the wedding, besides Daniel
Hazeltine and wife. Dr. Laban Hazeltine and wife and
their son, Gilbert, (then about six years old,) Judge
Prendergast and wife and their son, Alexander, and
Robert, Falconer, Esq., of Sugar (.Trove, who carved the
turkey; Charles Bemus and wife and two or three
others. Some time after their marriage they removed
to Pomfret but ere long returned to Jamestown. AVhen
Mrs. ^Kinney returned she brought with her a set of
small sauce dishes. Her old friend. Aunt Nancy
Prendergast, almost immediately called on her, and
Mrs. Kinney exhibited her little dishes. They were
the first seen in town. Mrs. Prendergast viewed them
admiringly, and then reproved Mrs. Kinney for intro
ducing articles of luxury into the town. 'You must
remember we are all poor, and you are setting a
bad example to those who are poorer than we." Mrs.
Kinney put her little dishes aside and did not exhibit
them again for man}- a day."
The Kinneys were always earnest and active work
ers for the advancement of the new settlement. Airs.
Kinney is still living, al the age of nearly ninety
years, but with faculties unimpaired. Nothing de
lights her more than to meet some one who can talk
with her of the early days. She is a fountain of anec
dote and early reminiscences.
Airs Kinney often refers to her remembrance of the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 97
sermon preached at the dedication of the Congrega
tional church, January 1, 1830. One sentence was,
"In fifty years from now where will be the people who
tread these aisles to-day?" Fifty-six years have passed
and Mrs. Kinney and three , others are the only ones
who can be brought to mind, now living and residing
in Jamestown, who were present qn that occasion.
Of the children of Hiram and Nancy Kinney but
three are living; viz: Judge John J. Kinney, one of
our prominent citizens ; Harriet, wife of one of our
principal artists, Mr. J. W. Upham, and Hortense who
married Mr. Lynch and is now residing in Erie, Pa.
Chileon C. Washburn was for many years in Dan
iel Hazeltine's factory. He took a great fancy to
Thomas R. Hazzard, an uncle of Robert P. Hazzard
of our city, and who came into the factory when a
boy. Washburn was a bachelor and it is said edu
cated him. He was prepared for college at James
town academy, graduated at Allegany college, studied
law in Meadville and 'located at Monongahela City,
Pa., and died there several years ago
Edwin Hazeltine a brother of Daniel Hazeltine
and the only one of seven sons of Daniel and Susan
nah Hazeltine living, was for many years in the fac
tory. Having accumulated a sufficient amount of
wealth he bought a farm in Busti, on which he now
resides. He married Polly Abbott, another worker in
the factory, and the daughter of one of the early set
tlers of Busti ; they had a large family. Herbert, the sec
ond son, who received the flag presented by the ladies *
of Jamestown to company B., the day they started for
the front, lies in our cemetery, a victim of the war. His
For an account of this presentation see Appendix No. 1.

98 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
eldest son resides in AVarren, Pa. His third and fourth
sons and two daughters reside in the west,
Alvin Pennock, father of Jonathan P. Pennock,
was among the early workers in this factory. He
came to Jamestown in 1827. His wife was a sister of
the late Ezbai Kidder.
Henry C. Arnold, entered the factory when a
boy. He soon evinced great genius as a portrait
painter; the white-washed walls in all of the rooms
were soon covered with charcoal portraits of the pro
prietors and the principal operatives in the factory.
An eminent portrait painter once said of him, " that
he was the best uneducated portrait painter he ever
knew, and that if he could spend a season or two in
Europe, he would become a prominent artist of that
class in the United States. Poverty prevented the
consumation so much desired, and produced in him a
misanthropy which at times was pitiable. Arnold
was a gentleman in the true and highest meaning of
that word during his whole life.
He married Eliza, the youngest daughter of Sam
uel Knight. He followed portrait painting for a live
lihood, and it afforded him barely sufficient means to
live in genteel poverty. He had four children, but
one now living. During the latter years of his life
he thought he was a firm belieY-er in the doctrines
of the German Atheistical School but it would be near
er the truth to call him a Transcendentalist; he cer
tainly was an Idealist. He was a great reader and a
fine conversationalist. The writer was one of his
chosen friends and sat beside his bed side when he
died. He said to me: "You well know what my be
lief is: — that death is an eternal sleep. A few moments
ago you told me that you did not think I could live

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 99
until morning. Doctor, I am dying now, I shall
not live two hours, but I am as calm and col
lected as if I was going to sleep." Finally he said
to me: "I am admonished to make haste in
what I wish to say to you. You know I am no
hypocrite, and therefore it is my desire that there be
no prayer or church singing at my burial. As an old
friend I have a request to ask of you, will you grant
it? " If in my power I will. " I wish you to break
the silence over my grave. When my coffin is placed
in the ground I wish you would come forward and tell
my old friends just how I stood. That I have tried to
do my duty as a neighbor and as a man, but I could
not believe different from what I have. I die with
charity towards all, calm, happy, in full belief that
death is the end of all things, of all life, of all thought,
of all pain and of all pleasure." A few minutes later he
said, "I must say good-bye, I am going," and quickly
he was gone. I was placed in very peculiar circum
stances, but bravely fulfilled my promise and have al
ways felt glad I did so. There was a large assemblage
at the cemetery to observe how things were managed
at an Atheist's funeral.
Many others were operatives in this factory, that we
well remember, but the most of them have been long
dead, or many years ago removed into the great west,
Alvin Deland, a son of Deacon William Deland,
and father of Mrs. William Mace of our city, was for
many years an operative in the factory and died sev
eral years ago.
George Caskey, the old Scotchman from the
banks of Ayr, the neighbor of Robert Burns, and who
was well acquainted when a boy with Jeanie his wife.
Caskey sorted more wool in Daniel Hazeltine's factory

100 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
than any other man, unless it be Hiram Kinney. He
is still living, a resident of our city, and is as thor
oughly educated as any one born at the foot of the
Grampians can be, as to the length, breadth and thick
ness of wools, whether grown on the backs of sheep or
goats, or picked up under the shearing table. orge
knows what shoddy is, but does not deal in it himself.
The old operators in the factory always spoke of the
"canny" Scot as, "all wool and a yard wide."
Daniel H Grandin, the miller in the old stone
mill built by James Prendergast in 1833, may be
found daily at his place of business. He came to
Jamestown before he was fairly out of his boyhood.
For many years his face gave light in the old factory
of Hazeltine & Falconer. When Daniel Hazeltine
went to the lower village he continued in the old stone
factory under the hill. Then the big building was
erected on the south side of Brooklyn square, it
was Allen & Grandin and Allen, Grandin & Co. They
bought out the Daniel Hazeltine factory at the lower
village, and not long after the company bought
Grandin's interest — gladly we presume; but he was not
quite ready to retire, and bought the old grist, mill and
was soon at work again. D. H. Grandin, carded, spun
and wove at least three-quarters of his web of life in
the old factory and is now grinding away on the last
quarter in the old mill. Some years hence, the longer
the better, some one will write his obituary and his
epitaph; they can add whatever we have omitted.
Without reference to chronological order, which a
few persons have desired us to follow with great care,
there comes to us the memory of an industry which
has ceased among us, but was one of the earliest es
tablished here and for a long time one of the most

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 101
prominent. We refer to the
MAUFACTURE OF HATS.
We do not think a hat has been made in James
town in forty years, yet hatting was one of the first
and most important, of the industries established here.
Hats were made it is said, by a man by the name of Clark
in the town of Ellery before any were manufactured in
Jamestown, and later Daniel Sherman, sheriff of Chau
tauqua county in 1826, made a few hats in Busti.
Rufus Pier and Elmer Freeman came to James
town in 1816 and built a two-story shop on the south
side of First street fronting Cherry. If the old build
ing was now standing it, would be in front to the
north of the Yvest end of the railway passenger station,
and about, twelve feet in the air. Freeman built
a house on the northeast corner of Cherry and First
streets, and Pier, two years later, on the south
west corner of Cherry and Second streets on the
lot afterwards owned by Benjamin Budlong and
now occupied by the residence of Judge Richard P.
Marvin. Pier's house was built in 1818; in that year
he married Katharine Blanchar, a sister of the wool
carder previously mentioned. Freeman brought his
family with him and built his house in 181(>. Soon
after he moved to the Crossroads, and resided there
two or three years, and returned to Jamestown; (Sam
uel Barrett occupied the house a part of the time dur
ing his absence.) They manufactured hats of all kinds
quite extensively, employing several journeymen hat
ters and apprentices. They made wool hats of all
qualities, and fur hats from the common 'coon and
muskrat to the finest, beaver.
In those days fur-bearing animals were abundant.
Wharf rats were never more plenty in any locality

102 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
than muskrats in the outlet, along the side of the lake,
and especially about the mouth of Goose creek. The
best of muskrat skins were bought for ten cents
each. Mink were plenty, and beaver and otter were
quite frequently trapped Freeman & Pier were suc
ceeded by Strickland & Sayles and they by Jacob Rice
and later by Phineas Barker. In 1830 Freeman built
shops on Main street just below the Tew buildings
which stand on the southeast corner of Main and
Fourth. The front shop is now standing and is occu
pied by Dr. Frank Ormes as an office. For several
years both Freeman's factory and the old factory at the
foot of Cherry street were in full operation and the
manufacture of hats was one of the industries of
which Jamestown boasted. In those days the trade in
not only furs but peltries was mostly connected with
the hatting establishments, although the stores also
bought furs and peltries. This business sometimes re
quired considerable capital. Dealers in eastern- cities
were constantly sending agents into the wilderness to
buy up this class of merchandise and made large ad
vances in cash, thus enabling the earliest, makers of
hats to make purchases when otherwise they would
not be able. Furs were among the first cash produc
ing articles of the country. All kinds of fur-bearing
animals found in this locality were constantly repre
sented at these establishments. Foxes of all kinds,
from the common grey to -the valuable black; tbe pelts
of the wolf, the deer, the bear, and at first, of the pan.
ther, were seldom absent, The coon and the wildcat
(lynx) were abundant, The pelt of the lamb went, of
course, to the hatters, and "deacon skins" were, then
cured with the hair on and used in covering trunks.
At an early day plenty of Indians could always be

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 103
found lounging about the hat shops, bartering pelts,
especially that of the wolf. After his wolfship (they
were obliged to bring the entire animal) had been
shown the Justice, the ears cut off by him and the
twenty-five dollars bounty paid, the pelt was then re
moved and sold. *
Septimus Perkins, W. W. Lathrop and W. H.
Whittaker were the last of Jamestown's hat manufac
turers. Perkins was in company and succeeded Free
man in the business. He manufactured largely but
soon began to introduce custom hats and other goods.
He married Eunice Crosby, a sister of the late Samuel
Crosby and niece of the late Samuel Barrett. When
it became apparent, that it was cheaper to buy hats in
New York than to make them here, Perkins ceased to
be a hatter, but he still lives and prospers in our midst
as a dyer and reviver of old coats and dresses. He has
had much experience OY'er the dyer's vat, and what
ever he undertakes he generally does well, and proba
bly will continue to dye as long as he lives — it will
never be too late for him to die.
Lathrop came to Jamestown a young man and a
hatter by trade and married a daughter of the late
Wm. AVillson. Miss Florelle Lathrop, one of the
teachers in our union school, is a daughter of his. Per
kins and Lathrop were lively competitors in the hat
trade and for several years they made the " fur fly."
Lathrop enlisted as a soldier in the Mexican war and
never returned. He fought his last battle atChapulte-
pec. We do not think that Whittaker ever made hats,
he probably was the first of the hat merchants.
In early days the skins of the bear and the wolf
* The premium for wolf scalps varied from $10 to $15, even up
to $35 at one time.

104 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
were in common use in the place of Buffalo robes, and
always brought good prices, and these animals, al
though not then abundant, were not uncommon as
late as 1839. Fifteen years earlier, and previous to
that time, the swamp along the outlet seemed to be their
favority rendezvous. In the spring of 1839 a large
bear entered the pig pen of Loring Johnson, located on
the northwest corner of Third street and Prendergast
avenue, and carried away a hog which, it was said,
would weigh nearly two hundred pounds. Up near
where M. L. Fenton's residence now stands he halted
and made a meal of pork and then proceeded on his
way. Next morning about a dozen of us sallied out in
pursuit. We expected his bearship would make for
the swamp, now Marvin Pafk, and from there bv one
of three routes for the great, Conewango swamp. Jacob
Rice, our most noted hunter, and myself were directed
to go to the log slide on the south side of the outlet
and there remain. This slide was down from the most
prominent and highest portion of the ridge, about
midway from the Steele street bridge to the railway
bridge. We had been there not more than twenty
minutes before the bear came crashing along through
the underbrush below, and between us and the outlet.
He passed just five rods from us and for the distance
of seventy feet was in plain sight; and as he passed he
stopped and looked up at us. Jacob although an old
and experienced hunter would not fire nor permit me
to do so. AVhen we got back to the Alain street bridge
Jacob said he never felt so ashamed in his life. He
would not cross the bridge with me but went down
stream several rods where the stream was shallow
waded across and went home. His house was where
Institute street commences at Second street, Fie was

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 105
not seen for several days. The bear slept that night at
home in the Conewango swamp. We may be mistaken
but do believe we could to-day boast of shooting an
enormous black bear, had we been able to wrench our
rifle from the firm grasp of Jacob Rice, the oldest and
most experienced hunter in the country.
We have a better bear story, and although con
trary to chronological rules, our friend is so anxious for
us to follow, we shall have no better opportunity than
the present to relate it.
It must have been as long ago as 1822, that Gen.
Thos. W. Harvey, for a long time, had a pet black
bear chained up in his blacksmith shop. Chubby was
a comical fellow, and had many romps with the boys,
who would stop on their way to the Pine street school
house to play with him, — and many a ferruling did
those same boys receive from Henry Gilford, the
teacher, for being late to school. Chubby was as much
of a gentleman as any of his kind, whether walking:
on two or four legs, and it is certainly the correct thing
to rescue his memory from total oblivion, although we
must confess, there is little use in trying to civilize and
educate a bear. Chub became unusually tame, and
when permitted would follow the General wherever he
went. One day he allowed him to follow him to the
woods — not far from the south end of Lake View Ave
nue — and near where he was captured the year previ
ous. He suddenly disappeared and never returned ;
it was supposed that there was some relative of his near
watching for him who took him home.
The following is the history of his capture. In
returning home one afternoon from an excursion into
the forest, Jehial Tiffany saw a bear and cubs climb
ing into a large hemlock. He came immediately to

106 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
town for his rifle, and Gen. Harvey, Samuel Barrett,
Phineas Palmiter and others, with their rifles, started
out in pursuit. Arriving at the place, a cub was dis
covered on one of the branches; the crack of Palmiter's
rifle and the falling of a dead bear almost instantly
followed. Presently Harvey brought down a second
young bear. The party waited and watched the thick
clump of hemlocks for a long time, but the old bear
could not be discovered. Tiffany was of the opinion
there were no more cubs, and that Mrs. Bruin had
taken a walk down the hill into the swamp. All of
the party returned excepting the persons we have
named. After a time another cub was discovered by Air.
Barrett in a hemlock tree near by, and he claimed it by
the right of discovery and forbade any one pointing
his gun in that direction. "Mr. Barrett, is it your in
tention to whistle him down?" Tiffany inquired. "Ma
jor, do you expect the enemy to advance by a forward
or flank movement, or do you expect, him to come to
you, as Carpenter would say, cabin ee'nd formost?" was
the enquiry of the General. "He is going to put salt
on his tail," was the reply of Capt. Phin. "Gentlemen
you are very military in your language, and not to be
beat I will say that I am preparing to storm the ene
my's position," at the same time pulling off his boots.
"Any corporal can shoot a cub if he has a good chance,
but it takes a Major to take one prisoner," and pro
ceeded to climb the tree to shake him off, directing
that no one should shoot him without, it was likely he
would escape. "Advance forlorn hope," cries Harvey.
"Yes, you make a splendid captain of a rifle company
in time of peace, but in time of war I would rather
trust Capt. Phin.; he has smelt powder and fought for
his har. You are too big a coward to lead, and too big

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 107
in body to run. A squaw would tomahawk you before
you could turn around," was Barrett's tart reply. " I
give in Major, you carry too many guns in your mouth
for me. Hurry up that tree and throw down that bear.
I will catch him as he comes down," replies Harvey.
The cub had crawled out near the end of one of the
uppermost branches, Barrett followed, and soon shook
him off, but he caught, to a larger limb below. He
-fried to shake him from this but the limb was too
large. At this time he espied the old bear letting her
self down from the branches of an adjacent tree.
¦"Look out, boys, I see the old bear on the next tree.
She is coming the way Carpenter talks about, Be
ready for her." Mrs. Bruin seemed to be aware of her
danger and scrambled back again into the top of the
tree.' Barrett, with a stout jack knife, finally succeeded
in cutting the limb so that the weight of the bear bent
it down sufficiently to cause him to slide off. Before
lie recovered from the stunning effects of the fall, Har
vey and Tiffany, succeeded in securely tying together
his bearship's handy paws with the cords of their pow
der horns, and Palmiter had buckled the leather guard
¦cap of his flint-lock gun around his jaws. During the
time they were thus engaged, and Barrett was making
his way out of the tree, the old bear took the opportun
ity to back down from tbe tree and make for the bushes
at the moment she was discovered. Barrett claimed
the young bear as his own, but declared he would sur
render his title, and give each of his companions a
dollar for the old bear's hide. He had had her in plain
view, she was very large and intensely black. "Put
on your boots and get your gun, and I will call her up
for you," said Harvey. The hunters having taken the
.stations assigned to them, Harvey carefully removed

108 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Palmiter's lock guard from the young bear's mouth,
and by pinching him tried to make him squeal. Har
vey declared that the little brute rather enjoyed it, and
was more inclined to play than to either scratch or
bite or squeal. They began to despair of procuring the
desired pelt for Barrett, when a happy thought arose
in Mr. Tiffany's mind. "Capt, Harvey, the ear is a
very tender part of animals as well as of human be
ings. You have good teeth. Permit me to suggest
that you bite the young bear's ear. I think it will in
cline him to ask the assistance of his doting mother.
who, I doubt not, is near at hand, watching the oppor
tunity of affording assistance to her unfortunate off
spring." "A good suggestion, Jehial, and expressed in
your usual laconic style. You never use any unnecessary
words. I will try it." In a moment the beast howled
with pain, and Palmiter caught an uncertain glimpse
of her in the bushes and fired, with the effect of bring
ing her in full view of Barrett, who brought her down.
One of the balls had taken effect in her head and the
other in her neck, either of which would have proved
mortal in a, few minutes. The bear was an unusuallv
large one, and more than three men could conveniently
carry. Harvey carried the cub down in his arms and
became much attached to him. The old bear was verv
fat as well as the cubs, and was not the mother, as they
had supposed. Nearly every one in Jamestown was
remembered in the distribution, and had either bear
or cub moat for dinner. Harvey treated his young
bear with great kindness, and was grieved when he
gave him the slip. Barrett boasted having- the largest
and best bear skin in the country. Two or three years
afterwards it was stolen from his cutter, and although
he was confident he knew who stole it, he never recov
ered it,

CHAPTER V.

Rapid Advance of the Arts and Sciences — Tan
ning and Tanners — Stevens, Grout, Barrett,
Barker, Foote, Fenton, Hutton and Others — ¦
Logging Bees — -Black Salts Asheries — Cross
Bows and Chipmunks — Pottery — Fenton,
Whittemore — A Valuable Calf — Axe Helves
and Ox Yokes — Joseph Smiley, Jeremiah
Griffith — Saddles and Harness — Silas Shear
man:

~\ ~\ 7"E frequently have rung in our ears, " the rapid
^ ^ advancement of the A rts and Sciences," and in
our own day their advancement has been truly astonish
ing, and they have become so intimately connected, that
it is difficult to point out the exact boundaries of either.
Science, on which all arts so intimately depend, is of
modern origin, and yet many of the more useful arts
were brought to the greatest perfection in ancient
times. The urgent necessities of mankind, called out
man's inventive genius, to supply what now, Science
gives us. The arts of the tanner, the potter and the
dyer, were at first rude, but by constant practice they

110 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
were brought to the greatest perfection, although the-
artizans were ignorant of the scientific fact, on which
those arts are based.
Arts are scientific knowledge applied to useful pur
poses. Science discovers and teaches us the causes, —
art elucidates the effects. Science inquires into the
properties and actions of natural agents, and art uses
them for the comfort of man. On the basis of previ
ously acquired science, man has invented hundreds of
new arts, impossible to his unaided genius. With its
aid he ascends above the clouds and descends into"
the abyss of the ocean. He has annihilated time-
and space, and more quickly than the earth can
turn on its axis, sends his messages to its remotest
bounds. Man's genius 3,000 years ago built a
wooden horse, filled it with soldiers, and drew it, a
deceitful gift into ancient Troy, and thus caused its
downfall. In our own day, the arts of man, guided by
science, imprison water in an iron horse, harnesses it to>
a train of his cars which will carry a thousand soldiers ;.
tortures it with fire, and compels it to drag the huge
load a distance greater than that from ancient Athens
to Byzantium between the rising and the setting oft-he-
sun. Modern art, aided by science, has caged the
lightning, and made it his servant. He compels it not
only to turn his wheels and to light his cities, but to
carry his messages in a few moments to the remotest
parts of the earth, and to bring back the answers.. It
has become so obedient to the art of man, that now it
conveys our spoken words, our own voices, our own
songs, to friends hundreds of miles away. Truly may
we say that the advancement of the arts and sciences
has been rapid. The truths of to-day far exceed the-
wildest dreams of all past ages. If the Science on whichi

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. Ill
these arts are founded was unknown to us, the miracles
of to-day would far exceed the miracles of the past.

TANNING AND CURRYING.
In 1816 a man by the name of Burget laid down
some vats and put up a bark mill near where the water
tank at the railway station now stands, west of the west
line of Cherry street, if extended to the race. This com
mencement of a tannery was bought by Phineas Stev
ens, who in the fall of 1817 completed a tannery and
currying shop on that location. He also built in 1817
a fair sized story and a half house on the south side of
Second street precisely where the Ahlstrom piano fac
tory now stands.
Samuel Barrett came to the Rapids with Daniel
Hazeltine in the summer of 1816, and returned east in
1817 with Royal Keyes; both came west again in 1818
from Wardsborough, A,Tt., with their wives. Salmon
Grout became this year the partner of Stevens, and
Barrett worked in the establishment. During the next
winter Barrett bought out Grout and became a partner
of Stevens in the tannery, and placed Wilford Barker,
a younger brother of General Leverett Barker of Fre-
donia, in tha tannery to look after his interests. AVil-
ford Barker and Isaac Boss were the first to learn the
tanning trade with General Barker in Fredonia. Boss
settled in Forestville in this county, and Barker came
to Jamestown.* Barrett and Barker afterwards bought
out Stevens. The latter with Grout, his former partner,
then built a large tannery on the high bank south of
Stevens's house on Second street. We shall always re
member the big ox horns on each end of the roof of
that large three-story building. 
* The writer married the only daughter of Isaac Boss in 1843.

112 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Speaking of this tannery brings to the writer's
memory the first gymnastic performances he ever
witnessed. Sol. and Phin. Stevens and Sol. Jones
(our present respected citizen Solomon Jones, Esq,,)
rigged up a curtain in the currying room, behind
which they would dress up in Indian and other fan
tastic styles, paint their faces and then appear and
perform Indian and gymnastic feats much to the
astonishment and edification of their audience which
consisted generally of Gust, and Dasc. Allen, Niles and
Ben. Budlong, Mart, and Ebe. Forbes, Hull and Horace
Freeman, the writer, and occasionally a few others.
We considered the performance astonishing.
Stevens removed from town at least, fifty-fiv^e years
ago, and Grout a few years later moved to Kalamazoo,
Mich., and there started a tannery. Capt. John Frank
established the first tannery in Busti at what was for
merly called the Frank Settlement, and Capt. John
Brown one at Sugar Grove. The tannery at the foot
of Cherry street, was sold in the year 1828 to James
Clark, at which time Barrett permanently retired front
the business. The Stevens and Grout tannery passed
into the hands of Titus Kellogg and Elias HaY-ens and
later into the hands of N. K. Ransom it Co. That
building was abandoned as a tannery in 1837. In the
fall of 1830 AVilford Barker and AVilliam N. Eddy
formed a copartnership and built a tannery on the
south side of the stream at the lower dam, on the west
side of the road. This tannery had several owners
and finally fell into the hands of the late Richard AV.
Arnold (better known as Blind Arnold.) He was an
energetic man and conducted the establishment suc
cessfully up to the time of his death. For sev-eral
years he had as a partner Lewis Hazzard, now de-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 113
ceased. In 1833 Titus Kellogg built a tannery on the
opposite side of the road from Arnold on ground now
occupied in part by the Breed furniture manufactory.
This was sold five years afterwards to a firm composed
of Elial T. Foote, R. Fletcher Fenton and Wilford Bar
ker. The latter sold his interest to M. W. Hutton in
1850 and in the fall of that -year all the partners sold
to Hutton, Bradley & Co. The same year Gen. Horace
Allen erected a large tannery on what is Allen street
on the site of the tannery lately owned by the Barkers.
In 1855 this property was purchased by Wilford Bar
ker. It was totally destroyed hj fire in 1857 and re
built the next year. It was conducted as a tannery by
the Barker family until a short time ago. Several tan
neries were erected in this vicinity between 1815 and
1825, the most prominent of which was Frank's, a mile
this side of Frewsburg.
Soon after Hutton, Bradley & Co., bought the tan
nery above spoken of, one of the former owners paid
Hutton a visit. They had angry words and by acci
dent the visitor stepped into the lime vat. Hutton
hooked him out as speedily as possible and pushed
him into what tanners call the pool, a vat of clean,
fresh water. After being drawn from the pool the per
son was very angry, and accused Hutton of pushing
him in, and threatened to prosecute him. Hutton told
him he did not push him into the lime vat, that his
foot slipped and he fell in, but that he did push him
into the pool to wash off the lime; if he had not he
would have had no hair and little skin remaining.
Said Hutton, " if you would use less angry words, and
be more careful where you placed your foot, when you
come into this tannery, you would be drier than you
are now; you won't prosecute, you would not have this

114 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
known for all you are worth. I shall never speak of
it, neither will you." ASHERIES.
When the country was new the hard wood timber
was cut into twelve or sixteen-foot lengths, put into
log heaps and burned on the ground; the ashes were
leached, and boiled down into a black, more or less
solid mass called "black salts." This was one of the
industries of the country. Logging bees, as they were
called, were times of jollity and were frequent sixty
years ago or more. A settler would cut down the for
est on from three to ten acres, cut and pile the brush
and cut the trunks into suitable lengths for logging.
On a certain day by invitations previously giY'en out,
his neighbors for miles around gathered together with
their teams and put the logs into heaps for burning.
Certain persons who were experts at this business were
always invited and seldom absent, The logs on a fal
low, as it was called, of five or ten acres, would
be put into heaps in half a day or a little more;
then the loggers held high carniY"al — had a '¦'high old
time" as they express it nowadays. Several enormous
Johnny cakes baked on boards, split, and raw fat pork
cut thin, sandwiched between, a roast of Y-enison, or of
bear's meat, washed down with corn juice, softened by
a tub of water soured by vinegar, and sweetened by
maple molasses, was the evening feast, These logging
bees generally terminated in a scene of gluttony and
drunkenness, heavily spiced with log rolling brag
ging, stories of wolf or bear killing, wrestling, and not
unfrequently in a fight. The ashes remaining after
the burning of the heaps were collected, leached and
boiled down into a black, caustic, villainous mass to
handle called black salts. At the asheries it was

THE T0YVN OF ELLICOIT. 115
converted into pot and pearl ashes, and these were sent
east and made into saleratus. The first ashery in
this section was erected by Jediah E. Budlong, a little
north of Parks & Hazzard's boot and shoe factory. The
second and most important one was erected by Alvin
Plumb in 1824 on the southeast corner of where First
and Washington streets would be if that locality had
not been left high in the air by the deep cut for the
railway. When the country was new, black salts were a very
important article of trade, and the only cash article
the settler produced. In those days nearly all trade
was what was then termed "barter;" that is the settler
took the merchant's goods at the most fabulous high
prices, and paid for the same with what he had, at
prices as fabulously low; but taxes, if nothing else, re
quired the cash, and black salts would always com
mand cash at some price. AVe have seen black salts
of all consistences, from a soft mass like fresh putty up
to the hardness of stone; that which was neither soft
or hard was the most esteemed.
On the field where the ashes were leached and the
lye boiled down, the salts were generally poured from
the kettle while hot and fluid into troughs 10 or 12
feet long, dug from a log with one end deeply notched
to receive a chain. When all Yvas ready a yoke
of cattle would be hitched to the trough and away
it went with its contents to the nearest ashery. At
the ashery this black mass was placed in large,
low ovens and subjected to an intense heat for several
hours. When the heated mass put on a certain grey
ish hue it was hauled out of the ovens and left to cool
on the broad brick hearth. AVhen cold it was pearly
Yvhite and received the name of pearl-ash. In early

116 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
days pearl-ash was used for the same purposes in cook
ery as saleratus or baking powders now are. A very
small portion of what was manufactured was used in
the country but was placed in large heavy barrels and
sent to New York. During the years this country was
being denuded of its heavy hard wood forests, pearl-
ash was the most profitable of the cash products of the
country. Many a settler would have failed to pay for
his farm had it not been for the black salts.
Speaking of Plumb's asher}r brings to mind Hor
atio Dix. * William Blanchar and Charles Barnes
had made for themselves crossbows with which they
could kill a chipmunk nearly every time. Asahael
Scofield, who was the pearler of salts in Plumb's ash
ery, undertook to make one for the writer that would
equal those owned by the other boys. He worked up
on it for nearly a week, f Price, one fip — if we would
bring him three chipmunks shot with it by us during
the afternoon. We went over near the locks where
Warner's saw mill now stands and in less than two
hours returned with several of the striped rodents as
trophies of skill with the crossbow. A few days after
wards we were induced to sell the crossbow to Charles
Barnes for two shillings, who sold it to Gust Allen for
a dollar. Scofield asked two dollars to make another
as good, and declared it was worth three dollars. Gen
eral Thomas AV. Harvey learning how we had been
swindled, made two steel bows, one for Hull Freeman
and one for myself; Scofield neatly stocked them and
Elmer Freeman, (Hull's father,) donated first quality
oatgut strings. Each crossbow was accompanied by a
dozen straight, ironwood, pewter-pointed arrows. The
* Son of Captain Horatio Dix; he was killed in the Mexican war.
f Six and one-fourth cents.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 117
presentation took place about two weeks after, with a
handsome speech from Mr. Freeman, in which he set
forth that it was necessary that the country have de
fenders; that but a few years ago we were at war with
England, and soon might, be again; and that cross
bows were as good as muskets provided we were near
enough; that if there should be no war, the woods were
full of " u a r mints" of which it. was expected Hull and
myself would kill our full share when driving the
cows to and from the pasture, and if we saw a bear to
be sure and bring him in. Chipmunks soon became
scarce at the locks and along the roadside to the pas
ture. Sometime after this some Indian boys learned
the town boys the use of the bow and arrows and cross
bows were superscedecl by them; they cost much less,
and were fully as effective, after the skill to use them
had been acquired. For three or four years they were
all the rage and the boys were constantly having shoot
ing matches. The side that got beat had to dress the
game and get their mothers to cook it for the party.
We had game suppers for a long time as often as once
a week. At first, red and chip squirrels were the game
killed, but after a time black squirrels, partridges and
other game showing the use of the rifle came in and our
mothers " came back on us," refused to prepare the
meals, and our shooting matches came to an inglor
ious end. POTTERY'.
The manufacture of earthenware was one of the
earliest industries at the Rapids. AVm. H. Fenton
came into this country in 1814 with his father, Jacob
Fenton, and established a pottery, between First and
Second streets. Potter's alley took its name from this
pottery. Wm. H. Fenton is still living, in the eastern

118 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
portion of our city and, although over ninety years of
age, is smart, active, in good health, and enjoys life as
well as he ever did. We met him a few days ago,
walking erect and with firm steps in our streets. In
reply to our enquiry, "Does not walking weary you?"
he replied " Weary me? I have walked all the way
from Dexterville this morning and am not weary yet,_
and I do not expect to be, until I have walked about
town a good deal in the accomplishment of my busi
ness and then walked home. AVhen I get home I
may feel a little tired, but not before. I come up town
frequently, and always walk and never think of be
ing tired." Fenton has been among the foremost and
most active men of Ellicott, in looking after and car
ing for its welfare. He has filled many prominent
positions in the gift of the town and if any one needed
counsel or advice ho would go to Fenton, and that ad
vice would be founded on what he considered strict
justice. AVe may now write him down " Father of El
licott, " with the honorable affix — Emeritus.
After the death of his father in 1822, AVm. H.
Fenton removed his pottery establishment to what is
now Fluvanna, to be nearer the clay used. The Fen-
tons, father and son, were engaged in the manufac
ture of this ware from 1814 to 1826, at which time AV.
H. Fenton took as a partner Samuel AVhittemore.
In a letter received from Henry A. AVhittemore a
short time since, be states that "My father and family
arrived in Jamestown at noon, May 5, 1822, and
stopped at, a tavern kept by Solomon Jones, for din
ner, and at evening they reached the Point (Fluvanna)
where W. II. Fenton was carrying on the pottery busi
ness and where a Air. Smith was keeping tavern. Air.
Fenton soon learned that Air. AVhittemore was a pot-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 119
ter, and insisted on himself and wife being his guests
for the night. The next morning Mr. Whittemore
found his horse was very lame, and was detained sevr-
eral days on that account. Fenton had a kiln of ware
nearly ready for burning, and as his help was sick,
induced Whittemore to remain a few days longer and
assist him to complete and burn the kiln. Before the
kiln was completed Fenton and Whittemore entered
into a copartnership which continued nearly twenty
years." To illustrate a very common way of settling ac
counts in early times, H. A. AVhittemore writes: "Dur
ing the twenty years, Kenton and my father had but
three settlements of their accounts, and that by the
shortest method, by 'jumping,' which was satisfactory
to both parties." During their manufacture of pottery
they kept men on the road peddling the ware after
the manner of our tin peddlers of to-day, taking in ex
change anything that the farmers had to spare.
An anecdote is related of AVhittemore personally,
which shows that he had the true spirit of a Yankee
peddler — to trade for anything, no matter what, and
trust the result to luck. One day he stopped his
crockery wagon before a farm house not far from
AVestlield. After looking over the ware the farmer
offered Whittemore a calf three days old for six milk
pans. "Bring an your calf," says Whittemore, and de
posited six pans on a bench near the house. The calf
was brought and placed on some straw in the wagon.
AVhittemore said he had a friend living three or four
miles from there who he thought would care for the
calf for the time being. If not, he would make him a
present of it. His friend took the job of keeping the calf
alive and well for five weeks fort enmilk pans. The farm-

120 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
erwho sold Whittemore the calf was noted for having
the best stock in the county and selling it for enor
mous prices. The man who had taken the infantile
beef to wet nurse, made inquiries and found that the
specimen in his charge was of the best blood in the
country. The farmer had especial reasons for not
wishing to raise it, and sold it to AVhittemore for little
or nothing, supposing it would die before he got home,
or would shortly be slaughtered for veal. About four
weeks after, Whittemore wrote to his friend, inquiring
after his calf. In a few days he received a note say
ing the calf was doing well and was a good one; that
he would give him five dollars for it, or would deliver
it to him at, Fluvanna for three dollars. AVhittemore
said he thought five dollars was enough for sixteen
milk pans and let his friend have the calf; but would
add, " I was a little sorry afterwards when I learned
the facts in the case, and also that, when three months
old, my calf was sold for §50."
Fenton & Whittemore turned out a kiln of ware
worth from $200 to $250 every two weeks. The clay
of which they made their ware was dug from the bed
of the lake about 300 feet above what was then known
as Sammis's Point, now as Prendergast's. Fenton and
Whittemore having given up the pottery business, Fen
ton returned to Jamestown in 183.0, and for many years
was the principal Justice of the Peace of the town.
Whittemore built a hotel which from time to time he
enlarged. It was strictly a temperance house. AVhit
temore may be called the originator of the idea that
Chautauqua lake is an excellent place for a summer
retreat. His house was in summer filled with guests
for many years before any one else entertained the idea.
This pioneer summer resort on Chautauqua lake, since

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 121
\
the death of Samuel Whittemore in 1874, has been con
ducted by his son. Samuel AVhittemore was postmas
ter at Fluvanna for nearly fort37-eight years.
AXE HELVES AND OX YOKES.
There are two small industries of an early day that
we particularly desire to mention, not because of their
importance, but as illustrating the vast superiority of
some persons to others in the manufacture of Y'ery sim
ple articles of trade. AAre haYre reference to axe helves
and ox yokes. The Indians were among the earliest
axe handle makers, and several early settlers gained
some reputation as makers of good helves; but not until
Eh-in and Thomas Hunt came into the county, was
any particular preference shown. They Yrery soon ed
ucated the chopping community to use no other than
a Hunt helve provided they could obtain one, although
they sold at a higher price than others. AVe know not
in what this superiority consisted, but even a boy who
knew nothing about chopping would at once perceive
that they were a beautifully finished, smooth and
handsome stick, when compared with others. We
notice that lately some one sent Gladstone several
American axe helves, and that he gives the English
helve the preference because the end of the American
helve was sloping. If he had seen one of Elv. Hunt's
handles, we believe he would have come to a different
conclusion. Hunt has been dead many years; we have
not as yet learned that any one fell heir to his art and
method of making axe helves.
Joseph Smiley-. — Very much the same might be
remarked about ox yokes. Joseph Smiley (who came
into the county in 1800, and was noted for bis strength)
was considered the only man who could make a good
yoke. Any one having a pair of oxen expected them

122 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
to crowd, or brace and pull against each other, and
otherwise act badly, if not harnessed with one of Smi-
ley's yokes. We knoyv not who makes ox yokes now,
or during the many years since Smiley's death. Per
haps some one makes a yoke equal to Smiley's, but we
very much doubt it.
A son of Joseph Smiley now lives on the farm
taken up by his father nearly eighty years ago, when
the wilderness with which Chautauqua lake was then
surrounded was almost unbroken by the less than half
a dozen settlers on its banks. For over seventy years
he has lived on the shore of the lake, he has seen the
wilderness converted into cult i vated fields. He can look
back and see the Durhams from Pittsburg slowly and
wearily plowing their way to Mayville. Afterwards
the fiat, boats with their small sails, then the logy old
horse boat, and the saucy little Mink under the com
mand of the jolly < 'apt. Carpenter. Then came the
steamboats. He has stood on the banks of Smiley's
bay, near the old home of bis stalwart father and wit
nessed the panorama Chautauqua has furnished dur
ing the period of seventy years.
Jeremiah Griffith. — As we shall have a no more
coiiY'enient opportunity, we propose here to place in
the same yoke with Joseph Smiley his old friend and
neighbor, Jeremiah Griffith. True, both of these men
and AVm. Bemus, of whom we have spoken at some
length, belonged to the town of Ellery, nevertheless a
history of Ellicott that did not mention them would be
incomplete. It is true they lived a mile or two beyond
the east boundary of the town, but they were part and
parcel of those early settlements and neighborhoods of
which it, has been our intent, to speak of as among the
earlv settlers of the town of Ellicott. We cannot con-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 123
fine ourselves too closely to the limit of a town line.
Jeremiah Griffith, whose wife (Mary Crapsey) was
an aunt of Mrs. Hiram Kinney, already spoken of, was
a native of Connecticut. He came west when a young
man, stopping first in the valley of the Mohawk, but
during the first year of the present century became an
inhabitant of Madison Co. In the winter of 1805 and
1806 he left Madison county with his wife and large
family of children, on a sled drawn by oxen, in search
of a more congenial home in the great wilderness of
the west, AArith no location especially in view, he did
not intend to stop until he had reached the state of
Ohio. Being a native of Old Connecticut, it would be
natural if he had fixed his mind on the New Connecticut,
as the Western Reserve was commonly called. Arriv
ing at Batavia, that border town, in which so many
had already been influenced to turn aside from and
shorten their course, he was advised, when he arrived
at the cross roads, to stop two or three days and take a
look at the lands bordering on ( 'bautauqua lake, one
of the most beautiful bodies of water on the continent.
There he would find the richest soil and one of the
most healthy of locations; superior in every particular
to any thing of which Ohio could boast.
Arriving at the cross roads he left his family at
Widow McHenry's tavern, and, with his eldest sons,
passed oyer the ridge into the valley of the Chautau
qua. Traveling on the ice of the lake they followed
down near the shore looking at the land. Arriving at
the Narrows they found Wm. Bemus and his family,
who had been in their new log-bouse home only eight
or nine days Mr. Bemus advised them to visit an old
Indian camp about three miles down the lake from his
house, and which he pronounced the most desirable

124 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
location on that side of the lake, next to his own. He
said that near a small prominence jutting into the lake
was a, grove of second growth chestnuts, and a partial
clearing of several acres, on which were old corn hills
and other evidences of cultivation. That the place
undoubtedly marked the location of a former Indian
village, and that he had already learned to his satis
faction that Indians never made mistakes in locating
their homes. That there was now no snow upon the
ground, and that the ice was yet strong enough to
make traveling On the lake with a horse safe, and that
he would hitch up one of his horses and accompany
them to the place indicated. The offer was accepted
and the location examined, and Mr. Griffith decided
to there make his home immediately, as his family-
were with him and he was compelled to have a
home somewhere He returned to the cross roads.
and ih two or three clays had his family, his ox
team, and five head of cattle, among which were
three cows and a few sheep, on the bank of the
lake at Mayville. One of the boys drove the oxen
and other stock along a trail near the beach to the
Narrows; while Mr. Griffith and other children large
enough, drew the sled containing the mother and
smaller children and the household goods clown the
lake on the ice. The weather had become extremely
cold and stormy, and the undertaking proved a veiw
arduous and perilous one. The snow storm was un
usually severe, and they considered themselves ex
tremely lucky in finding the shore, — whereabouts they
knew not, By the side of a, fallen tree they kindled a
fire of brush and there camped for the night, The
next morning they reached Mr. Bemus's bouse, and be,
with all the forces at, his command, turned out, and

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 125
assisted his only neighbor to reach his new home in the
forest, and to build for him a shelter of hemlock brush,
all they could then do for his comfort, except that one
of the men turned hunter and brought, in a fine fat
deer, which was a great addition to their scanty means
of subsistence. That night they occupied their brush
shelter. It protected them from the severe cold and
the heavy snow that had fallen. They were all alone
in the dense wilderness, their nearest and only neigh
bor was three miles away, nevertheless they were con
tented and happy. After the day's hard labor the
"wolf's long howl" was as soothing to the weary wander
ers as is the mother's soft lullaby to her infant child, and
they slept soundly. They, unaided, built a log cabin
into which at evening of the third day they moved
from their shelter of brush. Although wanting many
of the comforts of a good log house, they were happy
and thankful after so many days wandering on an ox
sled in an inclement winter, they were once more
seated by their own protecting fireside. The thankful
ness of present contentment beamed in every face, and
they retired to their humble cots to dream of other
comforts to be added in the near future, as the rewards
of their industry an d perseverance.
They had already most clearly perceived, that if
they were to live and prosper in their wilderness loca
tion, a herculean labor was before them. They ac
cepted the situation and went cheerfully to work.
Stout arms were moved by brave hearts, and during
the short time intervening between their arrival in
March and planting time, they cleared and made ready
over six acres of the land for seed. AVhether this was
all or in part, on the partially cleared indian portion
we are not informed. In due season corn, potatoes and

126 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
other vegetables were planted, and a couple of acres were
sowed with oats; and a large garden was not forgot
ten. They planted with the full trust and expectation
of reaping a rich autumnal harvest, which would
bountifully supply their wants during another winter.
But starvation was already staring them in the face, a
fact of which they did not, seem conscious until its near
approach. True, their three cows were furnishing
them milk, the forest gave them venison, and the lake
yielded fish, but to live without either bread or pota
toes was a contingency they had not weighed. They
had become acquainted with the men who made occa
sional trips with Miles' canoe, and also with some south
ern boatman. They learned that potatoes and corn
were procurable at Franklin and other places on the
Allegheny river, and that furs, peltries and maple
sugar could be sold at those places for fair prices. This
information was not lost on the new settlers. In the
spring Mr. Griffith and his sons had made a quantity
of maple sugar, and could spare about fifty pounds of it.
Being expert woodsmen they set themselves at work,
and in a few days had a lqng.slim canoe added to their
possessions. The sugar was placed in the canoe, and
Mr. Griffith and his eldest son started for Franklin
120 miles distant as the water runs. Fifteen days
afterwards a canoe was seen coming up the lake, and
soon the voyagers stepped ashore at what is now known
as Martha's Vineyard. They had been successful, but
they had made a Y-oyage which they believed could
never be successfully repeated, they had endured hard
ships they never had endured before, and the thoughts
of the needy ones in a. wildernesss home, had stimu
lated them to feats of strength and endurance which
they would not believe if they had not, experienced

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 127
them. But' success had crowned their efforts, they
took away with them 50 lbs. of maple sugar and
brought back thirteen bushels of good hard corn, more
than enough to furnish them all with hulled corn and
milk and cracked corn pudding until their own crops
yielded a supply. The autumn harvest was most
abundant, Of sound corn 220 bushels were put into
the rick. Of potatoes they had double the quantity
their own wants would demand. The product of the
garden was nearly enough to supply them a year. Of
oats in the bundle enough to keep the stock through
the winter with a small allowance of browse. Their
rifles gave them plenty of Yrenison, and an occasional
roast of bear's meat. Millions of the finest ducks swam
on the bosom of the lake, and abundance of fish, the
best in the world, inhabited the deep waters below.
Plenty of hard work, years of toil, was still before them,
but haggard want was then and there banished from
that home forever. When the chill November blasts
began to blow, and the lake tossed as if by a tempest
was covered with white caps, everything was genial
warmth, peace and plenty, at that log house, for the
cabin had been converted into a house during the
warm season, the cattle and the sheep housed and pro
tected from the howling wolf, and the brave settler and
his family, seated around the warm, blazing hearth,
gave hearty thanks to Him from whom all blessings
flow. I have given nearly a full history of Mr. Griffith's
moving in and of the early hardships experienced, be
cause he was one of the earliest comers, and settled by
the side of the lake, and because with slight variations
it would be the history of hundreds of our best, most
determined, laborious early settlers.

128 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
SADDLES AND HARNESS.
AVe shall glance only at the commencements of
this industry. How many harness shops we have to
day in our city we are not informed, but dare assert
that fifty years ago there were fifty saddles made
where one is now. Nearly all the traveling was on
horseback previous to 1835. In 1820 AVilliam Knight
opened a shop for the manufacture of saddles and
harness in a small shop on the east side of Main
street between Second and Third, near the center of
the block on the lot where Broadhead it Sons' store
now stands Yvhich is occupied by Whitley ct Son.
The next year his brother, Day Knight, worked with
him and in the succeeding year, 1822, a, dapper, pleasant
young man came to town as a journeyman saddler
and Yvas employed by Knight, AVe shall always re
member the adY'ent of Silas Shearman into town, for
about that time our mother had wound a ball out of
good yarn with a cork in the center to make it
bound, had given us a " tip " and sent us to Knight's
to get it covered. Arrived at the shop Knight was
out, but this nice-looking young man was there and
very pleasantly asked what was wanted. "I wish my
ball covered and here is a tip to pay for it." Silas
took the ball and sixpence, and said, "You come in
to-morrow morning and I will have the ball ready for
you." The next morning we were there, promptly on
time. Lie handed us the finest, best-covered ball eyrer
seen, and we went out in front of the shop and
"played catch " for several minutes. Finally " Sile "
said to me, " Do you like raisins?" to which we re
plied, " Yes Sir." "Take this lip and go to Tiffany's
and buy some raisins, and whenever you want a ball
covered come to me." Shearman told us but a few

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 129
days ago that he well remembered covering the ball;
Yve always haYre, and neY'er shall forget it.
Silas Shearman is still living, smart and active,
but no longer harnessed to the saddle-making busi
ness. He is now, as he always has been, one of our
most busy active men. He has always been watch
ful of the interests of Jamestown. If any new scheme
or project came up for the advancement of the town,
Shearman Yvas always on hand. If he thought it
would benefit, it had his active support, if on the con
trary he thought it would prove injurious, it had his
unqualified opposition. He has always been active
politically, although he has never held, and so far as
we arc informed, neY'er sought office. He has held
many military commissions, from that of Captain of
cavalry up to Major and Lieutenant Colonel of the 162d
Reg., 43d Brigade of N. Y. State Militia. He was what
was termed a rabid Abolitionist, at a day when it was
very unpopular to be an active opposer of slavery, and
was a conductor on the underground railroad. He has
from the first, been active in the temperance cause and
to speak the plain truth his aggressive, energetic sup
port of what he considered right made him unpopular,
with many, although as a citizen of Jamestown but
few have been more respected. He was never a bigot
or unreasonable, always social and brimfull of kindly
feeling. Shearman has lived to see slavery abolished,
and those who opposed him, his warmest, friends. As he
looks young and is still active, we hope he will live un
til the last drink of whiskey has gone down a fool's
throat. He could then afford to lay quietly in mother
earth up to that time which his religions views, set for
the general awakening.
Afterwards a building was erected below Elisha

130 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Allen's tavern which occupied the southeast corner of
Main and Third streets, where now the Gifford build
ing stands, and this building was on the lot where
Marble Hall stands. Tbe front of the lower story was
used as a horseshed, which was afterwards enclosed
and made into two rooms, facing the street. In the
south room, Loring Johnson had his tailor shop, and
in the north one James Harrison commenced his
watch repairing business. A pair of stairs on the
north side of the building between it and the taY'ern
led into the second story which was divided into two
fair-sized rooms. To these rooms Knight remoY'ed his
shop and took his brother Day in as a partner. After
wards Shearman opened a shop of his own, and mar
ried Miss Marsh, a relative of Samuel Barrett, Esq. In
1832 Alvin Plumb and N. A. Lowry built a large three-
story brick building on the northeast corner of Alain
and Third streets. This building consisted of two
stores fronting on Main street, with a passageway be
tween, leading to the offices above, very much as the
new building now there, is arranged. Silas Shearman
at the same time erected a two-story brick building-
where Maj. H. Smith's insurance building now stands,
with the second story extended east over the archway
which gave entrance to the vacant space behind the
Plumb <t Lowiy stores. This two-story building was
at the same time extended east by AArm. Hall to Pot
ter's alley. John P. Shearman who learned his trade
with Silas, married Lamanda Marsh, a sister of his
brother's wife, and in 1838 opened a shop in the
Hawley block where the Hall block now stands. This
block afterwards burned and AVilliam Hall erected the
present building. During the next year J. P. Shear
man moved his shop into a building which stood on

THE TOWN OF ELLICOIT. 131
the site of the upper store in the present Prendergast
block proper, not including the store next to Dr.
Ormes's. Charles Kennedy (afterwards sheriff of
Chautauqua county) and James Dinnin, Jr., (afterwards
major of the 9th New York cavalry) and others com
menced the manufacture of saddles and harness in
Jamestown as successors to John P. Shearman. We
will now follow the subject further.
In the spring of 1841 the writer returned from
New York city, a full-fledged M. D. John P. Shearman
made him an excellent saddle and the finest pair of
pill bags that ever a doctor straddled. One of the doc
tor's first calls was to see a child of Daniel S. AA7illiams.
Dan then lived in a house located near the west side
of the Presbyterian church. The old house has been
moved about fifty feet further west and is now used as
a paint shop. As we went into Williams's house we saw a
small and not very expensive nag hitched at the door.
The saddle attracted our attention more than the
power; horse. We went in and Y'isited the child
who was not very sick. We gave no medicine
but promised to call again in the morning,
(quite an usual custom among physicians — two fees
are better than one, you know.) As we left the house
Williams wished us to look at the horse, and finally
to take a ride. We did so and rode to Lafayette street
where we met Henry Baker and N. A. Lowry, both
praised the horse and desired to know the. value. We
rode back and Williams asked how we liked the animal.
We repled, " He is an easy saddle horse. How much do
you ask for him?" Williams replied, "I will make
you a present of that horse if you think he is good
enough to start with." We accepted with thanks. John
P. Shearman stepped out of Williams's house with a

132 THE EARLY' HISTORY OF
new pair of pill bags which he laid across the saddle
and said, " Doctor, there are the saddle and pill bags
you ordered me to make." Looking towards Main street
we discovered our father, Major Barrett and several
others standing near the present postoffice building en
joying the fun. We did not ride up Main street as we
had intended, but turned down Cherry and made all
haste to the barn on Mechanic's alley, between First
and Second streets.
Instances similar to this are not, uncommon.
There are but few who cannot look back to something
of the kind in their first start in life. In after
years, when the toils of life are nearly ended, when we
look back upon the long landscape of the past, such
occurrences appear, as it were, mountains in the back
ground, speaking of good will to us, wishes of God
speed in the long journey on which we had entered,
and we remember the actors with holy love and vener
ation. How pitiable it is that so many of us fail of
any honorable distinction in making thisjourney, and
as life draws to a close can say " Life has not been
worth the living."

CHAPTER VI.

The Pictures of Memory — Dr. Foote's Purchase
of a Reserved Section. — Early Bickerings —
Blacksmiths — The Harveys — Father Crane
and Others — Manufacture of Scythe Snaths
and Agricultural Implements — Chair Mak
ing — Cabinet AA'are — Mill AA' rights — Fan
ning Mills — AVagon Making — Tailors — Shoe
makers — The Crate Law — Labor and Capital
 carpenters and joiners  coopering  shin-
gle-AVeaving — Manufacture of Axes and
Edge Tools — Gun Smithing — The ( 'hange From
Rifles to Shot Guns.

TG^VERY man's memory is a depository into which
— ^no other man can look ; a depository of pleas
ures and pains, joys and sorrows; precious to their own
er because they are all his own. AVhenever the mind
becomes excited, there are memories which rise unbid
den, and with them come up from the heart, fears,
hopes and affections, as peculiar as the character and
fortunes of the individual to whom they belong. And
in like manner in reviewing the transactions of past
years, especially if also engaged in writing them out,
we find ourselves again in the company of individuals

134 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
whom we had ceased to hold in memory. As we pon
der over the incidents of the past, and recall scenes
over which the passage of a half century of time has
drawn its dark and heavy drapery, blotting from the'
mind seemingly, all but the faintest outlines of those
scenes, the thick drapery begins to grow thin before our
rigid scrutiny, and Alemory from her deep recesses
brings before our startled gaze pictures of hundreds we
knew in the long ago; faces once familiar, at one mo
ment wreathed with the old accustomed smiles, at the
next, covered with frowns that fifty 3rears have not been
able to obliterate from the tablets-of the mind. As we
ponder more deeply, hundreds of familiar voices salute
our ears, the old peculiar laugh of each forgotten one,
vibrates in the air, and we again take the places we
occupied when but children in age. The graver of
time has cut deep furrows on our faces, but the heart is
again young as in childhood. Those faces beam upon
us with all their ancient kindness and cheer. The
long journey of our life, with all of its Y'icissitudes and
changes, its joys and sorrows, its pleasures and pains,
its successes and its failures, is forgotten, and we live-
only in the long ago; the reality of the present becomes
only a memory, and the pictures and voices of the im
agination caught from Memory's archives, become the
reality.

The year 1822 was an unfortunate year for James
town and its inhabitants.
At an early day Joseph Ellicott reserved certain
sections on which were water powers; deeming it might
be to bis interest to dispose of them afterwards, perhaps
to the numerous members of his own family. The
section east of the one sold to Judge Prendergast, on

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 135
which Yvas the water power at the lower village, the
Tiffany section, the Works section, and others on the
waters of southern Chautauqua, were among these re
serves. Judge Prendergast was negotiating with Elli
cott through Judge Peacock for the section between his
purchase and the Slippery Rock (Dexter's) in order
not only to gi\re to the town increased water power, but
also to permit the growth of the town in that direction
under his supervision. It had already become appa
rent that the land available for Y'illage purposes west
of what is now called Prendergast aY-enue, a few rods
east of which was his eastern boundary, was insuffi
cient. While the negotiations were being made, Dr.
Foote quietly went to Philadelphia and bought this
tract east of Prendergast's purchase of Paul Busti, who
was higher in authority in the Holland Land company
than either Ellicott or Peacock. Foote and Prender
gast, we may add, had become noted for their disa
greements. A difference of opinion and an uncon
querable dislike had grown up between them. Judge
Prendergast could not extend his map of the village
east beyond the boundary of his own purchase, and on
this line was met by counter plans. Second street in
stead of continuing east in a direct line was there bent
to the north, and between it and Fourth street the land
was sold in a large block, on which barns and some
residences were built, in the line of Third street.
It was alleged by Foote that Prendergast would
not sell water power and for this reason he was induced
to purchase the reserve. The truth is that by the first
sale of power to the cotton factory and the arrangement
for using the balance, there was no water power for sale.
That was one of the reasons for Judge Prendergast de
siring to obtain this reserved section, and he did not

136 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
desire to adopt the plan afterward used at the lower
dam, by which waste water privileges were sold to an
extent that all the water running in the outlet during-
the highest flood would not be sufficient to turn all the
wheels. The sale of waste water privileges was selling,
in fact, something which did not exist. Judge Pren
dergast, did accommodate everyone with water power
who applied, much to his own inconvenience, plainly
telling them that, all power and even more was already
disposed of, but so long as not in use, they could use it.
Passing over the ill feeling produced at the time, the
blocking of Third street, but a few years ago, gave rise
to the fierce war waged at the opening of Third street.
east from this avenue, causing the land to be bought
by O. E. Jones, AV. D. Shaw and others, and the street
opened at their expense; and afterwards the fight over
"Sine" Jones's barn when the town wanted the street
but did not wish to pay for it, The notch on Fourth
street, east of Prendergast avenue, bears testimony of
this feud of over sixty years ago, and always will re
main an everlasting monument to the parties engaged
and a st arcing disgrace to Jamestown. One of our
prominent citizens, Sidney Jones, Esq., whose residence
is opposite to the notch, says he has been frequently
asked; "What was the meaning of that notch" — "AVhy
is one portion of this otherwise beautiful aY-enue wide
and the other narrow?" He says, that while his face
mantles with shame, the only answer lie can make is —
"It is a, monument," The quarrel about the location
of the academy many years ago, the singular location
of the old Methodist church and the clause in its deed
intended to keep it on that ground, and very many
more of early village bickerings in which the inhabit
ants warmly took sides, bad their origin in that

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 137
transaction of 1823. What was of importance to
our fathers and to the infant village is of less con
sequence to their children and to the city of James
town, but the cause of this blemish in a beautiful
street should be recorded. With this slight historical
notice we will leave the subject, and put aside the old
bone over which our fathers contended.
BLACK SMITHS.
After two-thirds of a century have passed away, it is
difficult to say of that necessary worker, the black
smith, who was the first to strike hot iron on an anvil;
who made the first horse shoe, fashioned the first crane
for some rude stick chimney, or turned and formed
the trammel which attached the kettle of the early
housewife to that crane; but we can come near enough
to satisfy the most exact and particular seeker after
facts. In 1813 Capt. Forbes built, for Prendergast a large,
high, well-framed, clap-boarded blacksmith shop on
the west side of the Blowers house, next to the alley
and over the gully of the swamp stream. If that shop
was now standing it would be on the alley directlv
west of John AI. Grant it Son's store and about twelve
feet in the air; the ground has been graded down at
least that much. In the fall of that year Eleazer Dan.
iels came over from Cross Roads and made mill
irons for Prendergast in this shop and continued to
work tliere until in April 18] o. Daniels in the sum
mer of 1814 bought property on the Brokenstraw in
the neighborhood of Youngsville and moved to his
new home in the following April. About six weeks
after Daniels left, Patrick Campbell came to the Rap
ids by the procurement of Martin Prendergast of May
ville and set up a forge in a slab shanty on the side of

138 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the race south of the present passenger station of the
N. Y. P. & O. railway. This was the only man so
far as our knowledge extends who in early' days was
hired to settle at the Rapids. Prendergast gave
Campbell $75 as an inducement to come. Not long
after James Portman came in and for a time worked
with Campbell, making and repairing mill irons, but
when Elisha Allen's shop on the north side of Third
street, between Main street and Potter's alley, was
built, he took possession of it.
Thomas AV. Harvey, (afterwards ( Jen. Harvey)
then a young man and an excellent, blacksmith, came
in the next year under engagement to set up machin
ery for the cotton factory — machinery which was never
bought and consequenth' could not be set up. Har
vey married Melinda Hay ward, a sister of Airs. .Solo
mon Jones and Airs. Samuel Garfield, in AVardsboro,
A7t., and immediately started for Chautauqua to fulfill
his contract. On his arrival in Jamestown he found
an enormous building called the cotton factory, but
was given to understand that the building had been
sold for debt and that there was no machinery to
set up and never would be. He remained a
while in Jamestown, repairing machinery for Dan
iel Hazeltine, and set up a forge and did some
blacksmithing in the Allen shop, intending soon
to return to ATermont. He was fond of hunt
ing and remained so long that it was too late to
return that, season, and went into winter quarters at
Sears's (Kiantone) and there remained undecided, and
as game was plenty, until it was too late to return the
next fall. Finally, at the urgent solicitation of his
brothers-in-law, Jones and Garfield, and the promise
of much work and support from Daniel Hazeltine,

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 139
who wanted him to build him a carding machine im
mediate!}', he concluded to come back to Jamestown
and build a house and shop, Judge Prendergast having
offered him any lot he might choose. He finally said,
"Friends, I haYre made up my mind to remain with
you for better or for worse ten years, but I do not
promise a day longer.' He chose the lot, on the
northwest corner of Pine and Third streets, and built a
very good story and a-half house, but which was never
painted. I think the ground where his house stood
has been cut down full twenty feet if not, more, He
built a shop on the west end of the lot on Potter's al
ley. In 182(1 his brother, Charles R. Harvey, also a
blacksmith, a. good mechanic, a genius, and at last a
noted inventor, came to Jamestown with his family
and built a house where S. S. Cady lately resided on
the east side of Pine street, sixty or seY'enty feet north
from Second street. Several years after this house was
removed around into Spring street, just north of Mrs. Z.
G. Keeler's residence, and is still standing although
greatly changed in appearance. Harvey built on the
site of the old house a large two-story house in which
he resided several years. He removed in 1830 to
Poughkeepsie and afterwards to New York. His resi
dence on Pine street became the property of Adolphus
Fletcher, afterwards of E A. Dickinson and later of S.
¦S. Cady; the house has lately been removed.
The Harveys worked together for several years in
the shop built by Thomas AV. Harvey. Charles R.
Harvey afterwards built a shop for himself on the cor
ner of Second and Spring streets, where Jason Palme-
tor's house now stands. The Harveys being superior
mechanics and men of great genius, built much ma-

140 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
chinery for the factory of Hazeltine & Falconer, and
for others, and for a time occupied rooms in the base
ment of the woolen factory for machine building.
But Thomas W. Harvey had remained not only the
promised ten years, but nearly another ten years up
on that. He had already invented two very import
ant machines which were in successful operation at
Ramapo, near New York, but he had others yet more
important, which required him to spend so much time
in New York that he finally removed to that city in
1832. Llis brother f Hiarles in 1830 followed him as
far as Poughkeepsie, where he put in operation two or
three valuable inventions, and a couple of years later
to New York, where he rented a very large building
which he filled with machinery of bis own invention
for weaving stocks for the neck, (much used fifty years
ago,) out, of pigs' bristles, and cloth out of pigs' hair.
The writer in 1841 was in this factory and in one room
there were in operation forty looms on hair cloth.
The inventions of the Harveys have added largely to
the industries of the world. The first machinery for
turning screws was the invention of Gen. Thomas
W. Harvey. The first pin with a solid head was
turned out by a machine of his invention, and now
there is not a pin machine in the world that the prin
ciple of action did not originate in his active, inven
tive brain. Many are the inventions now in use,
which originated in the inventive minds of the broth
ers Thomas W. Harvey and Charles P. Harvey. Col.
C. R. Harvey expended his inventive genius on ma
chines of present utility; Gen. Thos. AV. Harvey's
mind penetrated deeper and interested itself in sub
jects from which he could not expect to reap a present
reward.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 141
He sought fame more than riches. He greatly
improved upon the methods of making steel, but an
other appropriated the idea he originated, carried it to
completion and reaped the immense reward. He was
almost a fanatic on the subject of electricity and spent
fortunes in making machinery and experimenting
with it as a motive power. The writer frequently
heard him say in 1841, when a member of his family,
"If you live to the ordinary age of man, you will see
electricity the great motor power of the world." Its
present uses as a motor power and otherwise are but
in their infancy, and yet we think exceed the Gen
eral's wildest dreams. He had in '41 a large building
full of machinery, some of it costly, which he had in
vented and found inadequate and then cast aside, in
prosecuting his experiments on this subject, and what
is strange he did not strike a single principle involved
in the electro-motor machines of to-day.
It has been said that invention is a normal func
tion of the American brain. The American invents,
as the Greek chiseled, as the Venetian painted, and
as the Italian sings. It is only necessary to go to the
patent office at Washington to prove that the power
to invent is inherent in the native of New England.
It is possible that this trait of genius may have had its
origin to some extent in the wants and the conditions
which surrounded the early settlers of New England,
and as we have so often heard, that, it is strictly true
that "necessity is the mother of invention." Some
have thought that this genius to invent was spurred
into action by the desire universal of gain, and the
protection given by the government to the inventions
of American genius.
Certainly this is not the whole statement of the

142 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
case, for the disposition to invent was prominent and
marked in the New Englander before the system of
legislation was inaugurated for the protection of the
products of his genius. If we would inquire into the
genesis of this American trait we should first note that
the country was mainly settled by men of that race,
respecting which Prof. Thorolcl Rogers has said that he
has been unable to find any one notable invention for
saving human labor, originating elsewhere, excepting
the solitary instance of the carding machine, the in
vention of a Frenchman. And of this great inventive,
Teutonic race, it was the most ingenius branch, the
English, which contributed chiefly to the settlement
of the Atlantic coast,
Whether it is attributable to heredity, or to cli
mate or necessity, or to all, we will not undertake to
decide, but it is certainly true that the early settlers
of New England and their descendants are the most
inventive people in the world.
The Harveys during their residence in Jamestown
were among its most useful citizens, not only on ac
count of the labor they performed and the machinery
they built, but their prominence in all things touching
the good and welfare of the village. They were men
who should be gratefully remembered as long as
Jamestown shall remember any of its founders.
Gen. Harvey was thrice married. His first wife,
(Melinda Hayward) the mother of all his children, we
have already spoken of. His second wife we did not
know. His third was the widow of Alpheus Hawley,
who was a merchant in Jamestown as long ago as 1838.
The last Mrs. Harvey was a victim of the railway dis
aster several years ago at Norwalk, Ct, The general
died soon after. Charles R, Harvey Yva.s first married

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 143
in Vermont to Olive AArillard, a sister of Harmis Wil-
lard. She died in Jamestown in 1829, loved and
mourned by all. He afterwards married Rebecca Hay-
ward, sister to Matilda,* the second wife of the late
Abner Hazeltine. Both wives bore to him large fam
ilies of children, twelve I think in all. Of this nume
rous family but four, we are informed, are now living.
We have not been able to obtain the dates of the death
of Col. Harvey and of his wife Rebecca, but they died
several years ago. We shall speak of General and
Colonel Harvey again when we write up the general
muster, "general trainings' as more commonly called,
of early times. LYMAN CRANE.
Lyman Crane came into the southern Chautauqua
settlements preY'ious to the Harveys, but, came to
Jamestown in 1823 and worked with John Portman in
the Allen shop. He afterwards built a shop on the
west end of the lot on which the hotel on Second street
now stands, between Prendergast avenue and the
alley. He was a good mechanic, and, what was more,
a most excellent man. Lyman Crane will be remem
bered as long as a Methodist church exists in the city
of Jamestown. The person never existed who knew
Father Crane, who did not believe he was a Christian.
His influence over the sick, especially those who did
not belong to any church, was extraordinary. He was
a plain spoken, uneducated man, pleasant but not
gifted in conversation. During the earlier years of
professional life the writer frequently came in con
tact with Father Crane in the sick room. If seen com-

* These were daughters ot Charles Hayward who came to
Jamestown from Connecticut, and were not related to the Vermont
Haywards.

144 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
ing out of a house in which there was a sick person,
that alone was prima facie eyudence that another jewel
had been added to Father Crane's crown, — anotlier
soul safe within the Christian fold. A\Te could relate
numerous anecdotes illustrating this remark. Al
though a man of but few and plain words, his power
OYrer the human mind was extraordinary and seem
ingly irresistible.
Although we believe we have written all that can
be said of any man as a, Christian, nevertheless we had
a feeling that, more might be expected in the case of
Father Crane. AVe therefore consulted tho ReY- John
Peate, D. D., who had for many years known him in
timately. His reply was, "You haY-e said nothingyou
should not say of Father Crane, and surely you can
not say more. I think he was one of the most extra
ordinary men I ever knew. Although plain in person,
slow in speech, below the medium line as a conversa
tionalist, he was a vast power. AVhen living I made
the man a study, and I haY'e studied him since he
went away. I am confident that his great strength
consisted in his unbounded faith, and he conveyed his
message to heaven in behalf of the sinner on the per
fect wings of that faith. He was gifted in prayer if
not in the ordinary speech, and when his prayer was
finished he had the perfect assurance that God had
heard him; and the sick for whom he was praying-
felt the same assurance. The sick man felt, as it were,
that he had been dragged by main strength OY'er the
battlements of heaven, and that, too, by one authorized
to scale their golden heights." Elijah Bishop, who
was present, remarked; "I can in fancy see him now,
a humble worker in iron, pounding away and with
each blow sticking his tongue out of one corner of his

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 145
mouth in a most comical and laughable manner. His
influence in the church and especially in the sickroom
was never excelled if eYrer equalled. It did seem to
me he could gain admission to the court above when
no other man could. I viewed him as one of God's es
pecial agents." Those who ever knew Lyman Crane,
will remember him as a hard worker, genial, kind,
pleasant, and as a Christian something different from
what he ever knew before ; he would not dare to speak
disrespectfully of religion in the presence of Father
Crane, and the secret wish Yvould always arise in the
heart, that he was as good as Father Crane.
The blacksmiths in the country increased fast.
The mills of various kinds for a time multiplied with
wonderful rapidity, wherever there was a water
power; giving an immense amount of work to this
class of mechanics. Safford Eddy, a son of the Rev.
Isaac Eddy, and Samuel Garfield, a son of Deacon
Samuel Garfield, succeeded Gen. Harvey in the shop
on Third street. Col. Harvey's shop on the corner of
Spring and Second streets changed hands frequently.
Father Crane, Marenus Hart, Obed Chase and others
by turn occupied it. (.'base afterwards built a shop on
ground now occupied by a portion of the Tew block,
corner of Main and Second streets. Lewis Taft and
Jason Hazzard built a stone shop on the southwest
corner of Third and Spring streets. Joslyn Butler
built another next the alley on the east end of the lot
now on the north side of Third street between Pine
street, and the alley, and Sanford Holman another on
the south side of Third street and on the east side of
the alley between Cherry and AATashington streets.
Blacksmith shops have become numerous, it will not
be profitable to follow them farther.

146 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
In a new and wilderness country, just receiving-
its first few inhabitants, unused and unaccustomed to
the surroundings in which they found themselves
placed, among the various mechanics that by chance
strayed into their midst none was so warmly welcomed
as the blacksmith. He was an absolute necessity. A
new settlement cannot prosper if the blacksmith is not
in the wilderness with them, all others are luxuries;
at least, settlers of a new country can get along with
out them. In moving in, a horse has cast a shoe, a
tire has given out, a bolt broken; the first call is for a
blacksmith. Unless one can be obtained they are in
the midst of a dire calamity. After he has arrived at
his new home, he has immediate and most constant
use for a blacksmith. If there is no blacksmith in the
new settlement, the settlers are uneasy until they ob~
tain one. We could relate several anecdotes of tbe
early settlers walking through the wilderness fifteen or
twenty miles to get a small, indispensible job of black-
smithing done. If, by chance, a blacksmith happened
to come along, all sorts of promises of aid and support
were made to induce him to remain. And if per
chance he should conclude to seek some other place,
there was mourning and trouble in that community
until another was found to take his place. At least in
the early settlement of southern Chautauqua the black
smith was found to be the most important, the most
indispensible member of the little communities in the
wilderness. Old Father Spencer used to say, that a
man to make a good pioneer preacher should first
learn blacksmithing; that that, would be the best
recommend he could carry into the wilderness.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 147
SCYTHE SNATHS, ETC.
Among the dead industries of Jamestown is the
manufacture of scythe snaths and grain cradles. This
industry was introduced by Deacon Samuel Garfield, a
man of strong and superior natural intelligence, in
ventive mind and was in many ways identified with
the early welfare of Jamestown. He was born in
Worcester, Mass., removed with his father, Eliakim
Garfield, who was a Revolutionary soldier, in 1803 to
Windham County, Vermont. He there married a sis
ter of Mrs. Solomon Jones and of Mrs. Thos. W. Har
vey, and emigrated to Chautauqua in 1814. He pur
chased a farm in what is now Busti, (lot 46, tp 1, r 11)
on the top of the hill, beyond Abraham Pier's, now the
Jenner place. He was a carpenter by trade, a farmer
from choice, and an inventive mechanic by profession.
He built a shop near his house and worked in iron as
well as in wood. His first mechanical work furnished
the country with grain measures, nested from a half-
bushel down ; rakes were a product, of his Busti shop
and soon, if a farmer needed a grain cradle or a cradle
of any kind he could procure it at Garfield's. The
bent snath which afterwards became so immense an
industry in Jamestown, was a product of his inventive
genius. He manufactured them at his little shop on
the hill in Busti until the demand far exceeded his
ability to produce, and he was forced to seek a
larger field for his operations. The Stevens' tannery at
that time was not in use, he purchased that and' soon
was engaged in manufacturing scythe snaths on an
extended scale. The name of Stevens' tannery was
soon forgotten, and the building was afterwards
known as Garfield's scythe snath factory.
Immense quantities of these "crooked sticks"

148 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
were here manufactured, supplying the whole country
and taken to the southern markets by boatloads. At
first scythe snaths only were manufactured; afterwards
grain cradles also. At one time as many as three of
these factories were running at the same time. A. B.
Cobb & Son, who I think were the third firm to en
gage in this business, and who bought out Garfield,
manufactured grain cradles and rakes extensively.
Sey^eral of these establishments from time to time
burned down, the old Stevens tannery among them.
Cobb & Son were burned out twice and, I think, three
times. Soon after Garfield had established the busi
ness in the Stevens building, Ezra Wood became his
partner. Afterwards, Ed. Reynolds, then the Cobbs
and Broadhead were prominent men in this industry.
Afterwards Simmons & Tyrrel built a factory at the
corner of Second and Cross streets and manufactured
largely. This establishment also burned. Ezra and
Nathan Breed occupied a large factory on the west
side at the lower dam and manufactured extensively
not only scythe snaths but also other agricultural
implements. According to my recollection Harmis
Willard, Wm. Broadhead and AY. R. Denslow were
moderately engaged in this business at the lower vil
lage as late as 1870. In 1871 it became a dead indus
try in Jamestown; why, we are not informed. At one
time it was by far the most extensive in the town. At
an early day, before the establishment, of these fac
tories, the most, of the hay rakes in use were made in
Busti by Palmer Phillips, a celebrated local Methodist
minister fifty years ago or more. He also made a few
grain cradles. Rakes were also made by the Marshes
at what was called the Marsh Settlement on the Still
water near A. M. Kent's farm. Samuel Garfield and

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 149
wife died several years ago. They had a large family
of children, all I think, now dead, excepting Lydia
whose first husband was a Dilno and who is now the
wife of Amos Palmer; and Benjamin who now lives in
¦ Salamanca. Fred Garfield, our energetic railroad man,
is a son of Ben's. CHAIR MAKING.
The chairs used in the settlement at an early day
were of the splint bottom variety and mostly made by
the Marshes. There were others who made a few, but
I do not remember them. There was a man named
Nash who lived on Oak Hill who was an adept in put
ting in flag seats, and I think he made a few chairs of
this variety. Many in town employed him to renew
their chairs with flag seats when the splints were worn
out or broken. Phineas Palmeter in the year 18^7
commenced the chair making business here, building
a two-story shop on the tail race of the grist mill not
far from the east end of Broadhead it Sons' worsted
mills. In this factory they manufactured wood seat
and flag seat chairs. The power for running the fac
tory was gained by a large, long wheel which was
turned by the mere force of the current of water in the
race as it passed along. The next year Palmeter
brought from Pittsburg our townsman, Robert, V. Cun
ningham, of whom we have already spoken, and Ben
jamin T. A [organ who two or three years later mar
ried a daughter of James Hall, Esq., of Kiantone. Soon
after his marriage Morgan left chair making for farm
ing. The Kiantone Morgans. Delevan, Benjamin and
others were his children. Morgan died many years
ago. I cannot say whether or no Cunningham bought
out Palmeter, but this tail race water power was found
inadequate and Cunningham commenced the manu-

150 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
facture of chairs elsewhere. He built a residence and
shop on the southwest, corner of Third and Cherry
streets, now occupied by Mrs. Andrew Smith as a resi
dence, and their continued the manufacture of chairs.
I haYre flag seat chairs in my house to-day manufac
tured for Dr. Laban Hazeltine, by Robert AT. Cunning
ham fifty-five years ago. Cunningham afterwards
erected the building now standing, south of the Sher
man house and used as a boarding bouse, and there
manufactured chairs. I well remember the first power
used b}r Cunningham. It was a foot lathe and most
thoroughly was his right foot educated to the busi
ness. Afterwards he had lathes in a room in the low
er part of Prendergast's saw mill. Cunningham is
yet, I believe, connected with a chair manufactory.
His wife, the eldest, daughter of Elmer Freeman is
still living.
Afterwards chairs were manufactured more extens
ively by a man named Bell, and others, at the lower
dam, and afterwards still more extensively by George
A. and Nat. Flint and L. B. Warner, also at the lower
village. Chairs by them were sent in quantities to the
lower market, The Flints and AVarner afterwards
erected a large building below Allen street, near the
lower pond. They may have manufactured chairs in
it, but I think it was used for the most part for sawing
and planing lumber. This large building and much
property were finally destroyed by fire. AVe have now
in our city an immense factory for cane seat chairs of
all styles which are sold in all sections of the United
States; also an immense factory for wood seat chairs,
quite as extensively sold. In addition to these we have
smaller establishments in which are made heavy splint
seat chairs and rockers; and other establishments for

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 151
fancy seat chairs. We merely mention these ; the early
industries only come within our plan.
CABINET WARE.
Tliere is to-day standing on the south-west corner of
Main and Fourth streets a small one-story house which
for several years has been used as a millinery estab
lishment, This house, with its woodshed extension,
originally reached nearly to the alley, and was built
by Royal Keyes in 1818, and was for many years his
residence. Keyes by trade was a carpenter and joiner,
and came into the country from Newfane, Vt., with
Elisha Allen in 1815. In the fall of 1816, assisted by
Captain Horatio Dix, he erected a two-story workshop
south of this house. There was a space of eight feet
between the buildings, and the front of the shop was
about five feet farther from the street than that of the
bouse. During the winter of 1817 — 18, he returned
to ATermont and married Amanda Kidder, sister of the
wife of Abner Hazeltine, and then returned in the
same sleigh to the Rapids with his wife, together with
Samuel Barrett and his wife. Keyes himself was for
several years actively engaged in housebuilding, but
used his spare time in making cheap articles of cabinet
furniture in the shop mentioned. Finding ready sale
for all he could make, he employed a traveling jour
neyman to work constantly at the business. During
the winter of 1810 — 17 a school was taught in the sec
ond story of this building by Abner Hazeltine. AVil
liam Breed, a cabinet maker, came to Jamestown in
the spring of 1820, and as Keyes was at that time en
gaged in erecting a mill for Nicholas Dolloff he per
mitted Breed to occupy his shop while absent, with
the agreement that they should form a partnership as
soon as Keyes completed his present job. The part-

152 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
nership commenced during the fall of the next year,
1821, and a couple of months later, January 1, 1822,
John C. Breed, a brother of AVilliam, arrived and was
given employment in the shop af Keyes & Breed.
While the types are being set for this page, Mr.
Breed is being borne to his long home. He died on
the 6th day of December, 1886, aged 82 years and
eight, months. A good man has fallen.
John C. Breed was born near Schuylerville in
Saratoga county, N. Y., in the year 1804. He was the
sixth child of a family of twelve children. Thomas
Breed, his father, afterward moved to Cayuga county.
In 1822, two years after he came to Jamestown to reside,
which at, that time had not outgrown its hamlet con
dition, there were but few families here and the Yvhole
country was a wilderness. Tliere was then but one
church organization in the town, and all of those re
ligiously inclined on Sunday met, at the old Prender.
gast academy for Divine worship, which usually con
sisted of the reading by some one of a sermon, of sing
ing and prayer. John 0. Breed immediately identified
himself with this band of worshippers which consisted
of members of all denominations of Christians. He
established and was the superintendent of the first
Sabbath school organized in Jamestown. He was the
first Baptist resident of the village, and one of the or
iginators and organizers of the First Baptist church
here in 1820, and is the last one of its charter members.
John C. Breed has been a true and faithful exem
plar of orthodox Christianity in Jamestown for a per
iod of 65 years. There has been neither spot nor
blemish on his Christian character during that loner
period. He yvas one of that small band at which the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 153
world points, and inwardly confess in their hearts and
openly with their lips — they art Christians,
In November, 1827, he married Olive, the fifth
daughter of Solomon Jones. For over 50 years he re
sided in the house in which he died. John C. and Olive
(Jones) Breed had four children, of whom but two are
now living — Judson W, the eldest son, is a resident, of
Cincinnati; Charles A., the youngest son, resides in
Jamestown. Olive, his wife and companion of nearly 60
years of earthly life, tarries.
His father Thomas settled in Saratoga county on
the farm that was noted for the surrender of Gen. Bur-
goyne and his army in the war of the Revolution. This
farm Yvas situated about one mile from Schuylerville
where he was born. His father's family numbered
twelve children. The most of them afterwards settled
in Chautauqua county. Amelia Breed, Yvho married
Luther Botsford, is the only one of the family now \i\-
ing, and she came to Jamestown to attend her brother's
funeral. She lives now in Salamanca with her daugh
ter, Airs. Benjamin Garfield.
At a meeting in Jamestown a few years ago of the
Breeds from various parts of the country, Deacon John
('. Breed, in a ver}' interesting address made on that
occasion, closes with the following eloquent words :
"Our ancestors landed in this country 240 years
ago. Eight generations of them have been born, most
of them have passed to their long rest. They contrib
uted to the general good, they helped the nation to
establish itself, as we are now helping to maintain it.
They did their part, Are we doing ours as well? These
are momentous questions. The gray hairs gathering
on my brow, and whitened heads of others I see here
to-dav, together with our failing vision and failing

154 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
strength, impressively remind us that we shall soon join
the large circle who have passed on before. As we have
so good evidence of the Christian character and integ
rity of so many of our ancestors who now sleep in the
grave, my prayer to God is that ourselves, our children
and our children's children may all meet with the re
deemed family in heaven where its collected members
shall be scattered no more forever."
Before proceeding farther we wish here to record
a few more recollections of the Royal Keyes family.
We have elsewhere recorded the return to Vermont
of Royal Keyes and Samuel Barrett, their marriage,
and their long sleigh ride with their wives, in return
ing to their home in the wilderness. Alost thoroughly
burned into our recollection, is that happy, delightful
home of an early day, on the corner of Main and
Fourth streets. A home of which not one of the occu
pants remains in Jamestown to-day ; all gone, nearly
all " in the church yard lie," three or four, perhaps, yet
living, but, scattered in far distant localities. This is
my recollection of that home twenty years or more
after Royal Keyes's return from that long, dreary
sleigh ride, as we have seen them seated together many
an evening, Royal Keyes and his wife Amanda Kid
der Keyes, and their six daughters. It was one of the
calling, one of the visiting places of the young people
of Jamestown of both sexes for a number of years.
Sometimes when we reflect, upon the long ago, it seems
almost impossible that so great a change has taken
place. Mary was the oldest daughter. She married
a Presbyterian clergyman named Miles, and is, I am in
formed, still living somewhere in the west. Melissa
married Lysander Farrar, the first principal of the
Jamestown Academy. Mr. Farrar studied law in S.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 155
A. Brown's office. He made Rochester his home, and
was successful in his profession. He died sey^eral years
ago. His wife is still living. Alsey married Charles
Kennedy, who at an early day was a saddler in James
town, he was afterwards Sheriff of the county. For
some years he has been a resident of AVashington,
where himself and wife and family now reside. Phi-
iinda married George Blanchard, and died soon after.
Lydia married John B. Forbes, and shortly died.
Forbes afterwards married Sarah, who is, we are in
formed, still living in Fredonia.
Last summer a young lady called upon us and was
introduced as Miss Farrar, a daughter of Lysander and
Melissa, Farrar. She brought me a long letter, all about
the early days, from her mother. From this letter we
make a few short extracts.
"I used to love to hear my mother tell her experi
ences when moYung into the country. She and my
father and Samuel Barrett and his wife were married
on the same day, and expected to start, the morning-
after the ceremony, Feb'y. 8th, 1818, on their wedding-
trip to Jamestown, which was to be their future home.
But a furious snow storm came on in the night and in
the morning the roads were impassible. They were
delayed several days, but finally started in two sleighs,
one covered and containing the two 1 aides and grooms
and a chest in which was packed the provisions for
their long journey. The other sleigh was laden with
their earthly possessions and driven by Levi Sherwin, *
who was a carpenter and joiner by trade. The sleigh-
* Levi Sherwin was a brother of Milton Sherwin. He built the
large frame hotise on the south-west corner of Layfayette and Third
streets, which -was lately removed, and died tliere about fifty vears
ago.

15(1 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
ing Yvas good, and they were about three weeks in
making the trip.
My father built his house on the south-west corner
of Main street late in the fall, and could not finish it
until next season. AVhen my sister Mary was born
mother said the snow sifted in between the boards and
covered the bed on which she lay. Our parents, Dr.,.
must have experienced some hardships we know noth
ing- of — they were noble men and women. AVe shall
never see their like again. I am proud of my New
England parentage,"
Airs. Farrar gives some very interesting accounts
of some of the first houses built in Jamestown by her
father, viz.: S. A. Brown's, E. T. Foote's, Sarn'L
Barrett's, Thos. Harveys, and others, but is too long for
our purpose. She continues — "When our house was first built,,
the pine trees were so near it, that I used to lie awake
in mortal terror when the wind blew, lest they should
be blown down on the house and crush us."
I should have mentioned Royal Keyes as one of
the captains of the old steamer Chautauqua towards
the close of her career, and believe he became the sole
owner, and at one time he was Major of the 102d Reg.
of N. Y. S. Militia. He built the house still standing
on the south-east corner of Fifth and Cherry St. in
1840, into which he removed, and there died July 1st,,
1852. Sarah and her husband, John B. Forbes, about
that time moved to Frcdonia, and took their widowed
mother with them, and the Keyes ceased to be inhab
itants of Jamestown. Airs. Keyes survived her husband
several years.
In 1825 the Breeds built a shop on the west side
of Pine street between Third and Fourth, employed a

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 157
¦couple of journeymen and increased the business. The
front portion of the house now occupied by Mrs.
Ellick Jones as a boarding house was constructed out
•of the shop put up by the Breeds in 1825. The Keyes
shop some years afterwards was occupied by a man
named Todd, and later by others, who built some cab
inet ware and other household furniture. The upper
room of the shop Yvas for two or three years occupied
by the Rev. Mr. Smith, a Baptist minister, for a con
tinuation of Abner Hazeltine's Prendergast, academy.
It was afterwards occupied as a select, school by a Miss
Farnham of Ellington. In 1833 the Breeds erected a
larger shop on the southeast corner of Pine and Third
streets.' Almon Partridge afterwards became a partner
and they built a factory at the lower dam at the east
end of the large factory at present operated by a son
and grandson of William Breed. This industry, which
commenced in the small way described above, is now
one of the vast industries of our city. " Pearl City,"
for the writer takes upon himself, he will not say the
honor, but the distinction of giving to Jamestown the
name of Pearl City. How many cabinet factories, table
factories, bedstead factories, lounge factories there now
are in our city the writer is not informed, but he does
know that the first pine and Yvhitewood furniture made
in this town, the boards were planed and nailed or
,glued together by Royal Keyes, and that, as a business
to be followed William Breed planed the first cherry
and black walnut boards and fashioned them into
tables, bureaus and other ware which we call cab
inet, Although furniture in small quantities was from
time to time manufactured by others, mostly transient
persons, the Breeds have been the autocrats of the
furniture business for a period extending over more
than sixty vears.

158 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
In a country in which even at an early date there
were so many mills and so much machinery of various
kinds, one would naturally expect to find many edu
cated millwrights, mechanics skilled in hydraulics and
strength of materials. One of the earliest workers of
this class was Phineas Palmeter, a man of great genius
and a superior mechanic wherever placed. NeY-erthe-
less, he was accustomed to say that he was not a mill
wright, that the business was distasteful to him, and
he would not engage in mill building if he could avoid
it. The earliest millwrights of the county were Capt,
Horatio Dix, Milton and Levi Sherwin, Capt. AArilliam
Forbes, Royal Keyes, and a man by the name of Spaf-
ford. Probably the first and the last named were the
only ones who claimed to have receiY-ed education in
this employment, There were others, but these were
the leading and the best until Elijah Bishop came in
the fall of 1829. The first work in the line of his "pro
fession" was to build and paint a pulpit and do some
other work on the first Congregational church which
was then nearing completion, and was finished in the
middle of December of that year, and dedicated Janu
ary 1, 1830.
Among the first of Mr. Bishop's work was tbe put
ting in of new water wheels and building other ma
chinery for Hazeltine & Falconer. The burning of
Judge Prendergast's big cotton-factory flouring mill
gave Mr. Bishop an opportunity for showing his un
usual skill as a millwright, for the Judge determined
to replace the old mill, which was a good one, with as
good a flouring mill as could be built, Mr. Bishop
introduced in this mill superior machinery for smutting
and cleaning the grain, and many improY7ements in
the bolting apparatus. And what was of great and

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 159
permanent value, he put in improved water wheels,
giving more power, together with a great saving of
water. For many years Mr. Bishoppar excellence was
the millwright of this section of the country. It was
during the period he was actively engaged in this
busines that the rude " water-devouring " wheels of the
past gave place to the economical and scientific struc
tures of the present. In an early day economy of water
was little thought of. Under Bishop's regime the eco
nomical use of power gave positive existence to a few
of the many waste water privileges which previously
existed only in the deeds describing them.
Henry Crippen was for several years a millwright
here. I do not remember whether he came before or
after, but I think he learned what he knew of mill
building of Bishop.
A ludicrous anecdote of Crippen I cannot avoid
relating. In 1852 the buildings on the east side of
Main between Second and Third streets burned down.
The old Allen Tavern on the corner of Main and
Third streets, built by Capt, Dix and Jesse Smith in
1815, was. included in this fire which originated in
the store of Higley & Kellogg, situated about the cen
ter of the block, on ground occupied by a store owned
by William Broadhead and occupied by AVhitley &
Son. Crippen slept with a dozen others in the ball
room of the tavern at the time of the fire. The other
occupants of this bed room had been up and in the street
nearly an half hour, but Crippen continued to sleep.
Finally they commenced removing the furniture, as it
had become evident that it would be impossible to
save the building. Crippen awoke in a crazed condi
tion, poked his head out of the window and cried
"fire! fire! fire!" with alibis might; and then, much

160 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
to the danger of the many skulls congregated below,
threw out of the window a looking glass and several
frangible articles of furniture. Having performed this
feat of a too quickly aroused mind, he poked his legs
through the arm holes of his vest instead of putting
on his trousers, and thus equipped made his appear
ance in the street below, carrying an enormous pair
of iron fireclogs. The fire was not so far advanced but
that he was able to rescue the balance of his clothing;
but the laugh was greater than Henry could endure,
and soon after he went Yvest.
John Phetteplace, our present experienced mill
builder, I think was a pupil of that autocrat, Bishop.
Ben Nichols is the prince of the present millwrights,
but we are profoundly ignorant as to bis "hat meas
ure " and will drop the subject.
We would further remark of Bishop that for
many long years he has been Jamestown's "poet laur
eate." AVho among the old citizens does not remem-
" Florian " of fifty years ago? But one other could
have presumed to dispute his precedence. Our late
townsman, the amiable, gentle and good Dr. Asaph
Rhodes, was the only poet who ever gained the repu
tation of being able to compose a poem, the sense and
beauty of which would not be lost whether the read
ing was commenced from the middle or either end.
AVhenever a new hymn was needed in this loealitv
for some special occasion, we generally find that Eli
jah Bishop or the gentle doctor was the composer.
FANNING MILLS.
Walter Stephens came to Jamestown as a fanning
mill maker about the year 1832. He took for a fac
tory a building previously used by Cyrus AV. Jackson
as a gun shop, and which was .situated about the cen-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 161
ter of where the Bush block is located on the north
side of Second street between Main and Pine. After
pursuing this business for two or three years, he formed
a copartnership with Alonzo Kent and went into the
dry goods trade. Afterwards he removed to Jackson
ville, Fla., and erected large saw mills. He died in
Jacksonville. Stephens married Matilda Tew, sister
of Geo. W. and Wm. H. Tew. Three of his children
are living — Emily, wife of Nat. Flint who now resides
in Fairbault, Minn.; Antionette Stephens, who resides
here; and Edgar W. Stephens of the Columbia grain
drill company of this city.
Ed. Reynolds, who afterwards engaged in the
scythe snath business, succeeded Stephens in the man
ufacture of fanning mills. Since Reynolds, we know
of no one engaged in the fanning mill industry or any
other wooden machinery directly for the "raising of
the wind;" other methods are now in use.
WAGON AND CARRIAGE MAKING.
Wagon making was not among the earliest indus
tries established in this region. The wagons employed
in bringing the pioneer settlers into this country for
several years supplied all the conveyance of this kind
needed. In winter and, in truth, in other seasons of
the year, home manufactured sleds of the rudest con
struction were much used. When there was no snow,
the deep, thick mud of those early times was more
easily navigated by the broad-runnnered sleds than
by any wagon ever built. The settler would go into
the woods and select two small saplings with a similar
crook, and from these he cut his runners, peeled of the
bark and, if he had a shave, flattened the bottoms so
that they would present a broader surface to the mud.
An axe, a shave, an augur and- a jackknife were all the

162 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
tools absolutely necessary to make for himself this
primitive conveyance. It was the remark, of Phineas
Palmeter, that the settlers as a class never went into
any new country so well prepared with mechanical
implements as those who came to this. In nearly
every log house might be found a small but fairly
filled tool chest,
What were termed "jumpers" were very fashion
able in an early day — as a stylish one-horse rig in win
ter. The runner and the thill were made from a sin
gle pole; the pole was half shaved away for a couple
of feet where the forward end of the runner was in
tended to be so that the longer remaining part would
bend upward to form the thill. Into the runner por
tion of two poles thus prepared two or three holes were
bored, into which were driven pins about a foot in
length. Two or three strips with holes at the ends for
the upper ends of the pins fastened the runners to
gether and made the foundation for the box, for which
a crockery crate was the orthodox thing. A young
man who had a good horse, a good jumper with a
crockery crate for a box, a good buffalo robe or a couple
of Indian blankets, with a string of enormous bells to
scare the wolves away, was happy — the envy of the
whole neighborhood. He could give his sweetheart
an extra fashionable ride to the nearest neighbor's,
perhaps five miles away, or to the nearest log tavern to
a New Year's dance. But the young man generally
took his rifle with him, for there were bears as well as
wolves in the woods, and he did not care to meet any
competition in the hugging business, in the deep forest
through which he would have to pass. A very com
mon, all-the-year-around, go-to-mill conveyance, was
a small crotched sapling. A board, perhaps a box,

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 163
was made fast to the crotch, in which the grist was
placed. The oxen were hitched to the butt end of
this machine, and the crotch end dragged in the mud.
From experience we must declare that it was an easier
thing to ride on than some of the elliptic spring bug
gies of present times.
The first wagon shop in Jamestown was erected
by a Mr. Welch, just above Mrs. Jones's boarding house
on Pine street, between Third and Fourth streets, in
1824. The same building was many years ago moved
to the side hill near the boatlanding just above Cap
tain Murray's residence, where it yet stands. Patrick
Maher lived in the building several years before erect
ing his present residence on the corner above. Sev
eral persons occupied this shop, each for a short time,
after Welch abandoned it. Bradford B. Burlin com
menced the wagon-making business in this shop. The
firm of Burlin & Forbes afterwards removed to a large
building which they erected on Third street, Nelson
Woodford's "white horse" blacksmith shop now occu
pies part of the ground once covered by this factory.
They manufactured carriages and sleighs for many
years. Isaac Forbes finally retired from the business
and Royal D. Warner took, his place, and later John
B. Rawson, our present' Surgeon Dentist, Various per
sons and firms, one after another, succeeded Burlin &
Warner in the wagon business. The building finally
disappeared in one of our numerous fires. Dana H.
Allen, a son of Gen. Horace Allen, and others for several
years manufactured wagons and sleighs in buildings
on the corner and west side of the present Institute
street, Since that time this industry has been carried
on at various points in our town. The business has
from the first gradually increased in importance until

164 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
it has reached its present dimensions. It should be
borne in mind that many wagon shops during this
time have sprung up in the surrounding country. The
most important and deserving of mention are perhaps
those of Busti Corners, Frewsburg and Fluvanna.
TAILORS.
James Dinnin, an Irishman, father of the late Col.
James Dinnin of the 9th N. Y. cavalrj', and of John
Dinnin of Boston, was the first of the clothes-making
fraternity to settle at the Rapids. He had not been
here long before he erected a building for a shop and
residence on the southeast corner of Main and Fourth
streets. Before this building was completed he married
a daughter of Elias Tracey the celebrated old hunter,
and a sister to the wife of Wm. H. Fenton, Esq., and soon
after removed to Warren, Pa., and resided there several
years, and then returned to Jamestown. SeY'eral years
ago he removed from Jamestown to Panama and from
there to Michigan, where he died. Dinnin in early life
was dissipated, but reformed and joined the Presbyte
rian church. He built and resided for many years in
the house now occupied by E. H. Dan forth, on Fourth
street, between Lafayette and the alley.
„ Loring Johnson was the second of the craft to set
tle in Jamestown. He resided here for many years.
Between 1840 and 1845 he removed to Stockton where
he died. Johnson resided on the northwest corner of
Third street and Prendergast avenue. He built a small
residence on that location, and also the pen, from which
the bear the writer did not kill, stole the pig.
Noah W. Harrington was the third come-to-stay
tailor, and who came to town in the year 1822. Har
rington was by nature as much a comedian as Yvas
ever Burton or Emmett. Before he came to James-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 165
town he was at one time a member of a theatrical
troupe. He trained a couple of Jamestown girls and
twice the number of young men into tolerable actors,
and in the winter of 1824 they gave, in the ball room
of Ballard's tavern a most excellent theatrical exhibi
tion. Harrington's personification of Robin Rough-
head in a celebrated comedy, the name of which we'
connot recall, we shall never forget ; and there were
those present at that early backwoods performance who
had seen good acting in New York and elsewhere, who
declared they had never seen any one do Roughhead
better justice. In 1823 or '24 there was built on the
west side of Main street, fifty feet above the corner of
Third street, and adjoining the north side of the build
ing which was first known as Jones's tavern and finally
as Shaw's hotel, a two-story frame building, with a
wide platform in front of the second story, which was
reached by a flight of stairs from the street. AVe think,
but have no positive information, that Harrington
erected this building. He had not long been a resident
of Jamestown when he chose Capt, Horatio Dix for a
father-in-law. Keziah would naturally desire a
house of her own, and Capt. Dix being an indulgent
father and a good builder would naturally suggest to
Noah the building of the Ark, as it was called in those
days. About the year 1828 Ira Couch came to town,
and for a time was in company with Harrington. He
was a resident of the town several years, and at the
close opened a shop on the east side of Main street, in
a building still standing, the third above Fenner's shoe
store. This house in 1821, and for several years after
wards, was occupied by Joseph Waite, Esq., as a resi
dence and law office ; then by Couch as a residence
and shop or store. Still later it was purchased by Dr.

166 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Asaph Rhodes, who occupied it as a residence and an
office. First and last the building has had many occu
pants and is now divided up among several tenants.
It is one of the landmarks of the early days which
would benefit our most prominent street were it oblit
erated. Couch, after his removal to this location, pur
chased a quantity of cloths and ready-made clothing,
and was the first to advertise as a " merchant tailor."
He not long after failed and left Jamestown and went
to Chicago, which just then was looming into import
ance, and where within the next ten veers he made a
large fortune. He became one of the richest among
Chicago's monied men. He built, owned and managed
the Tremont house and another large hotel, and built
a block of stores and several residences.
Belvin B. Mason, father of Levant L. Mason,
comes next on our list of garment makers. Where he
first, commenced business we do not clearly recollect.
He at one time liY-ed in a house on the southwest cor
ner of Pine and Fourth streets, known as the Pearl
Johnson house. AATe distinctly remember that he re
sided here when LeY'ant left home to learn the jeweler's
trade in Rochester. He may have had a shop in the
long building then extending west from the house to
the alley. Afterwards he had a shop in the second
story of the brick block burned a few, years ago. and
owned by AVilliam Hall and others, situated on the
north side of Third street, between Main street and
Potter's alley. After Mason came Henry Herrick, who
advertised to cut, pants for 1:! cents, coats at 25 cents
and overcoats at 30 cents, and to make up the gar
ments in the best style possible, at the same propor
tionate rates. There were several others who might
be mentioned,- but the above are the principal ones.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 167
and as we haYre followed the business down to a period
when just and honest profits apparently had to give
way to ruinous competition, and, judging from the ad
vertisements in the newspapers of to-day, the ruinous
competition still continues, we will give the tailors a
rest. SHOEMAKERS AND COBBLERS.
Iii the settlement of a wilderness country where
at least one-half were cobblers, and made, after a fash
ion, their own foot gear, it is quite impossible, after
sixty years and more haY'e passed away, to state who
was the first builder of boots and shoes, without some
special circumstance transpired to fix it in the mind.
We well remember that the early tanners had a room
for shoe making, and employed one or more men to
make boots and shoes. Abram Frank, the Busti tan
ner, was the great boot maker of the country at an early
day and employed several workmen. That Barrett
& Barker employed at least two we can give positive
testimony. Barrett and Barker's shoemakers had
bought two bushels of chestnuts from an Indian, and
had spread them out on a side of sole leather on some
loose boards above their work room to dry. Ira Rus
sell and Niles Budlong, two boys twelve or fourteen
years of age. found the chestnuts and, believing they
were for any one to eat who desired, filled their pock
ets and went away. They stated to their fathers that
they carried away their pockets full two or three times
— which probably was the truth, for several young
men also found the chestnuts, and testified that they
thought, they carried away as many as two or three
bushels. The shoemakers finally missed their chest
nuts and learning that Ira and Niles had taken some
of them, coaxed them into the shop and administered

168 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
" strap oil " in dangerous doses. The boys Mere laid
up a week or more because of the fearful flogging they
had received. The affair caused considerable excite
ment and Budlong was about arresting the men when
Niles requested him not to do so. "Gust" and "Dasc"
Allen, Mart Forbes and Uncle Ben (Benjamin Run-
yan) had a confidential talk with Niles, and Budlong
suspecting the boys were going to settle it in their own
way let the matter drop. A few days afterwards early
in the evening Runyan was seen sitting Yvith the shoe
makers on the edge of the platform which ran along
the south side of Tiffany's store. A signal was given
and almost instantly all the boys in town were in the
street, with Carpenter at the head. Two stout crates
which were kept back of Tiffany's store and used to
crate drunken men through the streets, and to the
bridge, where they were hung off the side until morn
ing, when the occupants Yvere found quite sober and
ready to go home to breakfast, were quickly on hand.
They were placed by the side of the platfoim and as
quickly there was a shoemaker in each and tied fast
to it by strong ropes, and the crates started down Main
street for the bridge, the shoemakers swearing fear
fully. In case of a drunken man, undergoing the
crate, it was a rule that if he used any profane lan
guage, any boy having an "elder squirt" (and on these
occasions every boy had one) might squirt pure cold
water from Tiffany's spring into bis face until the pro
fanity ceased. The elder squirts were immediately
brought into requisition. The shoemakers begged;
promised to swear no more, and the irrigation ceased.
They were soon hanging over the side of the bridge.
Some fi-i ends soon released them; they started imme-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 169
diately for Warren — went down the river on a raft- —
and never returned.
The practice of crating drunken^men in James
town began about the year 1S22 and was continued
for several years. With whom it originated we can
not say, although a shrewd guess might be given —
surely not with the boys, although they were the exe
cutioners. We do not wish to implicate Silas Tiffany
or any other prominent, citizen of the olden time, in
originating the "crate law," therefore will pass it over.
The squirting of water into the face soon sobered the
victim of the crate law. A drunken man was not tied
fast to the crate; the hinged coY'er was closed and the
crate made fast midway between the floor of the bridge
and the swift water below. Frequently sawyers in the
mill, who, as would be said now. were in "cahoot" with,
the boys, or other friends would draw up the crates
and release the occupants, but it was seldom that a
person once in got out, until perfectly sober. With
few exceptions it was seldom that a man was found1
in condition to undergo the crate after the second
time, for the most part once sufficed. The method
was cheap and effectual. If help was necessary Car
penter was generalh' at hand to aid the boys. AVe
shall always remember his once presenting himself to-
undergo the punishment himself. He repaired to Tif
fany's corner and gave the usual signal, and the boys
were soon there. He said he was "half seas over,"
" three sheets in the wind," "water-logged," inclined
to "go with the wind," "too lubberly sea sick to trim
ship" and would soon be on his " beam end " if the
boys did not give him a lift; wanted to be put into
the crate, have water squirted over his heated " figger-
head," and put over the side of the bridge to dry.

170 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
He was partially accommodated; we put him in
the crate and wet him down with water from Tiffany's
spring; — the crate was then placed on two handsleds
and Guinea was escorted home by all the boys in town.
On reaching his domicile he was perfectly sober, and
before entering the house made a speech to the boys
(he was a fluent speaker) which was greeted with
cheers and the boys went home.
About, 1825 Deacon James Carey and Deacon
Loring Shearman opened a shop, in what had been
Titus Kellogg's residence on the north side of Second
street between Pine and Spring streets where is now a
long brick building, which as strange as it may ap
pear, was erected by Kellogg, and intended for five
fancy dry good stores of tbe village of Jamestown.
Six steps in front led to the store rooms. They were
never occupied for that purpose. Soon afterwards
AVm. M. Eddy and Joseph Merrills opened a shop in
the second story of Higley & Kellogg's store, before
mentioned. Long before this time Hiram \V. Curtis
was making shoes in the building erected by James
Dinnin for a tailor's shop, previously mentioned. In
1827 R, W. Arnold, Lewi's Hazzard and Joseph Mer
rills built a small shop calculated to accommodate four
workmen, just east of where Gron's livery stable now
stands on Second street. In the year 1831 Ezra AVood
came to town, entered into partnership with H. AY.
¦Curtis, and put a stock of Boston made boots and shoes
into a building on the southwest corner of Third street
and Mechanic's alley. This was the first regular boot
and shoe store established in Jamestown. This build
ing became quite prominent in the business affairs of
the village and will be spoken of more fully hereafter.
In early days we had a sufficient supply of small

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 171
shoe shops to supply the local demand. Now we have
immense five-storied factories, employing hundreds of
shoemakers and sending their products far and near
through the United States. Then we went direct to
the shoemaker for our shoes, now the only shoes he
could sell us, possibly, are the ones on his feet. Then
the shoemaker made shoes; now it takes a dozen shoe
makers to make one shoe. Then the shoemaker with
his hammer struck heavy blows on the soles of his
shoes forming them to his last, now he strikes heavy
blows, which trouble the soul of the manufacturer,
when he reflects how rich he has become, and how
much poorer are the shoemakers who do his work, than
were the shoemakers of sixty years ago, when each
worked for himself in a little shop of his own. Then
boys were sent to the shoemaker for "strap oil;" now
the poor shoemaker is more frequently "strapped"
than the boys. Then every man who- was considered
worthy to live was a laborer, and every one who
worked had plenty to eat, for the laborer was consid
ered worthy of his hire. Now we have Knights of La
bor. "Knights" originated in the Dark Ages, and
with them came the Crusades. Darkness again broods
over the nations. Now is the Night time of Labor.
The sepulchre of independent labor needs rescuing
from the barbarous control of tbe Saracen monopoly
of the manufacturer. This monopoly has crushed the
business of the shoemaker, cheapened the price of
shoes, and compelled the laborer to work for him at
unremunerative prices, whilst be, the manufacturer,
lays up his thousands yearly. Wealth and monopoly
forbid the shoemaker to live by the sweat of bis brow.
He may not breathe the pure air of heaven; the im
pure air of colossal manufactories is good enough for

172 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
him and his children. He may not eat the rich fruits
of God's earth; pulse, lentels and husks are good
enough for him. Darkness broods! Shall chaos come
again ?
If labor joins hands with anarchy the worst is to
be feared; but if labor joins hands with capital, on
the reasonable basis of live and let live, then the fu
ture will be brighter than the past. The two cannot""
be divorced without destruction to both.
CARPENTERS AND JOINERS.
Sixty years ago and more, when every board used in
building was planed by hand, seemingly every person
who had the muscle to drive a plane was a carpenter.
Thev were only machines; what they accomplished is
now done by mill work. The early builders in James
town were Alilton and LeY-i Sherwin, Capt. Horatio Dix,
Plinny Cass, Ezra Marvin, Abraham Staples and per
haps a few others. The first structures erected for res
idences were not large but respectable. The farm
houses^and barns nearly all of them were built with
logs; but five log tenements were eY-er erected at the
rapids and they were cabins, not houses. The first
mills and factories were large, well-built structures put
up by educated workmen. As timber and boards were
cheap, the early houses in town were generally made
of superior material although plain in appearance.
The scarcity and great cost of nails and hardware was
among the greatest drawbacks to building. Many a
good house we remember in which the floors were
fastened with wooden pins instead of nails. * Nearly
all the glass was of the 7x0 variety. When 10x12 and
somewhat larger glass came in, some would not use it

* This was th? case in the house in which we spent our child
hood's days.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 173
for fear their neighbors would think they were becom
ing proud. Our early blacksmiths made some hinges
and door latches, but a majority of those were the
handiwork of the carpenter. We well remember a set
of wooden door hangings for a nice door in a nice
house, that then we thought were the finest, most art
istic of any in town, and have not lived long enough
to change our mind. Hickory and ash made the best
of door latches and catches.
Who has not read of the" latch string hanging-
out?" If the string was pulled in,the house was locked.
We have knocked at many a door when a boy,
and heard the loud salutation from within " walk " or
"come in," both meaning the same. "Walk" meant
walk in, not to walk away. Then a good pull at the
latch string and a push on the door and you were in;
no one to salute you, all sitting or attending to their
business. " How d'du? draw up a cheer and sit. How
are you getting on to yure house? right smart I sup
pose. When you start hum want yo tote a hunk of
nice venison hum for your folks? ' Bill ' this morn
ing knocked over a big buck up on the wheat patch.
Confound the deer, they will ruin us yet. They're
worsen the wohres. There was near onto an acre and
a half of that foller and we got it in airly and all in
first rate style with best Mohawk seed brot in by old
Jo Loucks, but the deer have eten it nigh all up.
Well, ' Bill' must try and take pay outen their hides.
But Freeman and Pier don't 'low to a white man
near as much for a good pelt as they gives to the
pesky, dirty Injuns. line near mind to go back to
old Harkimer, and let the new country die out." The
above is part of a composition written in 1828, and
as transpiring in 1825.

174 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
In early times the fashionable color for a house
was that of the original wood ; the more stylish houses,
however, received a coat of A^enetian red mixed up in
sour milk. We remember two. painted white, but the
owners were considered extravagant and as setting a
bad example. Henry Baker used to say that the first
keg of pure white lead ever used in town was put
on his house on the north side of Third street between
Washington and Lafayette streets, which was built in
1827. There has been as great a change with the carpen
ters as with the shoemakers. Fifty years ago,- if a man
was going to build a house, the first thing to do was to
draw upon the ground a number of large timbers.
There the carpenter had to lay out the frame, cutting a
tenon here, and digging out a mortice there, in one place
for a post and in another for a joist, In those days it took
a learned man, at least in old Pike's or Daboll's Arith
metic to be a carpenter. When all framed, the sticks
were put in their proper places and pinned together in
what were called bents; then all the neighbors for
miles round were invited to the raising. A "raising
bee " was somewhat similar to a logging bee, leaving
out the eatables. We have none of these pleasant
social raisings now, where some giant of the neighbor
hood could show off how much he could lift, and an
other how readily he could handle a pikepole ; and
where the important boss, standing in some conspicu
ous place, swung his arms in a circle, squatting low
and then quickly regaining the perpendicular, and
crying with all of his might, "he ho, he, up she goes."
The children do not build as the fathers built, It now re
quires but two men to put up the frame of a large house.
Then it was the labor of months to put up an ordinary

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 175
house ; every board used had to be planed and sawed
and fitted by the joiners. Now nearly all is done at
the mills, there are no heavy timber frames, and all
the carpenter has to do is to put the various parts in
their proper places. COOPERING.
Coopering was one of the industries of early times,.
Many who had settled as farmers were mechanics, and
especially coopers, and employed their spare time in
making pails, wash tubs, etc., which they would sell to
their less mechanical neighbors or barter at the stores
for tea, tobacco, cotton cloth, or other necessaries.
Jesse Carrier was the first to set up coopering as a
business in Jamestown. His house was on the
north side of first street about equi distant between
Cherry and AVashington streets. The street that once
existed in that locality was destroyed by the excava-
vation for the railway. He built a shop facing Cherry
street on the northeast corner of the lot now occupied
by the W. D. Shaw residence. The demand for such
ware was not great, and Carrier eked out a living by
building skiffs for use on the lake.
Shingle weaving Yvas a common industry among
the early inhabitants of Ellicott, not only among the
farmers but among the towns people. The timber cost
only the sawing into bolts and hauling to the shanty.
If a person had nothing else to do he would shave
shingles. Shingles, next to Spanish coin, was the best
article any one could have with which to buy the nec
essaries of life. In those days we had poor people, but
no paupers. If one would eat he must work, and it
was a poor specimen of humanity that could not shave
a shingle. If there happened to be any lazy fellow in
the settlement not willing to support himself, he was

176 THE EARLY HISTORY' OF
sure to be hired in the spring to go down the river on
a raft, and nine times out of ten he never returned. A
walk through the wilderness from Pittsburg or Cincin
nati would be more than such a person could endure.
Southern Indiana sixty years ago must have had all
the inhabitants of this class they could possibly desire.
In early times a bunch of shingles was legal ten
der at any store, shop, or place of business in James
town. It was formerly told of A. F. Allen and D. Allen
when heavily engaged in lumbering and also selling-
goods in Jamestown, an old customer who had always
paid in shingles made large purchases at their store and
offered cash in payment which the Aliens refused, say
ing, "We do not want your money, are you not going to
let us havre your shingles ?" " AA7ell, I don't know," was
the reply. " Let old Guy (Guy Carl Irvine) have all
we had at the shanty yesterday. He giY'es us ten cents
a bunch more than you offered, deliYrered at Buck-
tooth." A F. Allen spent the whole day with that man
and finally had a written contract for his shingles for
three years, the first $300 worth of goods bought by him
to be paid at the end of three years in shingles, the
second $300 worth in two years in shingles, the balance
of account at the end of three years, to be on tbe usual
one-year time with interest, payable in shingles, and
he to let the Aliens have all the shingles he made, the
Aliens to pay ten cents a thousand more than Irvine
would pay, and also pay the hauling from the shanty
to Bucktooth ; cash to be paid for one-half of the shin
gles each year in June. " By Goll, ' Dasc,' we will let
old ( 'arl know that he don't own the Allegheny river
yet," " Mind your oar, 'Gust,' and keep the current.
Old Jake will make nigh on to two millions this year,
and they are the best hauled out on the Cincinnati

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 177
beach, and will fetch fifty cents a bunch more than any
other. I can sell all you buy and not half try. I guess
I will write down to York and have Connover &
LeBaugh send us an extra thousand dollars' worth of
Orleans sugar and molasses, and three or four more
hogsheads of codfish, and get 'em through before the
canal closes ; and I will have Levi Cook send up $50
worth more of those beads for the squaws to put on
moccasins, for Old Jake will put a draw shave into the
hands of every Indian between Cold Spring and Tun-
amagwont," AXES AND EDGED TOOLS.
Excepting the axes and edged tools which the set
tlers brought into the country with them — and that
supply we have always understood was bountiful —
all were made in the country. It was seldom that the
pioneer brought with him into the wilderness less than
two good axes and many of them half a dozen and
even more. Broad axes and shingle shaves were also
brought in liberal supply, but of the latter, it was soon
learned that those made here, for the service required,
were superior to those they had brought from A^er-
mont and elsewhere. The Harveys especially, made
very superior edged tools, and those who desired some
thing extra were willing to pay their extra prices. They
declared that facilities not within the reach of a wild
erness blacksmith, were required to make the manu
facture of axes and broad axes, a remunerative employ
ment at prices at which the article should be pro
duced. Father Crane devoted much of his time to
the making of axes and other edged tools. Pearl
Johnson, who came into the village somewhere be
tween 1820 and 1828, devoted his entire attention to
the manufacture of edged tools of all kinds. Butcher,

178 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
carving and chopping knives he kept constantly in
stock of sizes and shapes to suit all, but shingle shaves
were the articles produced by him in largest quanti
ties. No shingle weaver would be long without one
of Pearl Johnson's shaves if he could procure one. He
advertised his shaves as the "best the world produced."
"All those who want shaves of a 'superior article' will
take care that P. J., is stamped on them, as no others
are of my make." The first establishment for the ex
clusive manufacture of axes, I think, was at the head
of the lake near Bariihart's by a man named Barnes,.
Edmund Edgerton, a workman of Barnes', and Lyman
Crane afterwards built an axe and edged tool manu
factory at Dexterville, East Jamestown. They not only
supplied this country with axes, but southern and
western wood choppers soon learned their superiority>
and they were taken down the river in great quanti
ties. Axe making still continues to be one of the
prominent industries of Jamestown.
GUN SMITHING.
The making and repairing of guns was a, flourish
ing industry in Jamestown sixty years ago. AVhen
Jamestown was but a small village there were two
prosperous gun shops at the same time. Both estab
lishments commenced business on Second street, That
of Cyrus W. Jackson was across the alley west of
Crane's shop and on the east end of Jason Palmeter's
lot; that of Owen ATanDyke on the opposite side of
the street and a few feet farther east, Jackson's estab
lishment was the most extensive of the two, employ
ing at one time four journeymen gun makers and two
apprentices, Van Dyke having but two men besides
himself. The last made but one quality of gun; they
differed in size and appearance, but the price was the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 179
same; with him $22 was the invariable price for a
VanDyke rifle. These establishments for a few years
did an immense business, not only in making new
guns, but in changing old ones. At that time, first,
pill percussion, but soon after cap percussion for prim
ing became known. There was but one percussion
gun in the town at that time and that was of the pill
percussion variety and belonged to the writer and
was well known in early days in Jamestown as "Old
Kill Deer" — a name taken I believe from Cooper's
Last of the Mohicans. The country was yet a wilder
ness and nearly every man in it, whatever might be
his business otherwise, was more or less a hunter.
In nearly every house was a "stack" of old fashioned
flint lock guns. Besides rifles there were a large num
ber of United States muskets and old Queen Ann arms
as they were called. The most of them were with
broken locks, and all of them useless. The. first great
work was to convert the flint lock rifles into percus
sion guns and by the time this was accomplished, the
owner generally imagined he wanted a new gun.
The gunsmith in changing the lock would find other
things needed, and after making a bill of several
dollars for repairs would find a flaw or imperfection
somewhere, and of course a new gun was ordered
For the new gun from $25 to $40 was paid according
to the number of pieces of silver (pewter) with which
the stock of the gun was ornamented. Frequently the
old gun on which had just been paid $10 or $12 in
repairs was sold for $5 in part payment for the new
gun, and this with a couple of days' labor was trans
mogrified into a new gun as valuable as the one for
which it was exchanged. Up to the advent of the
gunmakers a person would be laughed at if seen car-

180 THE EARLY' HISTORY OF
rying a musket, especially if it was loaded with any
thing less dangerous than a ball or slugs. The woods
abounded in partridges, squirrels, quail and other
game, but no one was expected to shoot at anything
smaller than a deer, a bear, or a wolf. After all the
flint-lock rifles were converted into percussion guns
and hundreds of new rifles sold, a new dodge was re
sorted to, and that was to supercede the rifles by shot
guns. Jackson brought with him specimens of shot
guns and old muskets done over into shotguns, and
would go out and bring in great strings of partridges
and squirrels. They were smaller animals to be sure
but much more palatable than the coarse bear's meat
and the too frequently poor venison on which we had
been feeding. The woods were chock full of this deli
cate food, but we must have shotguns, Jackson used to
say, if Yve would enjoy it; rifle balls left nothing but a
mangled mass, unfit for food. Straightway all the old
Queen Anns, and United States muskets were convert
ed into shotguns, and the younger hunters were
prouder of their fowling pieces than ever were the
older ones of their rifles. As near as I can recollect
these palmy days for gunsmiths ended about 1835.
For many years afterwards there was no regular gun
smith in Jamestown.
This business has completely changed. Beyond re
pairing, few guns, perhaps not more than half a dozen,
are now made in Jamestown in a year, and these are
costly affairs not intended for hunting but for target
shooting. The game once so plenty has nearly all
disappeared. I relate the following — which probably illustrates
the "fool hardiness" of the boys of Jamestown in early
times, quite as much as their steadiness of nerves and

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 181
their skill with the rifle. With all skill and steadi
ness of nerves had they not been "foolhardy" the story
could not now be related. Hiram Eddy, now the Rev
Dr. Eddy of Connecticut, and the writer at an early
day were noted as "good shots" with the rifle. Many
years ago on Main street a short distance south of the
cemetery was a deep gulf in which was a watering
trough. Since that time the gulf has been nearly or
quite filled and the watering trough, we believe, re
moved. Eddy and the writer had been out hunting
with indifferent luck, in fact killed nothing, although
Eddy had shot at a calf not ten yards distant without
disturbing it. The shot was made under the outrag
eous banter of his friend, the writer, that he was no
marksman, etc. The writer owned both of the guns
and loaded them both. Eddy finally took up the
writer's gun as if to shoot. "No, no. Use your own
gun." He exchanged guns and fired. The calf stood
unmoved. He turned towards me and leaning on the
muzzle of the gun, said, " I was positive there was no
ball in this gun when you would not permit me to use
the other. I would not have aimed at that calf for fifty
times his value if I had believed there was." We
were on our way home and came to the watering
trough. I picked up a small chip and gave it to Ed.
dy and said, "You go up the hill and hold this at
arm's length in your fingers and I will go up the other
side and see how near I can put a ball through the
center of it." He took the chip and started and the
writer went in the contrary direction. It was eight or
ten rods across the gulf. I drew up and fired. The
ball pierced the chip to the outside of the center,
Eddy remarked that he could beat that, I said to him
that we could tell better after he had shot. He repeat-

182 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
ed that he could, but he wanted to shoot " Old Kill
Deer;" that he would not risk the other gun. His ball
was nearly as far inside of the center as mine was on
the outside. We fired several shots in this way. Sev
eral years ago the writer related this story to E. C.
Bailey, Esq., of our city, a son-in-law of Dr. Eddy. In
reply he said, " I do not quite doubt your word, but
nevertheless will write to Father Eddy and get his re
membrance of the affair."
In early times there was quite as much shooting at
a mark, target shooting as it is now called, as there is
in these days, but of a very different character. Now
guns of great, accuracy, supplied with all the machin
ery for raising or depressing the sight, telescopes, etc.,
are used, and the distances between the marksmen and
the tarket are almost fabulous. Then the longest dis
tance did not exceed 20 rods; 15 rods was a great dis
tance at which to fire at a deer, and in truth the dis
tance seldom exceeded 8 or 10 rods. A hunter would
not fire at a bear unless within 5 or 6 rods, and the
most of mark shooting was 5 rods or less, and always at
arms length.
In early times it was considered necessary to de
stroy the game as fast as possible, it was so destructive
to the crops, and a person was considered almost a
philanthropist, who would go out and kill two or three
dozen squirrels, which were left where they were killed.
The writer has many a night, for an hour or so,
watched a small wheat, field now within the citv
bounds, on what was called the old fair ground, to pre
vent the deer feeding upon it, Now but a few wild
animals and birds remain and we have stringent laws
.for their protection. The time once was when quail
were abundant and tbe wood pigeons plenty from early

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 183
in the spring until late in the fall. Now there is not
a quail in the country and the pigeon is seldom seen.
MACHINE SHOPS.
The first machine shop, so called, was probably
the one started in the basement of Daniel Hazeltine's
factory by the Harveys as before mentioned. In a
country in which were so many mills, shops of this
kind were absolutety necessary. Capt, Phineas Pal
meter from the earliest settlement of the country was
more or less engaged in the building and repairing of
machinery in Jamestown as long as he lived, and his
son and grandson have continued the business up to
the present, time. Many places in town have been
occupied by machinists ; even if we can remember
where, it would not be profitable to point out the loca
tions. Jason Hazzard, C. W. Jackson and others were
among the earlier machinists after the Harveys. Over
50 years ago Daniel S. Williams came to Jamestown
and erected the first, foundry on the southeast corner
of Washington and Fourth streets, in the swamp as it
then was. Afterwards the foundry was removed to the
east, side of the alley into the buildings erected by
AVilliams & Barrett, and which are still in use. They
manufactured stoves extensively and added lathes for
machine work. Two young men, Josephus Clark and
Josiah Lincoln, went into the establishment as ap
prentices, and learned the business from the foundation
up. They afterwards bought out the old .firm and the
establishment was known as Clark it Lincoln. In a
year or so Lincoln sold out to his partner and went
west. Josephus Clark has remained in it up to the
present day, and from a poor boy has " manufactured"
himself into one of Jamestown's solid men. A few
years later anotlier foundry was started not far from

184 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Parks & Co's shoe factory, by Steele and others. This
establishment was afterwards removed to the south side
of the outlet to ground now occupied by a flouring mill
on the east side of Main street near the bridge. The
firm at one time was Steele, Tew & Sprague, and the
establishment the most extensive that has ever been
in Jamestown. James Sprague, a superior mechanic,
died several years ago, and since his death there have
been many changes in the firm, ending in the extinc
tion of the establishment, The Ben. Nichols' establish
ment on the south side of the race I believe is the
legitimate continuation of it and one of the important
machine shops in Jamestown at the present time.
Possibly there may be some important industry of
an early day that we have unintentionally passed over,
but we believe we have mentioned the most important
ones. It now occurs to our mind that at one time
many knot bowls were manufactured here. AATe pre
sume the knots were used up long ago, for we have
neither seen or heard of a knot bowl in years. For
two or three years we believe, hand sleds were manu
factured in large numbers for the foreign market, but
was discontinued several years ago. Jamestown is now a
manufacturing city, and we number our manufactures
by the hundreds. They may be interested in our account
of the smaller institutions of Jamestown when it was a
small village, and when everything manufactured be
yond the wants of the people was carried "down the
river on a raft."

CHAPTER VII.

Early Manufactures at the loyver dam — Changes
in the Ownership of the Sash Factory — Bio
graphical Mention of the men — The Pail Fac
tory — Taking Goods to Market — Anecdotes —
A Trip Down the Allegheny and Ohio Forty-
Three Years Ago — The Sale of Jamestown
Products on the Ohio River.
When we were engaged in writing our series of
articles on the early history of Ellicott for the James
town Journal, Mr. Nathan Brown at our solicitation
wrote a number of papers, giving the history of some
of the industries at the lower dam, especially of the
old sash factory and the pail factory, with Yvhich at an
early day he was connected. And also a history of
the sale of these articles from flat boats, to the various
towns along the Ohio river. Mr. Brown has now been
engaged in this trade, to which he has added furniture
and agricultural implements for a period of forty-four
years and no man is better qualified to write up this
history than he. The following chapter is made up
from the papers prepared by him for our series pub
lished in the Journal. Some portions exceedingly in
teresting, but not essential to the history of Ellicott we
have been compelled to omit.

186 THE EARLY" HISTORY OF
The first sash factory in Jamestown and in the
county, was built by Sedgwick Benham and Smith
Seymour in 1826 and located at the lower dam, at
what is commonly known as Piousville; and, as the
greater part of the year was spent in building the fac
tory and preparing the machinery, they did not com
mence business until the next year. In 1827 Smith
Seymour sold his interest to a Mr. Goodwin, who only
remained a year, selling to Wm. R. Rogers, and under
the name of Benham & Rogers, they increased the
business, and, there being no outlet for their goods ex
cept the river, they commenced building boats and
running the goods south. Mr. John Scott, their fore
man, managed the river business and the running of
the boats. During the year 1829 they manufactured a
surplus stock and built a large boat, and in the fall
Mr. Scott coasted down the Allegheny, Ohio and Mis
sissippi rivers to New Orleans. As this long trip was
never repeated we concluded it was not remunerative.
In the spring of 1831 John Scott bought an interest;
the new firm being Benham, Rogers & Scott, under
which name they continued the business, still market
ing their goods south. In 1830 Benham retired, the
firm becoming Rogers & Scott until Rogers sold his in
terest to Levi Barrows; Scott evr Barrows continuing
to sell their surplus stock south. At an early day
there existed a prejudice against machine or "Yankee-
made goods;" goods were consequently left on com
mission and credit, and a ruinous system of making-
sales inaugurated.
In 1852 Nathan Brown, who was dealing in agri
cultural implements on the river proposed to buy their
goods, take the bills and stock left on commission,
and to buy and sell their goods in his own way. This

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 187
arrangement was entered into, and continued down to
1873, he selling in the aggregate $75,000 worth of the
goods from this shop, and, at the same time, nearly
the same amount from the sash factories of Wm. H
Robertson, located at the foot of Main street, and of
L. F. Merriam at Worksburg. Afterwards not being
able to obtain goods enough in Jamestown to fill the
large orders from the south, he was obliged to procure
a large quantity of sash at Warren.
It was about 1845 that the manufacture of doors
and blinds commenced, that of window sash alone be
ing carried on previously. In 1856 John Scott sold
his interest to his partner, Levi Barrows, who carried
on the business alone until 1860, when his sons be
came his partners under the name of Barrows & Sons.
From this time on there have been many changes in
this firm and many different owners and partners.
John T. AVilson is the present proprietor who, with im
proved machinery and better facilities for manufac
turing, continues the business on the same site on
which the sash factory was located over sixty years
since. Mr. Benham came to Jamestown from Penn Yan,
Yates county, N. Y. After Mr. Benham sold his prop
erty the family returned to the east.
Smith Seymour was born in Camillus, N. Y., Dec.
17, 1803. He married Chloe Foote, sister of Dr. E. T.
Foote, bv whom he had four children, two of whom
died in childhood; Emeline S. married A. J. AVeeks
and resides in this city, and Burritt G.. lives in New-
York. His second wife was Lucy, widow of Henry
Barrett. Seymour died several years ago.
AVm. R. Rogers married Sophronia Benham and
their family consisted of seven children, five sons and

188 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
two daughters; two of the sons, Dorrance and William,
died victims of the war of the Rebellion. Lewellyn
and the two sisters Lucy and Harriet reside in War
ren; Lewellyn married Louisa, the eldest daughter of
Judge S. P. Johnson and Martha (Hazeltine) Johnson
and resides in Warren, Pa. Lucy becoming the wife
of Judge Wm. Brown of Warren, and Harriet the wife
of Mr. James of Warren. Wm. R. Rogers was one of
the original members of the Presbyterian church and
was an elder until his death. He was also superinten
dent of the Sunday school for many years and was an
active church worker.
John Scott came to Jamestown in 1828. He mar
ried Elmina, youngest daughter of Rev. Isaac Eddy.
They had six children, three of whom died in infancy;
their son Robert was drowned April 12, 1868 on board
the steamer Seabird, which was wrecked in Lake Mich
igan. James B. enlisted in the 9th N. Y. cavalry, Septem
ber '61, and died January 18, '63, a martyr to freedom
and his country's cause. John AAr. is a physician in
Jamestown. John Scott was one of the original mem
bers of the Presbyterian church, and an elder from
the beginning until his death in 1873.
Levi Barrows was born in Luzerne, AVarren
county, N. Y., March 26, 1804. He was married July
6, 1828, to Abigail P. Ransom who died in September
1846. His second wife was Sally E. Canfield whom
he married in 1847. She now resides in Jamestown.
Mr. Barrows came to Jamestown in 1831. He was;
the father of twelve children, nine by the first wife, and
three by the second, of whom four are now residents
of Jamestown. Levi Barrows died in 1863.
Parley Smith, of Syracuse, a relative of Nathan
Brown, came to Jamestown in 1830, and purchased a

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 189
large building which had been erected at the lower dam
for a pail factory by Rowe and Dewey, who bought and
tested to their sorrow the Miner patent for cutting pails
in nests out of the whole log, each pail being but one
piece, lacking the bottom. The patent was a failure.
Smith induced his brother Levi and George Steele
of Frankfort, N. Y., to become his partners. The firm
was Parley Smith & Co. Nathan Brown came to
Jamestown at that time in their employ. Two years
later they sold the concern to Merrifield and Allen ;
and a short time after Allen disposed of his interest to
Wm. M. Eddy. They had bad luck in boating their
goods to market, but received good pricesfor the pails.
They had Jake Rice for a pilot, but he was too heavily
loaded with whiskey to take the proper care of the load
committed to his charge.
In the fall of 1833 Ezra Wood bought the estab
lishment, manufactured a boatload of pails, and Joel
Partridge run them to market, Partridge sold for good
prices and received a large sum of money which he
carried in rolls in his pocket, He was followed by two
suspicious looking men, all stopping at the Stone
House, forty miles out from Pittsburg. All were obliged
to sleep in the same room, and in the night the writer
heard the men planning to rob Mr. Partridge ; his
wakefulness prevented the success of the plan.
In 1834 Joel Partridge became Mr. AVood's part
ner. About a year later one of the hands working in
he early morning snuffed his candle and dropped the
burning wick into the shavings. He kicked the chips
¦over it and supposed he had smothered it, but it ignited
the light material and burned the entire factory and
warehouse and surplus stock, inflicting a severe finan
cial loss. Almost before the embers had become cold

190 THE EARLY" HISTORY OF
the proprietors commenced drawing lumber for a new
building. Elijah Bishop put in the machinery and a
12-foot breast wheel, which the writer very distinctly
remembers. In a remarkably short time the new fac
tory was built and again turning out its pails and tubs
by the thousands. One cold morning we found the
wheel frozen fast. AVe took a lantern and axe, and
going into the wheel, commenced cutting on one side,
when the Yvheel suddenly started, throwing us and the
axe backward and extinguishing the light. The first
thought was that one of the hands had come in and
hoisted the gate, and set the writer hunting for his
prayers, apprehending that there might soon be one
less of the Brown family ; but it was only the weight
of the ice which had accumulated on one side of the
wheel that had caused the start, and it soon stopped.
Brown groped for the manhole, not waiting for any
further ceremony about getting out, The first work
of that morning was to send one of the boys up to
Tew's hardware store to procure a lock, chain and sta
ple, and he never again went into the wheel Avithout
having the gate locked and the key in his pocket, to
avoid a repetition of what might have been a serious
accident. The firm carried on the business extensiY-ely, from
40,000 to 50,000 pieces of ware being manufactured a
year, and employed a large number of hands. Girls
were employed to do the painting. At that time it
was the fashion for women to wear low necked dresses.
The prepared paint was kept on a high shelf ready to
be used when needed, and one of the girls, when reach
ing up to get a dish of blue paint, accidentally spilled
the contents in the shore side of her dress. She ran
like a blue streak over the bridge toward her boarding

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 191
place, leaving a blue trail as she went. She did not return
until the next day, when she remarked that she " had
heard of the blue laws of Connecticut, and of the blue
Yankees, but had never expected to become a blue-
breasted Yankee herself." In writing about the sash
factory we abstained from anecdotes, knoYving all the
proprietors to be staid Presbyterians, from the dawn of
its existence down to the close of its administration
under Deacon Barrows ; but, as the pail factory was a
Congregational institution, we have taken the liberty
to indulge in a few remembrances of that character.
In 1839 Nathan Brown became one of the partners
for a short time ; but he soon sold his interest back to
them, preferring continuing as the foreman. In 1843
he purchased of Wood & Partridge a boat loaded Yvith
a miscellaneous stock, consisting of buckets, tubs, agri
cultural implements, etc., and soon after the company
dissolved partnership, Mr. Wood engaging in the man
ufacture of agricultural implements, and Mr. Partridge
in other business. Kibling & Peasley rented the fac
tory for a short time, and it finally culminated in the
pail factory at Dexterville under the name of Salisbury,
Kibling & Peasly, which proved a financial failure,
many of their friends losing heavily. The original
pail factory was torn down, and not a vestige of the
island or anything connected with the manufactory
remains. Where, for so many years was heard the
clatter and buzz of machinery and the hum of indus
try, naught now remains but the open, flowing outlet.
William Eddy was a son of the Rev. Isaac Eddy,
the first pastor of the Congregational church. He
married Sophronia Willard, a sister of Harmis Willard.
Howard Eddy, who was for several years engaged in

192 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the manufacture of carriages here, was his son. Mr.
Eddy died several years ago.
Ezra Wood was a native of Westminster, Mass.
He came to Jamestown in 1831 and established a shoe-
store in companj' with H. AV. Curtis ; in 1832 he mar
ried Mary Williams in Westminster, Mass. In 1833 he
built a house where now the Prendergast residence
stands, cutting down a forest of second-growth pine
trees ; and on the north side of the house, where Mr.
Newland now lives, was a hill as high as the second
story windows. Where now is Fourth street was a nar
row, uneven pathway through the woods to the Baptist
church. They had one son, George, who died in Chi
cago in 1870. Mr. AVood was an active member of the
Congregational church and an active man of business.
until his death in 1884.
Joel Partridge came to Jamestown from AVorces-
ter, Mass. His first wife was Azubah Goodell, by
whom he had six children, two of whom are now liv
ing — James N. Partridge, and Eleanor A., wife of
Samuel Kidder, both of this city. His second wife was
Mary R. Pennock, by whom he had six children, three
of whom are now living — Dr. Joel Partridge of Kala
mazoo, Mich.; Mary E., wife of D. D. Frank, and
Frank E. Partridge, both of this city.
I ran my first boat down the river in the spring
of 1843 and was obliged to take what was then deemed
a bad claim — a crude, unfinished boat and cargo. It
seemed to be that or nothing, and it consisted in part
of 10,000 feet of maple veneering, 50,000 pine laths,
also a lot of pails, tubs and scythe snaths. In the
bargain one of the firm agreed to run the boat to
Franklin. The steward and cook was Chilian C. Wash
burn, wbo for many years had been tin operative in

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 193
Hazeltine's factory. Such biscuit and cornbread! and
he knew just how to fry ham and eggs; in short what
he did not know about cooking one needn't try to
learn. For a cabin passenger I had the good-natured,
fun-loving printer, J. Warren Fletcher; one couldn't
be lonely with him for company. Having taken on
board a quantity of household goods, he remarked
that it was quite too bad he did not know we were so
comforeable or he should have made it a wedding
trip as well as one for pleasure. Ey^erything went
clear and smooth as a wedding bell. When we got
stuck, which was quite often, we would partially un
load, and with the help of skids and spikes would
soon be afloat again. The cabin passengers seemed to
vie with each other to see which could do the most ef
fective work. AVe ran from Wilson's, just above Le
vant, down to Myers', which place we left at 10 a. m.,
reaching Pine Grove in the evening, and the next
morning went over the rapids in good shape, reach
ing Warren without accident. The steward gathered
in his stores, the cables were taken in and at noon we
were gliding down the Allegheny, but at rather a slow
pace, the river being low and the wind up. We made
Tidioute at dusk, a run of nineteen miles; early next
morning we passed Tidioute islands, and soon were in
sight of White Oak islands and chute, deemed by
pilots the most difficult place to navigate on the river.
Our pilot, did not do very judicious work. He ran too
far to the left and stuck on a flat rock, the stern
flanked to the right and stopped. We made up our
minds that we had some hard work ahead, and took
in the surroundings, concluding to remove the 50,000
laths out of the bow and down the river some five rods
to a point where we could carry them on again and,

194 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
in addition, had to move some of the pails and tubs
before we could start the boat. We engaged a pilot
who lived near, soon had it afloat and our stock on
board, our cabin passengers doing much to establish
their credit as being ready to lend a helping hand when
ever needed. The new pilot suddenly remembered
that he had corn to plant and that he would have to
quit, so the piloting fell upon me from Tidioute down.
We passed Franklin bridge just at dark, the moon not
yet up and, running farther, when we tried to land on
the left we ran into an old tree top, then pulling out
and trying the right bank Yvith no better success we
concluded to pound ahead all night. AVe could
thread the channel nicely after the moon came up
until about, 2 a. m., when a dense fog settled down up
on us and we could not tell in which direction we were
running or where the shore was, and soon ran onto
the head of an island where we lay until morning, when
we found that we were on Mahoning island, and had
another duplicate in the form of unloading. Air. Orr,
sheriff of Armstrong county, who owned the island,
kindly brought over a number of his hands and for a
small compensation helped us off. The cargo was
soon in and we ran to Kittanning where the steward
took on a fresh supply of stores including a large
quantity of eggs at three cents a dozen. From there
we ran to Freeport, tarrying but a short time, and the
next point was Pittsburg which we reached in due sea
son and our cabin passengers returned home.
At Pittsburg we found Levi Barrows, who had
preceded us down the river with a boat-load of sash,
about, ready to start down the Ohio. He very kindly
suggested that we should couple boats and run to
gether, a proposition which we with no reluctance ac-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 195
cepted, as he knew the Ohio and we did not. Schuy
ler Robertson was his pilot and Charles Parker mate,
while I retained my own mate Lovell Hastings. We
ran down to East Liverpool where Capt. Barrows had a
good trade and I put off a part of my dead weight in
the form of laths. From there we ran to Wellsville
where we spent the Sabbath and were ready for busi
ness early Monday morning. I here put off 20,000
more lath and a few snaths, tubs and pails.
We were soon at Steubenville where I put off the
balance of the laths, and was glad to see the last bun
dle go, as I had been familiar with it quite too long.
I also sold a few snaths and pails, and canvassed the
cabinet shops to exchange a lot of the Yreneering for
furniture, as with the laths out, we had plenty of ro6m
for handling it. Deacon Barrows at the same time
sold some sash, but put more out to his commission
merchants which he continued to do all the way
down. We stopped at Wheeling and then at Mound-
ville, 12 miles below, where is an Indian mound, the
largest in the United States, being seventy-five feet
high, eleven rods long at the base, and seventy-five
feet across the top. The owner, Air. Tomlinson, made
an excavation from one side into the center and arched
it over inside, putting up an immense double door,
and charged an admission fee of 25 cents. He then
dug from the top down to the base where the shaft was
on a level with the outside, and put up a winding
staircase, building on top of the mound three plat
forms of graduated size, one above the other, continu
ing the winding staircase up through the center to the
top. Each visitor was furnished with a candle and a
match to light at the base of the shaft where was sit
uated the museum, in which were two complete skele-

196 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
tons, one eight feet high, having on a necklace consist
ing of 1,500 pieces of mica the size of a dime. The
smaller skeleton had a necklace of 600 beads, the
same shape only thicker, probably made either of deer
antlers or bone. I have a few of each of these beads.
There was also a small Indian god of polished black
stone. It was in a sitting posture, was about ten
inches high with three rows of hieroglyphics on the
back. In this I was much interested. It was stolen
the next year, and, although the state offered a large
reward, it has never been recovered. The archway
gradually rotted away after the death of Air. Tomlin-
son, and a part of the earth fell in, carrying the stair
case with it; but recentty the mound has been pur-
cliased by an enterprising man who has built a fence
around it tweWe feet high with a view to making his
investment pay. Just below, near the mouth of Big
Grave creek, is evidently an Indian burying ground,
for as the bank washes away the bones protrude, and
many a relic in the form of arrowhead and battle axe
haY'e I in my possession that I found there.
We landed at Captine, Sunfish, Marietta and
Parkersburg; a, mile and a half below the latter place
is Blennerhassett island where we took the skiff and
went ashore. The outlines of the residence were still
apparent, situated on the upper end of the island which
is high, very beautiful and is never inundated. Par
tially around the front the foundation was built, of
brick which had been "packed" on horseback across
the mountains from Philadelphia early in this cen
tury. I brought away two of the bricks Yvhich I still
have. The celebrated well is eighty feet deep, fiY'e
feet across, the wall of cut rock laid up in eight seg
ments. The water is drawn up in a large bucket by a

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 11)7
windlass. I took a refreshing draught, and have stop
ped there many times since to enjoy a cooling drink
from the old Blennerhassett well.
On Belpre plains at Cedarville, directly opposite
the above interesting island is an ancient cemetery
formerly used by the pioneer. In one corner of it, fac
ing the river, were five graves of a mother and child
ren who were murdered by the Indians near the close
of the last century. A cedar headboard marked the
spot, giving an account of the murder and the ages of
the children; the letters being painted black, were pro
tected from the weather by the paint, while the plank
had worn with the corrosion of time, leaving the let
ters slightly projecting. Until recently it has been
standing, but now nothing remains of it, as the bank
has gradually washed away and carried the graves and
monuments with it.
I next stopped at Point Pleasant which at an
early day was an Indian settlement, but the savages
were driven away by the English who took possession
of the place. Near there occurred one of the hardest
battles ever fought with Indians, lasting from early
dawn till sunset, when the savages were flanked and
had to retreat. The intrepid < 'ol. Lewis was killed
here, and was buried on the shore where the Big Kan
awha intersects the Ohio. He had rested undisturbed
until the centennial anniversary of the battle when his
remains were taken up with appropriate ceremonies to
be placed in a monument. For a century he had
slumbered on with no requiem but the ripple of the
beautiful Ohio and the Kanawha, and nothing to mark
his resting place but the tall sycamore tree beside
which he was buried.

198 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
The next stopping place was Pomeroy, a town ex
tending several miles along the river and as far back
as you can see. Fifteen miles below Gallipolis was a
colony of Germans. Capt. Barrows sold them a lot of
sash and I all the furniture I had in stock, besides a
few pails. At Portsmouth I sold all of my snaths and a part
of the pails; I sold the last at Manchester.
At New Richmond a man offered me twenty-five
dollars for the boat, which had been invoiced at 850 ;
but after advising with Deacon Barrows I accepted his
offer, transferring the remainder of my stock to his boat,
and bade farewell to the old boat on which I had done
so much hard work coming down the Allegheny. I
am sure the man got cheated, and have felt a little
guilty ever since. It was sixty feet long, built mostly
of hemlock, sided with no view to breaking joints, a
ridgepole in the middle made of two basswood poles
with the bark peeled off, studs on each of the girts,
which were eight feet apart, a two-ply roof put on with
carlings, the floor of horse boards. Just at the right of
the stud that held up the ridge pole was a board chim
ney — box of earth with a few bricks for a fireplace and
a lug pole across, on which to swing our kettle. The
above is a sketch of the boat on which the writer spent
three months, but did not get enough out of the ven
ture into $200 to pay the claim. At Cincinnati, after
completing the sale of the goods, I took the first boat
back to Pittsburg, first coach to Erie and stage to
Jamestown, where I landed July 3, and thus ended a
voyage which occurred forty-three years ago, and was
not altogether void of interest as being the germ of a
business extending through as many years, and find-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 199
ing a market for a vast amount of Jamestown's pro
ducts. In the spring of 1844 I came to the conclusion
that with a good boat and judiciously assorted cargo,
the river business might be made to pay, and decided
to continue the occupation. I procured material of
good quality to put tip an eighty-foot boat, and com
menced work on the first of April. With several hands
I soon had the bottom on the pail factory stocks,
planked, caulked, and turned in. I took on board the
lumber with which to finish, and the oars ready to run
the boat myself to Wilson's landing, as Jacob Rice,
Guinea Carpenter and the other good pilots were away.
This was always the time that the boys most enjoyed,
when as many as the bottom would conveniently carry
were allowed to take passage as far as Tiffany's. From
there they would walk home. AtAVilson's with plenty
of help, we soon had the best finished boat ever built
in Jamestown up to that time. There was a three-ply
roof, two ridge poles, a cabin in the stern with cook
stove, bedsteads, chairs, and all else needed for our
comfort. For cargo I put in an assortment of agricul
tural implements, tubs, buckets and a lot of half-bushel
measures, besides seventy-five dozens of cast steel hoes,
crowding the boat full and investing about two
thousand dollars in it. AVith two good hands I started
from Myers's the 15th of April, doing my own piloting
and safely passing- the < 'onewango rapids to AVarren,
Tidioute, White Oak, Mahoning and other bad places
to Pittsburg. I stopped at all the towns on the Ohio
riY'er above Cincinnati, selling goods at satisfactory
prices, showing the people that all Yankees were not
necessarily dishonest, AVe were absent three months,
and at Cincinnati sold the boat for two hundred dol-

200 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
lars to Capt. Cowing formerly of Dexterville, he having
an order to procure a good boat for a friend down the
river. In the venture I cleared seven hundred dollars,
returning home in better spirits than on my return the
previous year.
The next year I built a third boat and ran it down
to Fentonville below State Line bridge, in order to go
below all the low bridges and at the same time get an
early start during the spring freshets ; having my lad
ing, which consisted in part of snaths, rakes, cradles,
tubs and buckets, drawn from this Y'illage and put into
the boat tliere. In the meantime Joseph Waite, Esq.,
who owned a bay farm on the Stillwater, got S. B. Winsor
to build two boat bottoms at Myers's, which he ran to
State Line to finish and load, He completed the boats
and then put in twenty-five tons of pressed hay with
out first caulking the gunwale seams, although I ad
vised him several times, offering to assist, him. His
reply was that he had run his hay boat the preY'ious
year without caulking, and that he would again. The
water falling, the boat careened over and sank, the
water running in and ruining his hay. He said lie did
not care so much for the hay, as he had any quantity
of that, but that he had been to much expense to have
it pressed and hauled. A\ ith bis team be drew out the
bundles, raised, caulked and reloaded the boat. I had
previously told him that, his boat was too high to pass
under the bridges, which he would not believe, but
after we had both run our boats to Pine Grove, he fin
ally concluded to follow my advice bv taking a board
the height of his boat and going on a raft through to
Warren, measuring the height li of the bridges as he
passed under. He found that the boat was entirely too
high, and employed all the men he could procure who

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 201
could wield a hand saw, to assist him in lowering the
boat three feet, that he might be able to clear the
bridges. He landed at Warren just above my boat, at
dusk, and proposed that we should couple together and
he with his crew board on my boat, as he bad made no
provision for a cabin. I made vea,dy to couple, and
Hans Waite with B. B. Mason went on shore to take
the line to a post lower down, while the writer climbed
to the roof of the hay boat to help drop it down.
Through their inexperience they failed to get a turn
on the post, and away went the hay boat with only one
oar shipped and a big river to contend with. I hastily
shipped an oar which ordinarily takes two men to lift,
and in the dark landed just above Mead's island, on
the left, having then to walk about four miles through
the mud, brush and pitchy darkness up to AVarren,
which place I reached after ten o'clock, and not in a
very good humor. I was met by the old judge with
the inquiry as to bow the hay market was in Pitts
burg. Upon which his son Hans gravely told his
father that it was the last, time he should ever show
the light, of his countenance on a hay boat. I finally
agreed to help them through to Pittsburg by allowing
them to couple their boat to mine. The judge sold his
boat to good advantage, returned his borrowed money,
paid his expenses by the way, and started for home,
but fully determined never again to try hay boating.
I painted my boat a light chrome yellow above
the gun wtile plank, trimmed with white ; the gunwale
and plank were red. AVe had five windows on a side,
with the name I had selected, "Yankee Notion "
painted black in block letters between the windows,
which were twenty inches deep, making the letter the
same length ; which being on a light background, read

202 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
well in the distance. In the above you have a sketch
of my boats as they appeared from 1845 to 1861, when
the rebels came down on me and the name, as they
could not tolerate the " Yankee," and threatened to
burn the boats if tbe name was not changed. I ran it
through that year without changing, notwithstanding
the threatening looks, but the next year adopted the
name " N. Brown," abandoning the Yrenerated name
under whichT had run scores of boats, which were
scattered all the way down the lower Ohio, Mississippi
and the intersecting bayous. They had become ex
ceedingly popular with store boatmen in the south.
They felt if they had a boat with " Yankee Notion"
on the side, endorsed " N. Brown, Jamestown, N. Y.,"
with stencil plate on the front end of the boat under
the roof, (which they always looked for in buying a
boat) they had a craft that would stand all the waves
old Boreas could scare up along the Mississippi, having
been truly tested in passing over the Conewango dams;
word often being sent to that effect and orders for our
boats. Before the war, about all tbe business along the
shores was done by what were then called storeboats.
Ours were just right, and adapted to that kind of busi
ness. Merchants would come up to Louisville and
Cincinnati, buy the craft, fit it with shelving, counters,
and all other appurtenances, investing from ten to
fifteen thousand dollars in assorted goods. AVe regret to
say that, after our boats were sold a few o^ 'hem may
have taken some barrels of whiskey on board. At the
plantations they were obliged to get a permit from
the owner or overseer to sell goods to their darkies, but
some would not allow them to sell their skives whis
key; others would not give the privilege Saturday

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 203
night-; alleging that if drunk all day Sunday they
would not be worth much on Monday. The boat was
always anchored out at the stern so that the darkies
¦could only go aboard at the bow, and care was taken
that only a few should go on at a, time; when they
would part with all the money they had, and all the
cotton and sugar they could steal. Some storeboat
men would anchor, out from the shore, using a skiff
to bring customers on board, as the merchants had the
opinion that few of them could be trusted. As these
.storeboat men bought cheap goods and sold them at
fabulous prices it is no wonder that they got rich.
I once ran down to Louisville and landed just be.
low some coal boats, where the owner of the boats had
several slaves shoveling coal. One of them did not
work fast enough to satisfy his owner who cursed him
furiously, and then picking up a heavy strap or tug,
beat him over the head unmercifully. The slaY^e ex
claimed, "You have, beaten me for the last time," and
preferring drowning to bis severe treatment, jumped
into the river where it was fifteen feet deep. He sunk,
and then rose near the end of the boat, yvhere the
slave holder caught him by the wool and with the help
of the other slaves, pulled him out, when he applied
the strap with more severity than at first. One negro
¦on each side then took him up to AValker's slave pen
where he was told that he would be sold immediately
and would be sent farther south as soon as able.
It did not take me long to sell my boat, as three
¦customers wanted it. I put it up at auction, starting
at three hundred and running it up to four hundred
and fifty dollars. I took the Pittsburgh packet, Farmer
and ran through to Cincinnati, reaching there the 5th
of July, On board were a number of emigrant, deck

204 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
passengers who were just recovering from the eholera
and were put off here. As the boat had to lay by till
evening I strolled about the city, In passing through
the deserted streets nearly all the vehicles I saw mov
ing were hearses, as the cholera was raging and one
hundred and fifty dead were reported that day. Leav
ing Cincinnati that evening I was much interested in
a fellow passenger, a Mr. Lavaty of Allegheny City,
with whom I became acquainted. Above Pomeroy I
noticed his not being present at the breakfast table. I
sent the clerk to inquire and found that be was in the
last stages of cholera. He gave his personal effects to
the clerk to be forwarded to his friends, and died be
low Marietta, He was rolled up in the sheets in
which he died, placed in a rough box, and in the
evening the steamer landed on an island just below
Newport, Ohio, where a grave was hastily dug, and by
the weird light of the torches he was buried by the ne
gro deck hands, a feeling of gloom and , sadness over
spreading the entire boat. I reached Pittsburg with
out, further incident, and Jamestown with thankful
ness that I could once more breathe the pure Chautau
qua, air. REMINISCENCE OF FOURTH STREET.
In writing up the streets the historian has omitted
our beautiful roadway, which in 1834 was almost path
less from Main over to Second street. Dr. Foote, the
proprietor of the east end of the village, objected to a
road being cut through, on the plea that, in part, it
would spoil his farm ; and in order, as he thought, to
block the, game, he, "Sine Jones like," moved a house
across the track just in front, of where the Central school
building now stands, causing quite a sensation in our
quiet village. It stood there a week or ten days, during

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 205
which time it was an object of much interest, many
parties visiting it. not with a view of renting, but to
examine its stability. Finally, on Saturday night
there was a furious cyclone, not unlike but perhaps
not quite so intense as the one which struck the land
office in Mayville in 1836. i However, the house went
down under the pressure of a score or more of stalwart
arms, a shower of axes, hand saws, crowbars, etc., and
it fell with a crash, the participants not tarrying long,
thinking that some one watching might put in an ap
pearance and perhaps scold a little. I went up the
next day to view the remains. The demolition was
complete ; not a timber lay upon another. A second
building could not be moved there on Sunday. Early
Monday morning the commissioners were on hand, and
as a result we have our beautiful Fourth, not quite as
wide through what was once the old Doctor's land as
it should be, but the gem street of the city notwith
standing.

CHAPTER VIII.
The Hotel Precedes Civilization — The Early* Ho
tels in Jamestown — The Fenton or Disher
House — An Early View From the Verandah
¦ — Brown's Factory Race Forgery- — Ballard's
Tavern — Elisha Allen's Tavern and the Blind
Horse Ball — Elisha Allen and His Clerk —
Allen Rents His Tavern to Solomon Jones and
Moves Into the Cass House — Laying Out the
Justice — A Noted Deer Lick — Hall Buys the
Kidder Frame, Finishes It and Makes the
Jones' Tavern, Afterwards Known as Shaw's
Hotel — Fires on Main Street — Allen House
• — Stabbing of Nat Smith— Bales Fat Pine— Van
Velsor's Triangle — Ellick Jones — Rufus Pier
— AVillard Rice — Mr. and Mrs. Alonzo Kent —
Distilleries.
May it not be truly said that tbe appearance of the
hotel in a country marks its first step forward in civ
ilization, enlightenment and education; its commence
ment in arts and sciences, its first introduction to litera
ture. And as these increase in any country, in size,
in beauty and in accommodations, do the arts of civi
lized life increase, and education spreads her wings.

the town of ellicott. 207
We frequently hear it remarked that Christianity
is the great forerunner of civilization — less often that
civilization precedes Christianity; and furthermore
that these must gain a foothold before history, science
and literature can flourish within the confines of any
nation. It has appeared to us that all important
things inthis world originated in small beginnings, and
not the smaller in the more important, As the world
has advanced from its tribal condition into that of
states and nations, do we not notice that the laws of
hospitality must be observed before civilization com
mences. That the wanderer instead of having his
throat, operated upon by the sharpish, ragged edge of
a flint, or his brains knocked out with a hammer of
stone, must, be kindly treated, entertained, fed, clothed,
and sent on his way rejoicing. AVhen the savage be
gins to entertain better motives, when his first rude
ideas of law and order and community of interests have
dawned on his mind, and he can view the stranger he
chances to meet as notf altogether an enemy, he erects
caravansaries or places in which the wanderer or trav
eler and his beast may be partially protected, if not
fed. This advancement, marks the semi-barbarous
condition of man, he has rulers and is subject to rude
laws, cultivates rude arts and makes manifest that
the first seeds of education are springing into life
and will ere long bear fruit, But it is not un
til his savage and barbarous nature has been so far
wrought upon and modified by the enlightenment
around him, that he sees the advantage that may
accrue to himself, by permitting his more civilized
neighbor to travel unmolested and safely through his
country, and has provided convenient places for his
safety and entertainment, that he commences to reap

208 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the true advantage of his presence. This is well ex
emplified by the present condition of north-eastern
Russia and the steppes of Siberia. Houses for the en
tertainment of travelers, hostelries are erected in which
the traveler may be comfortably housed and fed, and
government provides a rude but safe and never-failing
means of transporting him from place to place. As
soon as this stage of advancement is reached, and not
until then, the advancement in civilization, in the arts
and sciences, of education, and the refinements of life,
commences and advances with rapidity. Thus it ap
pears that the hotel is the avant courier of civilization
and of Christianity, of education and learning.
EARLY HOTELS IN JAMESTOWN.
Previous to the fall of 1814 traveling in the south
part of the count}- yvas confined almost, exclusively to
those who were viewing the country in quest of loca
tions for their future homes. At the rapids, these
were mostly accommodated at the Blowers house.
Jacob Fenton with his family, settled at the Rap
ids in the spring of 1814. Mr. Fenton was a native of
Connecticut, a potter by trade, and a Revolutionary
soldier. During the summer of that year, with the
assistance of Judge Prendergast, he erected — for those
days — a large, two-storied house to be used as a tav
ern. It was located in tbe center of the half block on
tbe east side of Main street, between First and Second,
and opposite to the Blowers house. The location was
a side hill and the house on the steepest part of it. The
front of the building was to tbe south towards the
outlet, and had a, wide, two-storied verandah running-
its entire southern frontage.* The hill was so steep,
* The front of this building was about 50 feet north of First
street, and the west end 25 feet east of ivlain street.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 209
that on the north side of the building the second story
was on a level with the ground. The house was com
modious, containing two large rooms on the lower floor
with a wide hallway, and stairs leading to the second
floor between; and a deep cellar excavated into the hill
and under a lean-to behind and to the north, which
usually was well stored with whiskey, venison, a few
potatoes, etc. There were three large rooms and as
many good-sized bed rooms on the second floor, and
an attic divided into two rooms with sleeping accom
modations for as many as might apply. On the north
east corner of the lot adjoining Potter's alley and Sec
ond street was a 40x50 foot barn which it was almost
impossible to reach on account of "The Quick Sand
hole," which occupied Second street east from Main to
Potter's alley; it was long and wide, and good judges of
mud holes estimated its depth to be greater than its
length and breadth combined. Fenton's tavern was
not only the drinking, but the business center of the
hamlet of the rapids.
Will the present inhabitant of Jamestown in im
agination stand with us, in the open verandah of the
Fenton house and view its surroundings as they were
within our remembrance. To the south, no building
whatever; a patch of cleared land on the opposite side
of the outlet, (Prendergast's meadow;) beyond a dense
forest. Between the house and the race are perhaps
two or three hundred saw logs, sitting on which are a
dozen or more of squaws and lazy Indians; their wig
wams are on the sidehill and lowland, a little to the
right you can see the smoke curling up in blue streaks
among the trees and bushes. (Lucius B. Warner's
grounds and fine residence occupy that location now.)
You go and talk with that old Indian down there on

210 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the logs and he will tell you that "the smoke of his
father's wigwam went up among the trees on that hill
side a hundred years ago or more, and that that side
hill is filled with the bones of many warriors who start
ed for the happy hunting grounds from beside the
runaway waters of Jadaqueh." At an early day that
locality was known as the "Indian burying ground."
Down there to the southwest on the other side of the
race is the saw mill, and that building in front (to the
north) is the grist mill. The low building on the west,
side of Main street, and below First street, is the '-mill
shed," just above and across First street is Prender
gast's store, immediately opposite and across Main
street to the west is Dr. Hazeltine's house, and above
it on the corner is Elisha Allen's tavern, by far the
handsomest building in town, which until a short time
ago was called the Cass tavern; and that building
above, of which you can merely see the highest part
of the roof and the chimney is Judge Prendergast's
house; all beyond is dense forest. Now, look towards
the east. That big building down there where Gran-
din's mill now stands is the "cotton factory" and the
one beyond is Daniel Hazeltine's woolen factory and
just across the alley between us and the cotton factoiy
is Blower's slab shanty. The Judge has cut the pine
trees along the side hill below Second street, to his
east line and the woods you see over there belong to
Dr. Foote. We are standing in the long two-storied
verendah of Jacob Fenton's tavern which ison the south
side of the house, if we were on the north side of the
house we would see the big barn already mentioned,
Tiffany's store on the corner of Main and Second, and
Abner Hazeltine's house on Pine street, just back of
tbe Bush block, where the big brick barn now stands

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 211
and beyond on the west side of Pine street are three
small houses in which live Chas. R. Harvey, Wm.
Breed and Horace Blanchar, and on Second street is
Phineas Stevens' house. There are other houses in
Jamestown but these are all that can be seen from
where we stand. This is a true picture of my earliest
remembrance, from the point spoken of, of my native
town. S. A. Brown, in his History of the Town of Ellicott,
relates an anecdo'e of Fenton's tavern, somewhat as
follows; During 1816 the race was dug, from the saw
mill to Daniel Hazeltine's woolen factoiy. A dissipat
ed man by the name of Osborne, commonly called
"Mud Lark," had the contract and employed several
men in doing the work. Jacob Fenton's tavern Yvas
but a few rods away, and he had plenty of the "good
creature" which he dispensed by the drink to whoever
called. Change was scarce and Osborne wished to run
up a score. The question arose how the accounts
should be kept and the following expedient was re
sorted to: Osborne should cut a stick of particular size
and shape, which should be deposited for a drink. In
this way Osborne obtained his drinks for a long time,
and a large number of sticks had accumulated in Fen
ton's desk. The time finally came for Osborne to pay
his account. "Honest Jacob was as much astonished as
Osborne to find that four or five times as many sticks had
accumulated as drinks had been furnished, according
to the mutual opinion of the landlord and his customer.
Fenton knew he had dealt out as many drinks as he had
sticks, but was thoroughly of the opinion that Osborne
had not had the one-half of them and probably not
over one-fourth of them. It was finally ascertained,
that the hands had noticed Osborne's method of ob-

212 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
taining drinks, and had cut sticks like them, and had
got whiskey of the bar keeper without stint by the
"forgery." Brown calls this the "factory race forgery,"
and quite unlike any he could find in the books; like
the county, it was quite new.
The year following, 1815, appears to have been a re
markable one for erecting large frame buildings for
hotel purposes. In the spring of that year Phineas
Palmeter put up and enclosed a large two story build
ing on the southwest corner of Main and Third streets,
for a tavern, if any one desired it for that purpose; or
for stores, possibly ror a lawyer's office, or a doctor's of
fice, or a printing office; he believed it would be a
good place for a theatre; that if the place ever got
pious enough he would put on a steeple and make it
into a church. Palmeter lived to see that building
used for all the purposes he had so jokingly enumer
ated years previously, and for many other purposes in
addition. Soon after the building was enclosed, a room
was finished in the northeast corner of it for S. A.
Brown's law office. The building remained unfinished
for two or three years and was then sold to Gilbert
Ballard, additions made to it, and a large barn built
on the corner of Third street and Mechanic's alley and
a long shed south of it; the space between the house
and the barn filled by a one story building for a din
ing room and kitchen, and the whole finished into a
tavern. The house was opened as such by Ballard the
spring of 1818.
In the summer of the same season (1815) Horatio
Dix and Jesse Smith, erected a large building on the
southeast corner of Main and Third streets for a tav
ern. Although this house was quickly, it was well
built, and nearly completed that season, and a ball

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 213
was given in it January 1, 1816, the first ever given in
Jamestown. The "ball room," so called, which in
those days was considered as necessary in a tavern as
a kitchen, perhaps not quite as much so as a barroom,
they had not been able to complete in time for .this
hopping occasion, and Royal Keyes and Jediah E.
Budlong although new comers got dancing mad over
it. But they had sent out invitations for miles round,
and tnose the most interested, Deacon Dix and his
soon after son-in-law Jesse, were determined that those
who desired to dance on New Year's day should be ac
commodated. So they waltzed around, removed a
half-finished partition between two large rooms on the
first floor and had a larger and better dancing room
than they would have had in the regular ball room
had it been finished. Everybody bad been invited
and everybody was there, but the persons mentioned.
The ball room, as it was arranged, had a, door at one
end opening into the street, and a large fireplace, just
small enough to escape the appellation of "Dutch" at
the other. There was wandering about the town a
large, white, blind, old horse, who went as led, or oth
erwise, by a, slap on the haunches and the word of
command, "go it blind!" While the company was
busily engaged in the evolutions of that fine old coun
try dance of "Money Musk," some one placed "Old
AVhitey" in position, suddenly threw open the door,
gave him the slap, and the command, "go it blind!"
He danced down the center, with a pace quickened bv
the music, in a straight line, with no allemand either
to "the right" or to "the left," scattering the Terpsi-
chorian performers, and brought up in the fireplace.
"Old AVhitey" was as much astonished as were the
company he was in, but he found even there old friends

214 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
and acquaintances. He "changed partners," was
quietly led to the open door, the slap was given, "go
it blind!" uttered and he "chassezed" out into the
open air, having attended his first and last dance. This
celebrated dance was long known as "The Blind
Horse Ball." *
This house was finished early in 1816, and sold to
Elisha Allen, who opened it to the public during the
summer of that year, and also a large room filled with
all possible kinds of merchandise, excepting dry goods.
The principal articles kept by Allen were whiskey,
pork, cable, old and new; ironware, tinware, salt fish,
peltries, etc. His clerk and general superintendent
was Wm. Hall, (the late Wm. Hall, Esq.) a young man
who two years previously had emigrated from AATards-
boro, W., to the town of Carroll. Hall agreed with the
proprietor to manage this multifarious establishment
for him, to keep and settle the accounts, the proprietor
agreeing not to interfere or meddle with the business
in any way whatever. Occasionally the proprietor
would undertake to settle an account himself, in doing
which, he would pay no attention to Hall's additions,
footings, credits, balances, red lines, etc., but would add
all together, from the bottom to the top of the page,
making an indebtedness that astounded even himself.
But it was correct; there were the figures; "Hall made
them, and you must pay immediately." The amount
claimed frequently was hundreds of dollars, where but
two or three dollars were due. Hall would try to ex
plain to his principal that he was wrong, and that th

e

* Several ve.uvi afler J. E. Ballon^ win e 1 e e I \1 Ooiou^l and
Royal Keyes Major of the 102d regiment, and the blind horse trick
they had played on others was repeated with interest on themsulves
at, the Ballard tavern See chapter on militia trainings.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 215
red lines showed where payments or settlements were
made. Allen, in his way, would reply: "H — 1, Mr.
Hall, (this was his one only, peculiar, swear word) " I
don't know anything about your red lines and don't
want to know; the figures must be right; you made
them, and -that is what the man owes; figures don't lie.
When an account is paid the right wa}>- is to mark it
out by putting a cross over it with a pen! But have it
your own way, Mr. Hall, make as many red marks as
you choose, Bill Hall. H — 1, I can stand it, Hall, my
name is Allen. Mr. Hall, my bookkeeper, who does all
the business says you have paid your account. I will
never trust you again as long as I live, remember that;
but I'll treat, come on. Mr. Hall, Bill Hall, my book
keeper don't drink. H — 1, I would discharge him in
five minutes if he did. No, no, I knew the Halls in
Wadsberry before I came to this miserable swamp; the
Halls are nice folks; I knew them in Wadsberry. Bill
Hall was born in Wadsberry, and knows how to keep
books, and don't drink."
Allen was a shrewd business man and usually kind
and benevolent; but he became addicted to drink, after
which he was shrewd enough to employ the best men
to manage for him his large business. His appetite
was his struction; he died in the year 18','A), still a
young man. At the time of his death he was consid
ered the most wealthy man in Jamestown, next to
Judge Prendergast.
In tbe spring of 18'20 Air. Allen rented this tavern
to Solomon Jones, and removed to what was then
known as the Cass tavern, which at that time was not
only the finest appearing but really the best building
in the town. This house was on the southwest corner
of Main and Second streets. Plinnv Cass commenced

216 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
this building in 1817, but it was not, completed until a
short time before its purchase by Allen. He opened
this house immediately as a hotel, consequently the
little village of Jamestown at this early period had
ample accommodations for " men and beasts" of all
kinds. An energetic young man named Disher, who
had been a clerk in Prendergast's store, had become
proprietor of the Fenton house, which thereafter was
known as Disher's tavern. Jamestown now had four
fair-sized hostelries, Disher's tavern, Ballard's taY'ern,
Jones's tavern and Allen's tavern, -all of them abund
antly supplied with " Solid food and liquid refresh
ments," as was chalked on the Jones house; "'Venison
and whiskey" as was chalked in large letters on the Bal
lard tavern; "Pork and Monongahela" was the legend
done in coal on the Allen tavern. Disher displayed a
regular painted sign, the first ever displayed in James
town. It was an unplaned 16-foot gang board, on
which was scrawled " The Disher House," and was the
first time any other word than tavern was known to
have been used to designate a public house — or as we
now say — hotel. S. A. Brown, Esq., in his History of
Ellicott/relates the following anecdotes concerning the
"Cass-Allen" tavern in the year 18:i0 :
"In those days, taverns were haunted bv magis
trates as well as others. It was customary to appoint
courts on Saturday, to the end that suitors and wit
nesses who chose so to do, might have a frolic on that-
day, and take the next to get sober and return home."
" Their resort with their retinue of .pettifoggers,
Yvas often a, tavern south of the bank which, with its
long and lofty portico, was then much admired. The
landlord was a large, bony, muscular man, and if lie
had a customer more impudent or abusive than him-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 217
self he would 'conquer peace.' A noted pettifogger
used frequently to be at this house, and on one occa
sion he was very saucy, as gentlemen of his profession
were apt to be. For this offence the landlord chas
tised him severely. He came to my office for a war
rant, very bloody and reasonably drunk, but being
satisfied that the landlord had as much been sinned
against, as sinning it was refused."
"A certain justice used also to be at this house,
who on one occasion, after haY'ing stayed about a
week, some of the citizens thought they would give
him a hint that his absence would be more agreeable
than his company. In the center of the road opposite
the tavern there was a large pine stump * against
which an effigy of the justice was placed. AVhen all
things were in readiness the justice was invited has
tily to go to the door, when he and his bar room com
panions rushed to the portico, and in a momenta slow
match communicated with the powder, and scattered
the image to the winds of heaven. The next morning
a monument with a poetic epitaph beginning:
(Here lies the Drunken Squire) *¦'"*
was seen reclining against the stump. It was said that
this gentle rebuke did the magistrate a great deal of
good, as he did not haunt, the tavern here afterwards
for some time."
After a year or more experience as a tavern keeper
Air. Allen closed his house as a dispensary of "Pork
* This stump was of unusual size, and stood on the east side of
the street, about twenty feet below Tew's corner. It was smotly re
moved under the "stump law." See chapter on Temperance Socie
ties ** There was also, the next morning, near the stump, a board
on two barrels, on top of which were two bundles of straw wrapped
up in a sheet to represent a corpse.

218 THE EARLY' HISTORY OF
and Monongahela," but made it his residence as long
as he lived, renting the front rooms and all others he
could spare to new settlers who wanted house room
only for a few weeks or months. After 18o0 it was
again rented and used as a hotel.
In the fall of 1815 Seth Kidder, a young man from
Wardsboro, Vt., erected the frame for a hotel on the
northwest corner of Main and Third streets, making
the third of these corners occupied that year for public
houses; and the fourth, the northeast corner, was soon
after occupied as a horse barn for the Allen taY'ern.
The streets at this locality were in the midst of an
almost impassible swamp. The lots on the north side
on which Kidder had erected this frame and on which
the Allen barn was built, were swamp lots. At an
early day the largest " deer lick " in the country was at
the junction of Alain and Third streets, and deer were
killed there as late as 1813. It is within the writer's
remembrance that there was a road made of logs across
this swamp at the east side of Alain street for the pass
age of teams, and slabs laid along the west side for
pedestrians. The frame erected by Seth Kidder re
mained uninclosed until IS'2'2, when it was bought
with the four lots on which it and the barn which was
to be, stood, by William Hall for 8:t00.* AVe now look
upon that, sum as a wonderfully small price for those
lots. AVe must remember that this was 65 years ago,
and what Llall bought was an old frame that had stood
seven years without being enclosed, and lots which
Prendergast gave to Kidder if he would erect the frame.
Mr. Hall had the frame enclosed and finished in a
manner suitable for a, public house, and Solomon Jones

* Two of the lots fronted on Main and two on Cherry streets.
All four of them were swamp lots.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 219
•¦and William Hall occupied it as such in the fall of
that year. For many years it was known as Jones's
tavern. William Hall, in 1824, married Julia, the third
daughter of Solomon Jones. In 1828 he built a house
on his farm half a mile south of the village, to which
he removed, and where he continued to reside for many
years, a plain farmer. In 1846 he built a fine residence
on the first bench of land south of the town, and which
is yet occupied by his widow. Mr. Hall died on the
6th of July, 1880, one of the most wealthy men of the
country. Solomon Jones remained in the hotel for several
years after Air. Hall had removed to his farm. He
retired from his publican pursuit in 1835, and for a
short time, with one of his sons, was engaged in mer
chandising in the Hall building on the north side of
Third street, but during the larger portion of the time
he was the prominent justice of the peace, and contin
ued in this office until age forbade his performing its
duties. He died at the age of 87 in August, 18(i"2.
Clarissa, his wife, also died at the age of 87 in Novem
ber, 1867. AVe would record here that Alain street, between
Second and Third, has been the theater of three de
structive incendiary fires. The first occurred in the
spring of 18: !7, in a store situated on the east side of
the street, where tbe store of AVm. Broadhead occupied
by AYhitley, now stands. Seven buildings on that
side of the street were burned, viz: Silas Tiffany's store
on the corner of Alain and Second streets, his residence
north and joining, Dr. Foote's drug store, the store of
Barrett & Baker, the store of Higley it Kellogg, and
what was known as the old Forbes house, dthen occu-

220 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
pied by Swift & Walbridge. The burnt district was
soon rebuilt with better buildings, excepting the cor
ner owned by Mr. Tiffany, which is now occupied by a
large wooden building containing three stores.
In 1852 we had a second incendiary fire, com
mencing in a store occupying the same ground in
which the fire of 1837 commenced. This was still
more- destructive, sweeping away all of the buildings
on the east, side of the street between Second and
Third, including the old Allen tavern. The ground
was a second time rebuilt with brick buildings. On
the site of the Allen tavern, A. F. and D. Allen
erected a large, substantial brick hotel.
Sam'l A, Brown, in speaking of the Cass house
bought by Elisha Allen, thus compares it with the
fine brick hotel built by his sons : "This house, with
its long and lofty portico was then as much admired
as the elegant brick building erected by the Aliens,
with its superb stone columns, its lofty attic and
splendid observatory."
After the retirement of Solomon Jones from the
1 tavern, for a, few years it changed landlords frequently,
but finally was purchased by AVarner D. Shaw, who
continued it as a public house for several years, under
the name of Shaw's hotel. Finally he purchased the
Allen House, and removed thereto and closed the
Shaw Hotel as a public house.
In the winter of 1861 came the third incendiary
fire in this devoted district, far more destructive than
either of the others. This fire commenced on the oppo
site (west) side of the street, and directly opposite to
where the others bad originated.
All of the buildings on both sides of Alain street
between Second and Third were burned, including the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 221
Allen house, the Shaw hotel north of Third and the
buildings north of it, up to and including S. A. Brown's
office; also the building on the south side of Third
street between Main and Cherry streets. This was the
most destructive fire Jamestown has ever experienced.
It occurred in the winter and in the night, the de
struction of property was immense, and the scene pre
sented on that occasion baffles description. The Allen
house was speedily replaced by a larger but much less
substantial and cheaper edifice than the one destroyed
and was -soon found to be ill adapted to hotel pur
poses. Its history is an unfortunate one; it is not
necessary to give it here. It was finally bought by
Mr. Gifford, great and expensive changes made, and
what was intended for a grand hotel has been con
verted into stores and offices much to the benefit of
the present proprietor, and of the town. The Ballard
having faithfully served its owners and the public
" during its day and generation," was quietly disman
tled and laid away. It was the only one of the many
Jamestown hotels, early and late, that did not go up
or down in a blaze. It was finally purchased by Mr.
Hall who substituted for the old tavern a large wooden
building containing three large stores with offices and
lodge rooms for societies on the upper floors. This
was erected in time to go down in the great fire of
1861, when Mr. Hall erected the present substantial
brick block.
The Allen tavern, on the corner of Main and
Third streets after Solomon Jones had removed from
it to Hall's new house on the opposite side of the
street, bad many landlords. AVe shall not attempt, to
enumerate them. We will record two or three unim
portant remembrances and leave the house and its

222 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
publicans to the long slumber upon which they have
entered. Nat. (Nathaniel) Smith, grandfather of
Judge Marvin Smith, succeeded Jones as the landlord
of the Allen tavern. Indians were still more plenty
in this section than white men, and although most of
them were peaceable there were some ugly ones among
them. All Indians are said to be fond of "fire water,"
and the best of them in those days would run great
risk to obtain it. Old John Bale, the Indian spoken
of in our second chapter and several other ugly sav
ages were in Smith's bar room one afternoon, wanting
whiskey. As they were already drunk Smith refused.
Bale immediately kicked down the door to the bar,.
clutched two or three decanters and gaY-e them to his
companions. Smith seized the heavy fire poker but
before he could strike, Bale stabbed him in the shoul
der; before he could repeat the murderous act Smith
dealt a blow which laid the copperhead sprawling on
the floor. He laid still and quiet; his companions
viewed him for a moment, put, their hands on their
knives, and in broken English said, "Smith kill Bale
a good deal. Bale now kill Smith." But Nat. was
ready for them. Although at the time he considered
himself fatally wounded, he swung the heavy poker
and a large piece of the speaking Indian's nose lay on
the floor six feet away. Several at that moment
rushed in and the Indians left, John Bale with them.
Smith had received a severe but not dangerous flesh
wound, The writer, then less than nine years old,.
may date his introduction to surgery to this transac
tion. Our father took up two or three small arteries
in a long superficial wound on the back of Smith's
shoulder, and a person whose name we will not men
tion was asked to tie them,, but Silas Tiffany objected

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 223
to the person, and Smith said that the boy could do it
best as his fingers were small. The boy tied the
"strings" as directed, and so adroitly as to receive
great praise from all for his dexterity; but it was a
bad job for the boy as it caused him many a heart
ache and more than one fight afterwards. Nearly
everyone knows that boys, in the country at least, re
ceive nicknames, whether to their credit or not, that
they hate with all their might, and soul, and strength.
We shall always remember the first, time "Gust" Allen
called us "Doctor Pill Peddler." How many thous
and times we were given this harmless, unmeaning
title we do not remember, but we do remember how
cruelly it lacerated our feelings, and we can now sit
down and call up the quarrels and the fights by the
score we have had because of that nickname. And
we were not alone in this resenting of silly, meaning
less, boyish nicknames. We know those who have
been Judges, Members of Congress, Generals, Gov
ernors, D. D's., <fec, who would fly into a furious rage
and fight savagely because they were called by some
supremely silly and meaningless nickname.
AVe take the privilege of relating another story, in
which ourself and old John Bale are somewhat prom
inent. Six months or more after the stabbing of Nat.
Smith, Benjamin Runyan, ourself and Eber Forbes, a
boy of the same age, started out for a basket of fat
pine for an evening's fishing on the rapids. Runyan
owned the best light canoe on the outlet and had that
da}r brought down from Crane's shop a new jack and
two light spears. All was ready and the canoe drayvn
up on the race opposite to the present Erie express of
fice. We started for the pine. Up near where the
bedstead factory now stands, we found old John Bale,

224 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Seneca Two Kittles, and another Indian and their
squaws in camp. Seneca and Runyan were great
friends, for Seneca had been a great help to Capt.
Forbes who was a special friend of Runyan's on his
retreat from Black Rock. Some one had giYren the
Indian a small, poor, scrawny dog, with a very long
tail. Seneca proposed to hold the dog, if Runyan
would chop the tail off. "No Seneca, I hold dog, you
chop tail." "Yes, me chop tail some," says Seneca.
Runyan laid the dog on his side on a log, holding his
hind legs in one hand and the tail in the other. Kit
tle raised his axe. Uncle Ben watched every motion
and as the blow came down, he jerked the dog quickly
towards him, and the axe came down on the side of
the dogs neck, nearly severing the head from the body
and killing him instantly. The Indian gazed for a
moment with a look of astonishment, and then ex
claimed, "Ugh! Ben Seneca cut him short; much
tail, little dog." He then shook hands with Runyan, as
much as to say, "I harbor no ill feelings on account, of
the trick you have served me." Learning we wanted "fat
pine" Bale took the basket and went into the bushes and
soon returned with it heaping full of nice pine, which
he set down before " Ebe." Runyan held out his hand
to shake. John shook his head and offered his hand
to " Ebe " and then to myself, saying, " Bale's pine
catch pile of fish." Turning to Runyan he said, "John
know the boys. Cross Eyed Ebe, Captain Forbes's
buy, captain brave man. John and Seneca see cap-
lain at Conjockity. Brought home two men for cap
tain. Hurt some, well now." (This was after the bat
tle of Black Rock.) "And John knows Doctor Pill.
tie up Nat, Smith. Nat. well. John glad." Runyan
then shouldered the basket and soon we had it stowed

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 225
,away in the canoe and ready for a start to the rapids.
John Bale's kind heart filled our canoe with the means
of an evening's enjoyment; it was the whiskey that
stabbed Nat. Smith.
In 1830 the landlord at the Allen tavern on the
corner of Main and Third streets was a Dutchman
named Van Velsor. He had a large number of board
ers, and very much desired a bell larger than the hand
bells then in use, but none could be found. Phin.
Palmiter, who was always in the way when wanted,
came with his inventive genius to the aid of a Dutch
man's wants, He procured a large bar of steel and had
it turned into an enormous triangle, which he had
mounted in a frame on the roof of the house. Two
pieces of heayy iron or steel bar were fastened to
wooden arms and attached to the frame below the tri
angle. Cords fastened to the distal end of the wooden
arms descended to the place where the operator of the
machine was to stand. By pulling first one cord and
then the other, a louder, clearer, sweeter tone was elic
ited than we ever heard from any ordinary bell. After
the destruction of the Allen tavern it was the frequent
remark of the old inhabitants that they sincerely
mourned the loss of the triangle; they could scarcely
keep house without it, for they regulated their own
meals by it, and it made them sad to think they would
never hear its silver tones again. Our advice to any
one wanting a first-class silver-toned "bell" is to get a
triangle. In 1828 Ellick Jones, the oldest son of Solomon
Jones, erected a hotel on the south side of Second
street, facing Prendergast avenue. It was here that
"Sine" (Orsino E. Jones) spent his early boyhood days.

226 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Mr. Jones's first wife, Louisa Walkup, died here in
1832. It is fitting that we give a fuller account of Ellick
Jones, for he was an important person in the early
days of the town. He was born in Dover, Windham
county, Vermont, in 1800. AVhen less than 10 years
old he drove a team, or did more rugged labor, when
his father, Solomon Jones emigrated from ATermont to
the wilderness of Chautauqua in 1810. His education
was in part, that of our early common schools, but
largely in the school of actiY^e labor, and worldly ex
perience. A stouter, more rugged, useful young man
never trod the wilderness of the rapids; he grew up
energetic, inured to hardships, and with expectation
of battling with them. He was scarcely 20 when he
married and moved into the log house at Jones's land
ing, vacated by his father's moving into the Allen tav
ern in Jamestown. He was early made captain of
militia in the 162d regiment, and for many years was
known as Captain Jones. After the death of his wife
he left the hotel and engaged for a time in the grocery
trade, but after the failure of Elder Trumbull * in sup
plying the village with meat, he went into that busi
ness and for many years kept the principal meat mar
ket in the village. lie was a very prominent, active,
necessary man in Jamestown, far more so than what we
write of his pur mats would indicate. He had six
children by his first wife who arrived at maturity; five
of whom are now living.

* Elder Trumbull had been a Baptist minister. He built the
first slaughter house in Jamestown and sold his meat in the slaughter
house. This slaughter house was on the southeast corner of Second
street and Potter's alley. Wellington Griffith afterwards used it as a
barn. Later it was moved bick and brick portion added in front for
a livery. I believe a portion of the old slaughter house is included
in the building now standing there.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 227
Rufus, his eldest son, became a prominent man
in the south. He died many years ago, the awful loss
of his family, subsequently, in a burning steamboat
on the Ohio is not for us to detail.
Orsino E. Jones, everybody in Chautauqua county
and in the surrounding states is well acquainted with
Years hence, somebody will write the "Biography of
the Hon. 0. E. Jones." If any who now reads this
history live until that time, we advise them to buy and
read that interesting volume.
Rinaldo was the third of the sons. He enlist
ed into Company B. of the Excelsior Brigade as a com
mon soldier and was among the first to answer
to the country's call. He became a Lieuten
ant, but he was not spared to enjoy his hon
ors. It is on Decoration day that we most
acutely remember that he gave his young life to his
country. Richard, the youngest son, is in business in James
town. Calista the eldest daughter has been a prominent
teacher in the Union School from its commencement.
For OYrer 30 years she has been a faY'orite teacher in
the schools of Jamestown. If she should live to double
her age, we doubt not, she would be found "teaching
the young idea how to shoot."
Sarah (Jones) Hall is also a teacher of the Union
School of whom about the same might be written as of
her sister Calista. Her husband, Samuel Hall, died
many years ago.
Elvira (Jones) Sterns is the last of this family. Her
husband, who died a few years ago, was a most excel
lent man — a man of intelligence, well educated, a
ready writer, a great, reader. He was a particular

228 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
friend of the writer, and it would please him to insert
a memorial of Charles Sterns, but space forbids.
Ellick Jones for a second wife married Harriet De
Jean, by whom he had several children, daughters.
He died of cancer of the face in 1866. His wife is still
living. During the next few years this hotel had several
landlords, the principal one of whom was Rufus Pier,
Esq., one of the earliest settlers and previously spoken
of as a hatter. Mr. Pier afterwards bought the old res
idence of Dr. E. T. Foote, together with about ten
acres of land. Here he resided up to the time of his
death. Katharine Blanchar, his wife, died there in
1859; Rufus Pier in 1862. The property was after
wards sold to the Union School board .and the first Un
ion school buildings erected in 1864. The hotel was
finally sold to H. H. Loucks, and was destroyed by
fire, as Jamestown hotels had been in the habit, in
1862. Mr. Loucks immediately built a new and larger
house, reversing, however, the order of things. He
erected the house on the opposite side of the street
where the barn had been, and the barn where Ellick
Jones had placed his hotel.
For several years there was a hotel on the south
side of Second street, where Ahlstrom's piano fac
tory now stands. We will record that it was second
class, had many landlords, and finally burned up.
There was also, several years ago, a hotel on the south
side of AVarren street opposite to Harrison street, of
which also may be recorded — second class, many
landlords, destroyed by fire. AVe might mention other
and less important hotels of earl}' days, the most, im
portant, perhaps, being the AVilcox house at the boat-
landing, which for several years past, was the residence

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 229
of Cap't J. M. Murray, chief of police, and upon the
location of which his present residence is built.
Enough has been already written to show, that from
the first year of its existence, Jamestown has been am
ply supplied with that forerunner of civilization— the
hotel. After the death of Elisha Allen in the summer of
1830, the house which he had for ten years made his
residence (the Cass tavern) was rented for hotel pur
poses, and like the other taverns frequently changed
landlords. The only one we wish to especially men
tion in these remembrances is Willard Rice, the man
who demonstrated the practicability of running a hotel
in Jamestown on strictly temperance principles. Al
though there was considerable opposition and some
grumbling all around, Mr. Rice kept a strictly temper.
ance house and with fair success.
During the time Willard Rice was keeping the
"Jamestown Temperance House," a good looking,
plainly dressed young man stopped with him, stating
that he had not much money then, but was looking
about for a good place to settle, and expected very soon
to in some way earn enough to pay his board bill at
least. Rice said he did not look like a swindler or a
beggar, and that he could eat and sleep at his house
until he got ready to pay. " Young man, I consider
that Willard Rice is an uncommon good judge of hu
man natur and you can stay as long as you want to."
At supper and at breakfast he sat alone at the table
and was waited upon by Mr. Rice's eldest daughter,
Mercy. A mutual sympathy seems to have sprung up
at first sight between the two, for the young man had
not been over twenty-four hours under Mr. Rice's hos
pitable roof, before the young lady was informed that

230 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
he was poor, and was at that time looking around for
a place to settle; that he expected soon to find such a
place, when he hoped also to find a good looking, in
dustrious girl, as poor as himself, who would be willing
to accept him as a husband; and if as successful as he
hoped, would in a short time, if energy and industry
could accomplish it, be rich. He had given her to
understand that he was at the bottom of the ladder,
but not discouraged; and should not be as long as he
had good health and two hands, but that he must find
something to do immediately, and that if nothing else
presented he must take to chopping wood or sawing
boards, for, to speak the plain truth, he had but half a
dollar in his pocket, and must earn some money be
fore he could pay his board bill. She was not long in
ascertaining that the young man was an extra fine
penman, and suggested the getting up of a writing
school, that her own chirography might be vastly im
proved, and that if he would undertake to teach her
penmanship she would undertake to aid in getting up
a class. The suggestion was a happy one and was
acted upon at once. The young man wrote a " prospec
tus " in his best styles of penmanship, which under
Miss Rice's direction he circulated among the young
men of the village, and to which she added the names
of several young ladies. A large class was secured,
and the young man's pockets well stocked with half
dollars. This school, one of the most successful ever
in Jamestown, was taught in the ball room of the
hotel. The young man had plenty of time to look around
in our industrious, growing village, audits rapidly im
proving country surroundings. Log barns were then
rapidly disappearing, and near many a dilapidated log

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 231
house, the home of years of weary labor and privations
in the past, were being erected plain, neat white
houses, these in turn now rapidly disappearing on our
rich farms, and giving place to the elegant residences
of our rich farmers, the children of the early pioneers.
The attractions in and about our village grew upon
him rapidly, and he soon made up his mind that if he
¦could succeed anywhere he could succeed in James
town. He had visions of peace, Mercy, happiness and
final wealth. He judged correctly and remained.
Some who belonged to that early writing school still
think the young man was selfish in drawing up the
prospectus ; that it should have read " Mercy Rice's
writing school with Alonzo Kent as teacher."
In January, 1834,> Mercy Rice became Mrs. Alonzo
Kent. For nearly fifty-five years they traveled life's
journey together — sharing its joys and its sorrows.
This was most assuredly one of those unions founded
on love, and mutual esteem, which alone can increase
happiness in this life, without adding to its cares and
its miseries. They lived — never forgetting that the
vow was — "until death us do part."
But the time for the parting came. It was a beau
tiful day in the early summer — the balmy air filled the
lungs of all that, breathed, with gladness — the birds
sang together their sweetest songs. Nature had arrayed
herself in deepest green, and decked herself with a
thousand painted, fragrant flowers. In the midst of
all this loveliness the summons came, and on the 8th
day of June, 1886, Mercy (Rice) Kent left the scene of
so much earthly joy, for those far more joyous ones of
eternity. That it was the clear-headed Mercy Rice in the
background that pointed out to Alonzo Kent that he

232 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
could make a writing school successful, and also pointed
out the method of its management no one at the time
doubted. If this be so, it was certainly she who laid
the corner stone of that fortune which afterwards they
together enjoyed.
Mr. Kent has been one of our most active and one
of our most successful business men. In 1834 he com
menced the sale of dry goods in a small and provident
way, in what had been previously Shaw's drug store,
just above Fenner's shoe store. He soon after entered
into partnership with Walter Stephens, previously
mentioned as a fanning mill maker, and they added
lumbering to their previous trade in dry goods, in
which they were successful. Mr. Kent continued in
the dry goods trade, either alone or in company with
others, until in 1853, when he established the James
town bank. The name after the war was changed to
First National bank. He was made president of this
bank in 1853, and continued to hold this office until a
few years ago, when he retired in favor of his friend,
Gov. Fenton. Since the governor's death he again
put on the harness of active life, which he continues to
wear. Coming to Jamestown in 1832 with fifty cents
in his pocket, Alonzo Kent, by energy and strict atten
tion to business, has made himself one of the wealthy
men of the county. Formerly it used to be said of
Jamestown " It is a busy, active, energetic village."
There are but few wealthy men there, what capital
they have is in active use and somewhat equally di
vided, They have no poor people; they all work and
make their own living." This is no longer true. AVe
now have our men of wealth, and our poor men, too.
The wealth litis for the most part been accumulated
here, and much of the poverty is also of indiginous

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 233
growth. The principal causes of failure here as well
as elsewhere, have been intemperance and neglect of
business. Want of business tact has been operative in
some cases, and misfortunes have blasted the prospects
of a few, but these are the exceptions. Intemperance,
neglect of business, and dishonest methods, here as
everywhere else, have been the great causes of failure.
The time has come, or is near at hand, in which the
Pearl City must erect her hospitals and asylums. The
great factories and the beautiful residences of the in
dustrious, the temperate and wealthy are here, and the
time has arrived in which hospitals, asylums, and
other elemosinary institutions, gifts of the rich to the
poor, of the fortunate to the unfortunate, should com
mence to adorn our beautiful city, speaking to the
transient visitor in language louder than words: " We
are a happy, fortunate people ; true we have the poor
and unfortunate with us, but these are our noble,
charitable gifts, erected for their comfort and welfare."
DISTILLERIES.
As taverns and hotels have always been intimate
ly associated with distilleries, we include the latter in
this chapter.
Jamestown at an early day could boast of two dis
tilleries; many years afterwards, it had its brewery
and its horrible tragedy, now it is thankful that it has
neither. The first, distillery was built in a dense for
est, in which only a small patch of ground had been
cleared, on what now is the northeast corner of Sec
ond and A\rinsor streets. AVhen but a small boy, our
mother occasionally sent us there for " emptins," and
well we remember the crooked road, full of deep mud-
holes which through a heavy pine forest extended
from Prendergast avenue to within a few rods of the

234 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
"still," We have heard it said that the establishment
was owned by J. E. Budlong and Walter Simmons, it
was conducted by Walter Simmons; and Aaron Tay
lor at first and afterwards by Emeric Evans. The sec
ond distillery was erected on the bank of the outlet a
little west of the present gas factory. Who erected it,
we have not been able positively to ascertain. Our
earliest recollection makes Eber Keyes, (Deacon Keves)
a brother of Royal Keyes, the owner of . the establish
ment, but whether this was during or after its use as a
distillery, we cannot now say. Its use as a distillery was
of short duration. It was closed for several years, and
then used as a foundry and machine shop. Mr.
Brown, in his lecture in 1847, makes no mention of
this second distillery confining himself to "the first,
still." We copy from Mr. Brown's lecture read at
Jamestown academy in 1847; "The first still erected
in this town, was located a short distance north of the
sash factoiy. The citizens were pleased with this
acquisition, believing it would make a market
for corn and rye, and give employment for laborers.
In those days of ignorance, there were but few who did
not patronize it by word, and example too. But it had
not been in operation long, before a, coroner's jury was
called to sit upon the body of a miserable inebriate
who had stopped there at night and was dead in the
morning. After the jurors had discharged their duty,
the body was dressed for the grave and placed on a
bench in an open shed on the east side of the still,
there to remain until buried. On leaving the still, a
bystander said to Gen. Harvey, the coroner, that he
never saw a literal laving out before."

CHAPTER IX.

Newspapers Viewed from Different Standpoints
— Jamestown Journal — Adolphus Fletcher- —
Frank W. Palmer — Coleman E. Bishop — Chau
tauqua Republican — Morgan Bates — Chau
tauqua Democrat — J. W. Fletcher — Other
Early Newspapers.
newspapers, the american college.
Whatever may have been our original aptitudes
for the acquirement of learning, and however great
the advantages we may have enjoyed for its acquire
ment, the truth is now plainly seen and generally ad
mitted, especially in our own country ,in which knowl
edge is more generally disseminated than in any other,
that the most valuable portion of our education is that
we derive from our daily and weekly newspapers. Since
the discovery of the art of printing, books have ac
cumulated to a marvelous extent, for we now count
them by the millions; colleges have been vastly mul
tiplied, academies are now found in every considerable
village in our land, and the common school even in
the newest portions of our country, are within easy
travel of everyone. Nevertheless the newspaper is the
principal teacher of the masses in this country. Our
colleges and higher seminaries of learning are abun-

236 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
dan try supplied with the most learned professors, with
extensive libraries, and with all the apparatus and im
plements for the most extended scientific research.
Our common schools are amply supplied with care
fully trained teachers and all of these educational in
stitutions are crowded with learners. Notwithstand
ing this abundant supply of all means for the higher
education, the most valuable and useful knowledge
that we gain, from the professor down to the daily
toiler on our railroads and in our factories, is gained
from the newspapers, and the humble village print
according to its size and circulation, is but little be
hind its city competitor in usefulness. Thousands up
on thousands in our land learn to read, with but the
single object in view — that they may read the news
papers. We are a nation of newspaper readers and if
asked what do you consider the leading characteris
tic of the American we would answer, he can read and
write and reads the newspapers. The soY'ereigns of
America are educated and prepared to wield the na
tion's sceptre by reading the newspaper. It teaches us
not only politics, political economy and the science
of government, but also agriculture, philosophy, his
tory, literature, arts, moral and mental philosophy.
Every trade, art or science known to this world in
either ancient or modern times is thoroughly ex
pounded and taught in the American newspaper.
Our most learned men, poets, philosophers, scientists
aiid statesmen, follow the plow, hammer iron, make
shoes, sit in our legislative halls and in the presiden
tial chair. They were self-educated — the newspaper
was their text book. The newspaper is the American
college which comes weekly or daily to every man's
door, the best bulwark of our liberties, the defender

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 23?
of the weak against the strong, of the right against
the wrong. It is the alarm bell of the nation, and no
destructive influence is great enough to stifle its clar
ion tones, until the people have time to examine into
the cause. All hail the newspaper; let it continue to
speak, and to teach in this country in the future, as in
the past. We can endure some evils rather than to
limit the freedom of the press. A free press and free
dom will ever advance with clasped hands. May they
ever remain free and united.

THE NEWSPAPER A TEACHER OF EVILS.
The newspaper, if we approach it from one side, ap
pears to be the great source of general knowledge, and
of highest value, but if we change our point d'appui,
and make our examination from the opposite side, it
appears as a great hindrance placed in the pathway
of virtue and intelligence. In a free country only,
can it reach its greatest perfection, as a promoter of
knowledge, and as an upholder of the right. Unfor
tunately in such a country, the greatest opportunity is
given for the promulgation of truths of evil tendency
and of doctrines injurious to society and destructive of
national life. It is a tenet of national law that it is a
nation's duty to regulate and if necessary suppress all
things injurious to the body politic. But how the
present evil tendency of our newspaper shall be regu
lated if at all, is a grave question that we have not
the ability to answer. An evil crying aloud for abate
ment for a long time, has been the medicine advertis
ing humbug. The advancement of science has called
a halt to superstition, but her twin sister credulity is
as smart and active as 2,000 years ago. It is certainly
true that the sick and afflicted "catch at straws." The

238 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
most barefaced falsehoods, and accounts of impossible
cures appear in nearly all of our newspapers. The
harm wrought in community not only pecuniarily,
but to health and to life is wide spread and frightful.
Our newspapers should be melanges of literature, of
history and biography, of criticism, of politics, of phil
osophy, of religion, and of everything that the busy
community pursue with ardor and solicitude but
never of falsehood and deceit.
The idle, vicious and dangerous classes in every
community seize the latest paper with eagerness and
read it with avidity, for they well know that there is
advertised frequently in editorial columns, the latest
movements, failures and successes of the idle and the
, vicious. Passing over the accounts of ball plays,
horse racing, cock fighting and encounters without
gloves between brutal men, all for the benefit, of the
blackleg and gambling community, Yvhich the mor
alist as well as the religionist, and eY^ery man's con
science, not thoroughly brutalized, will say are wrong,
these worthies find therein the latest, scandals. If hap
pily none have transpired in the neighborhood within
the past week, the editor does not forget this
class, or the reading they so much love, but scans
his exchanges and selects two or three cases that
occurred in Nova Scotia, Texas, or Timbuctoo for
their delectation. Their wants are known and
carefully supplied. The majority of our best city pa
pers furnish one page of reading suited to this vitiated
taste; and which is spread from day to day before the
young people of the country, those who should read
something useful, instructive, or at least moral. This
kind of reading is beginning to taint all the rest;
you cannot keep the meat you eat in the same market

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 239
room in which there is carrion. If we will but look
over the files of our newspapers and read the ordin
ary advertisements of our business men we will find
they have caught the spirit of boast and untruth of the
gamblers, and the advertisers of nostrums and patent
medicines. This spirit of deceit, unchecked by the
ordinary precepts of true morality, is found even in
the columns of our local editors. The spirit of unre
straint and immorality is growing daily more unre
strained and more immoral. Ministers and moralists
and editors daily warn us against a certain class of
newspapers as well as against our yellow-covered lite
rature, forgetful that the largest, heads the hydra wears,
are to be found in the majority of our best newspapers.
This is a truth few can or will deny. Most proprietors
of newspapers admit it. They excuse themselves by
saying, "If we should throw out these things it would
lower our subscription list one-half." "John make
money — honestly if you can — but make money !"

EARLY NEWSPAPERS.
The first newspaper published in Chautauqua county
was The Chautauqua Gazette, established as early as
1817 in the then small but thriving village of Fredo-
nia. Also the second paper Yvas established there, in
the year 1821, the Fredonia Censor, which is now the
oldest paper in the county. In 1824 a paper was started
in Forestville called The People's Gazette, which two
years later was merged in The Chautauqua Gazette
under the name of Fredonia Gazette.
The fourth paper was published in Jamestown in
1826 by Adolphus Fletcher, and was called The James
town Journal. The paper has been published unin
terruptedly ever since, and of its Weekly edition is in

240 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the 61st year of its publication, and the Daily in its
seventeenth. Mr. Fletcher's parents lived a short time in Croydon,
N, H, where he was born in 1796, but soon returned to
their former home in Worcester, Mass. Adolphus,
after spending a portion of his boyhood on his father's
farm and in attending the country district school, was
entered as an apprentice in the printing establishment
of The Massachusetts Spy, which was established before
the Revolution, and which ranked among the earliest
and best newspapers of the country. He married
Sarah Stowe when 21 years of age, and accompanied
his father to this county in 1818. The Fletchers pur
chased of Ruben Slayton, the first occupant, the pres
ent site of the village of Ashville. Adolphus Fletcher
first engaged in farming, afterwards in tavern keeping
and later, in company with Dr. Deming, of AVestfield,
in merchandise. Alvin Plumb, the Harveys and the Hazeltines had
determined that a newspaper should be established in
Jamestown, and Plumb and Abner Hazeltine had
been for several months corresponding and trying to
get a practical printer to come in, when they found
they had one near at hand, only six miles away. Late
in the winter of 1825, Mr. Fletcher, influenced hy their
urgent solicitations, concluded to enter into the ven
ture. He came to Jamestown and at first lived in the
Tiffany store, which at that time was the only vacant
building in town, and immediately built, a good sized,
two-storied frame house on ground now occupied by
St. Luke's Episcopal church, and purchased a press,
type and other material with but slight aid from any
one beyond endorsement. The first number of the
Jamestown Journal was issued in June, 1826.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 241
The day on which that first paper was issued was
a memorable one with the good people of Jamestown.
The press (a wooden one) was set up in the second story
-of the house; the stairs leading to the press room were
on the north side, on the outside of the house. A
number of the prominent citizens had collected in the
street in front of S. A. Brown's office near by, anxiously
waitng to get the first issue of their first village paper.
Boys were plenty in the street, on the stairs and in the
'room. Young Stowe, the " devil," a relative of
Fletcher, was not in a good humor, for with the assist
ance of the boys who crowded into the room, a keg of
ink was upset upon the floor. Fletcher scolded, Stow
got mad and in reply to some rallying remarks
of the boys, seized his ink balls, (then used instead of
rollers to ink the type,) and thoroughly blackened the
faces of Gust Allen, (the late A. F. Allen, Esq.,) and
Niles Budlong, who made their way rapidly down
stairs their companions following, screaming, "here
comes the devils with the first papers."
The first ten years of The Journal's life was in an
ti-Masonic times, and Chautauqua county was one of
the strongest anti-Masonic counties of the state. Dur
ing this period and longer, Abner Hazeltine was the
editor of the paper; after him Emory F. Warren (since
Judge) now residing in Fredonia, and later Dr. Nel
son Rowe * were the principal writers for the paper.
But during the twenty years Mr. Fletcher was proprie
tor of the paper he held himself responsible for its con
duct and published that only which he was willing to
 ! 
* Nelson Rowe was brother-in-law to Rev. Rufus Murry, of
Mayville, one of the first ministers in Jamestown. Rowe studied
medicine in the office of Dr. Hazeltine, settled In Ellington about
1845, he followed his brother in-law, Murry, to Michigan and there
died about 20 years ago.

242 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
endorse. Some of the editorial articles were from Mr.
Fletcher's pen. Every one of his children of both
families early learned the art of type setting. Every
one of them first and last has been connected with
newspapers, and have not only set the type but writ
ten many articles and occasional editorials. They are
a family of type setters and writers.
Mrs. Sarah Fletcher died many years ago. Mr.
Fletcher married for a second wife Caroline Brooks,
who was the mother of A. Brooks Fletcher, Mary
Fletcher, Charles F. Fletcher; and Adelaide Fletcher,
who died in childhood. The children of Mrs. Sarah
Fletcher were John Warren Fletcher; Maria, after
wards wife of E. A. Dickinson; Lucy, wife of A. Fenn
Hawley; Susan, wife of Albemarle Tew; Harriet, wife
of Rev. H. A. McKelvy; Cyrus D., who died in Mani-
tou Springs, Col., two years ago and Marshall, who
died in infancy.
In 1846 Adolphus Fletcher, twenty years after he
established the paper, sold it to his son, John A\Tarren
Fletcher, who has since been connected with a num
ber of newspapers here and elsewhere, and who at the
present time with his son is publishing and editing
the Sugar Grove News. J. Warren Fletcher in
1848 sold his interest in The Journal to Frank W.
Palmer, who entered the Journal establishment when
a mere boy. He was the sole publisher for several
years and the editor as long as he remained with it.
He was a strong and ready writer. Palmer from the
start was a man of mark; it may be said that he was
educated in and for the printing office. He was when
a very young man elected supervisor of the town of
Ellicott and soon after to the state assembly. He was
scarcely thirty when he left a flourishing business here

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 243
and went west in search of a wider field where he
might grow; first to the city of Dubuque, Iowa, from
thence to Des Moines where he was state printer. I
think he served in the state assembly of Iowa. After
wards he was elected as a member of congress. He filled
many important offices. Finally he was editor of The
Inter Ocean in Chicago, and for several years was post
master of that city. During a large share of the time
Mr. Palmer had partners in the business, of the Jour
nal office, first, Frank L. Bailey, and at the close, E.
P. Upham. In 1858 he sold his interest to Bishop
and Sackett. Four years later a brother of Mr. C. E.
Bishop succeeded Mr. Sackett. In 1865 Prentice
Bishop died from wounds received in the war of the
rebellion, after which Coleman E. Bishop conducted
the paper alone up to 1866 at which time Alexander
M. Clark became one of the proprietors. Since that
time Mr. Bishop has been editor or proprietor, or both,
of many papers. After leaving Jamestown he was for
some time editor of the Buffalo Express — afterwards he
went to New York and was the editor of a paper called
the Judge. With all his brilliant talents and consum
mate ability, there is in his make-up too much honesty
of purpose, and fearless expression of opinions to suc
ceed well. He is decidedly of the Greeley type of
men — plain, honest, outspoken, and a superior writer.
He is a terror to the dishonest and designing, and
hated by the small fry of writers everywhere. He
ranks among the most brilliant writers of the country,
and has entered into authorship. If Cole should ever
die his epitaph should be — Here lies an honest man; in
ability seldom equalled; sincerely hated by the pol
itical and social shams of the days in which he lived.

244 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
At all times and for all occasions his motto was Semper
paratus. In 1868 Mr. Clark became sole proprietor of The
Journal, and January 1, 1870, issued the first number
of The Daily Journal, with Coleman E. Bishop as edi
tor, which has been continued up to the present day.
In 1871, Davis H. Waite acquired an interest in the pa
pers and in 1875 became sole proprietor. In 1876 Mr.
Waite sold the Weekly and the Daily Journal to John
A. Hall, under whose judicious management the circu
lation of the papers was vastly increased. Mr. Hall
was not only a fine writer but, an excellent financial
manager. John A. Hall died January 29, 1886.
When we say that his death was a great loss to
this town and section of country, in our own estima
tion, we do not fill the full measure of truth. He was
one of those men of sterling worth, honor, integrity
and mental power, that no community would feel that
they could afford to lose. Such men are not quickly
nor easily replaced. A memorial of John A. Hall will
be found in this volume.
In the spring of 1828 Dr. E. T. Foote and Joseph
Waite, Esq., took the initiatory in starting a paper in
Jamestown, favorable to Masonry and to the election
of Gen. Jackson as president of the United States. Suf
ficient inducements were held out to Morgan Bates, a
printer in the eastern part of the state, and he came
to Jamestown with his press, type and other material
and started the Chautauqua Republican the same
year. It was intensely Democratic and anti Anti-Ma
sonic. I do not think that any time since party
feeling ran as high in this section of the country as
then. To belong to the opposite party was an offense
that made enemies of neighbors, was carried into trade

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 245
and business transactions, broke up or divided relig
ious societies, divided families and caused in fathers
and sons and brothers the most bitter hatred to one
another. Members of churches were accused of every
thing possible, unbecoming a Christian, and were tried
in the churches by what they were pleased to call the
accusation of "Common Fame," and disgraced without
ever knowing who were their real accusers.
Mr. Bates' printing office occupied the ball room
on the second floor of what had been the Ballard tav
ern. Mr. Bates personally was not a supporter of Jack
son and was thoroughly anti-Masonic, but he sup
ported the cause of his employers faithfully and with
out a murmur. He soon, however, found that they
either could not or would not meet their engagements
in the way of getting support for the paper, and after
sinking a handsome sum of money in the venture, sold
out to a Mr. Kellogg. During the next three years
there were frequent changes in the proprietorship of
the paper. After nearly five years of sickly existence,
its last proprietor changed its name to Republican
Banner. The change was productive of but, slight im
provement; finding a change of climate absolutely
necessary, Mr. Hamilton, the last publisher, removed
the invalid to Mayville, where, after lingering two or
three months, it died of consumption.
Mr. Bates was an active business man and a thor
ough, practical printer. His printing adventure in
Jamestown was doubtless a great injury to him, one
from which he never entirely recovered. After sever
ing his connection with the Republican, Mr. Bates went
to New York, and was associated with Horace Greely
in publishing the New Yorker. Afterwards he removed

246 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
to Detroit. He was several times member of assembly
hi the state of Michigan, and at one time Lieut.-Gov-
ernor. During the early part of his residence in James
town he married Jennette, the eldest daughter of Dr.
Cook, of Argyle, N. Y. Mrs. A. F. Allen, Mrs. Col.
Brown and Mrs. W. A. Bradshaw were sisters of Mrs.
Bates. Mr. Bates died a few years ago in Michigan,
surviving his wife several years, who died from cancer.
A semi-religious paper was started in Jamestown
in 1829 by the Rev. Lewis C. Todd, a Universalis! min
ister. It was not well supported and was discontinued
during its second year. Mr. Todd was at one time
editor, and we think one of the proprietors of the Re
publican. For two years or more he taught a select
school in the old Prendergast academy, and was an
excellent teacher. During his residence in Jamestown
a long protracted meeting was held by an evangelist
named Avery, in the Congregational church, at which
Hon. S. A. Brown, Dr. E. T. Foote, Rev. Lewis C. Todd
and a number of others were said to have " experienced
religion;" at least they declared that they had never
been thoroughly converted before. Mr. Todd soon
became a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church,
but some years afterwards returned to the Universalist
church. In 1847 Harvey A. Smith, Esq., started a paper
called the Liberty Star. After publishing it about
two years he sold it to Adolphus Fletcher, who changed
the name to Northern Citizen. Air. Fletcher published
the Citizen for six years and then sold it, as he previ
ously had sold The Journal, to his son, J. AA'arren
Fletcher. This was in 1853. In 1855 J. AY Fletcher
changed the name to the Chautauqua Democrat. The
Democrat is now hi the thirty-first year of its existence

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 247
under that name, the thirty-seventh since its purchase
as the Liberty Star from Smith. A. Brooks Fletcher
is at present editor and proprietor. During the thirty-
seven years, the paper has been owned by several dif
ferent persons and companies, but some member of the
Fletcher family has been either owner or part owner
since 1849. From the time Adolphus Fletcher estab
lished the first newspaper in Jamestown in 1826, either
himself or one of his sons has been proprietor or part
proprietor of a newspaper in this town up to the pres
ent time, a period of sixty years. And it would be un
just not, to add to the list every one of the daughters,
for every one of them were type setters ; every one of
them were fair writers and contributed largely to the
columns of The Journal, The Star, The Citizen and
The Democrat.
In 1872 A. Brooks Fletcher established the Daily
Democrat which was published regularly up to 1879,
when he sold his interest in the Daily to John A. Hall
& Son, who combined it with the Daily Journal under
the name of the Jamestown Evening Journal.
After the selling of the Liberty Star to Mr. Adol
phus Fletcher, Mr. Smith started another paper called
the Undercurrent in the especial interest of anti-slavery
as'a political issue. The publishing office of this paper
was in the second story of the building then standing
on the southwest corner of Third street and Mechan
ic's alley, of which in Chapter xi we shall speak of as an
"Inn of court." Jamestown and vicinity at that time was
largely anti-slavery, but were far more willing to read
the paper than to support, it, and it departed this life
in the second year of its infancy.
In 1852 Dr. Asaph Rhodes again introduced an
anti-slavery paper to the people of Jamestown under

248 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the name of the Jamestown Herald. It was printed
with the same type and published in the same office
the Undercurrent had been, and may be said to have
been a continuation of that paper. The doctor had
been a publisher but a short time when he gladly sold
his press and printing material, together with the sub
scription list and good will of the Herald to Mr. Joseph
B. Nessell. The purchaser removed the material to
Ellington where he published the Ellington Lumin
ary. Several papers have started into life but soon died
out, since this period — the most important of which
was the Standard, an excellent paper, but not enough
Democrats in the county to support it — it is not our
province to mention these papers of a later date. Suf
fice it to say that The Jamestown Journal and the
Chautauqua Democrat, papers of the early days, have
lived through to the present, and are hale and hearty,
showing neither decrepitude or old age. Each has
enlarged with the enlargement of our town and settle
ment of the county. From the first neither has failed
to make its weekly appearance, and to the increasing
satisfaction of their many readers. The Jamestown
Evening Journal is a large, handsome, prosperous
paper, now in the seventeenth year of its existence.
At the present we have other and well conducted
papers in the city of Jamestown, but they are of recent
origin, and are not to be spoken of in this volume. It
can be no detriment to these excellent papers, for us
to express our hope that The Jamestown Journal and
The Chautauqua Democrat will be as ably conducted
in the-future as in the past, and that, the children will
not permit the papers of their fathers to die out.
When we remember that such men as Abner Hazel-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 249
tine, Emory F. Warren, Nelson Rowe, Frank W. Pal
mer, James Parker, Coleman E. Bishop, John A. Hall
and Daniel H. Post in the past have either been edit
ors or leading contributors to the columns of The
Journal and Democrat, to say nothing of the host of
superior if not brilliant occasional contributors, or of
the writers of the present time, we can say that the
newspapers of the city of Jamestown, or those who
represent them, need not take the most retired seats in
a congress of New York state newspapers.

CHAPTER X.

Memories of the Past — Dr. Laban Hazeltine's
First Visit to the Rapids in 1814 — Moving
into the Wilderness in 1815 — Tributes to Dr.
Hazeltine — His Family — Anecdotes of Drs.
Foote and Hazeltine — Dr. S.Foote,Dr.C.Ormes,
Dr.W. P. Proudfit, Dr. Henry Sargent, Dr. S. I.
Brown, Dr. Odin Benedict — Early Pharmacies
and Drug Stores.

memories of boyhood.
How melancholy and yet how sweet are the mem
ories of by-gone clays. The bright and buojrant spring
time of youth, when our minds were free from care,
•our desires reaching no higher than present enjoy
ment, regardless alike of the future and its untried re
alities ! The dear old home with its thousand and one
attractions ; the little streamlet where we were wont to
build the most wonderful of saw mills and fabulous
of bridges ; the old barn where we used to hunt the
fair white eggs and tumble on the hay ; Mother's gar
den in which the strawberries and the flowers were so
abundant in their season; the sled and icy hill in win
ter ; and the old weather beaten academy on the hill.

the town of ellicott. 251
where we acquired the first rudiments of knowledge,
and a wholesome dread of the birch — these, in them
selves " trifles light as air," seem to us — now fading as
they are in the dim twilight of the past — like the hap
piest portions of our existence.
The home circle of our childhood — blessed para
dise on earth — now only a memory ! The beloved
father and mother ; the dear brothers and sisters; with
the parents twelve of us in all. Some died in child
hood ; others sought for themselves new homes — but
all gone ; now "all in the churchyard lie " — all but
brother " Dick " and myself. These are hallowed
memories; — they can perish only with life. Years of
cruel buffeting with the cold, unsympathizing world
serve only to brighten the links of the golden chain
which binds us to the happy past, so mournful in re
view. And now, although our pathway looks steep
and rugged, overshadowed by the yew and the cypress,
standing solitary and alone in the dark, clouded, murky
air of failure, misfortune and grief which no tear of
pity can assuage, these memories cheer us, press on
our remembrance worlds of love and sympathy, and
seem to prepare us with resignation to live through the
few short days of our allotted time remaining. Our
memories are of the quiet, pleasant village, that was
overshadowed by the busy, ambitious town, which
has become as if by magic this active, nois}'-, bustling
city.

dr. laban hazeltine.
Early in the fall of 1814 Dr. Laban Plazeltine, of
Wardsboro, Vt., who, in Alay, 1813, had married ( 'on-
tent Flagler, a daughter of an old Knickerbocker fam
ily in Dutchess Co., N. Y., and who had received her

252 the early history of
education at the then celebrated school of Dr. Lyman
Beecher in Litchfield, Ct., — mounted a favorite horse
at the house of his father-in-law in the neighborhood
of the old Saratoga battle ground and turned his face
toward the west. Then, as now, the advice "go west,
young man," was constantly given to him desiring to
mark out a home for himself. His uncle, Solomon
Jones, also of Wardsboro, Art., had emigrated to the
wilds of southern Chautauqua in 1810, the same year
that Prendergast located at the rapids, and had several
times written for him, and finally sent him a strong
appeal, reinforced by an especial invitation and urgent
request from Mr. Prendergast to come and cast in his
lot with those who had settled at the rapids. Dr. Ha
zeltine arrived at the house of James Prendergast, Sept.
14, 1814, was warmly received, and during his stay
made it his home. After visiting his uncle, Solomon
Jones, and a few old Vermont friends who had just
come in and were scattered through the settlements,
he said to Mr. Prendergast that he had come into the
wilderness to make it his home ; that he had made up
his mind to this before be left the east. He could
grow up a good practice in Poughkeepsie ; he had had
a strong invitation to go to Brooklyn, and also another
to go to Troy. As he came through he was urged by
a physician in Utica to stop and go into business with
him, and at Rochester was greatly tempted to remain,
and believed if he had he would have advanced his
own interest in so doing. But he started with the in
tention of coming to the rapids, as he had so strongly
urged him to do; he had come with the resolve of mak
ing here his future home. He admitted that he had
entertained a poor idea of the country before he saw it ;
that it was much more heavily timbered than he had

the town of ellicott. 253
expected to find it, and that it would, he feared be a
tedious work to clear the land, convert it into farms,
and make it habitable for anything more civilized than
Indians. But he was not discouraged ; he had come
with the fixed resolve of remaining. He was young,
stout and healthy, and believed he could endure pri
vations equal to the best of them, and there was some
thing in the deep wilderness of the country that
charmed him, and made him wish to become a part of
it. He desired to -buy a home, or have one built for
him at the rapids and a farm within a mile of it ; he
would then return to Dutchess county and be back
again by the first of June following. Mr. Prender
gast advised him to locate either on the northwest
corner of Main and Fourth streets, or where Mrs.
Ormes now resides; both locations were then cov
ered with a deep forest. But the doctor took a
fancy to the locality of the Blowers house on the west
side of Main street. He liked the deep gulf with the
swamp stream running through; he liked the house
which was large, framed from oak and well built, and
he thought the big blacksmith shop would make just
such a barn as would please him. The three lots oc
cupied by Blowers belonged to Judge Prendergast and
were quickly conveyed to the Doctor, the considera
tion being $440 and that included the transforming
the shop into a barn and certain improvements in the
house, possession to be given the following first of
May. This with the improvements to be made was
considered as just one-half the value of the property.
He also bought the article of 100 acres of land on lot
40 on the west side of what is now Warren street ex
tending from the present Busti line north to near the
rise of ground on Prospect street. Nathaniel Kidder,

254 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
who afterwards settled at what is now called North
Warren, cleared the first twentj'-five acres, and the
late Ezbai Kidder split the rails and set up the first
fence enclosure. During his stay at the rapids in Sep
tember, 1814, Dr. Hazeltine took the charge of several
sick persons which required him to ride through the
wilderness ten to fifteen miles daily and detained him
nearly four weeks after he was otherwise ready to re
turn to the east.
Two or three days before the Doctor's return he
was called to M. Frank's (probably Michael.) On ar
riving there he found a dozen or more of the settlers
collected. The purpose was to induce him to return
and settle at the rapids, many believing he would
never come back. Learning the object of the meet
ing he assured them that he should certainly return
if he lived. After partaking of a hearty dinner of ven
ison, coon and johnny cake, Uriah Bently said to himr
"Lobe, I believe you are a fraud. I will bet you a cow
you will never come back." Well if I did not you
would lose your bet. "No I shouldn't, I would go
all the way to Saratogue and take it out of your hide."
John Frank bet a pair of sewed boots, M. Frank a
pig, Mr. Steward one dead buck a year for five years.
Mrs. Plumb 10 yards of the best tow cloth she could
spin and weave. The account says, "They all bet
something, but they were not bets so far as I was con
cerned, and I made up my mind they were gifts to in
duce me to come back. If I had intended not to come
back I certainly should have changed my mind after
this meeting. It was a happy time for me." "I have
been back nearly six weeks and all came in with their
bets to-day excepting Uncle Liphe who was here and
says he shall certainly pay during the first snow this

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 255
fall and James E. who shows me the greatest compli
ment by not paying. Next to Uriah's cow and calf,
the most useful present just now is * Aaron's 20 bushels
of oats — my poor horses need them. May they all
have health and be prospered is the best I can wish
them, in the great labors before them in this deep,
howling wilderness."
As we copy this transaction it is not easy for us
to consider that it occurred 73 years ago, and that the
actors, then young and full of energy and bright an
ticipations for the future, have all passed away.
Dr. Hazeltine left the rapids on the morning of
the 28th of October for his long ride of over three hun
dred miles through the wilderness and did not arrive
in Saratoga county until after the middle of Novem
ber, having in less than four months rode on horsback
twice the whole length of the state and in addition
one month's ride in the wilderness and a large por
tion of that distance without roads. From Saratoga
he went down the river to Poughkeepsie where his
wife was residing.
On the sixth of April, 1815, with three heavily
loaded wagons and three riding horses, (two of which
were occasionally used in harness,) he started for his
new home in the wilderness. One of the wagons
contained 1200 pounds of medicines purchased in Al
bany, a quantity of farming implements and a box of
books. Their progress was slow and tedious and to
add to their misfortunes during the third week of their
* >Vho was meant by "Uncle Liphe," James E. and Aaron we
have no means of ascertaining. Uncle Liphe probably was Eliphalet
Steward, father of Sardius Steward of Ashville. James E. may
have been James Edmunds. But who was intended by Aaron we
have found no one able to guess. We think there was an Aaron
Martin of Busti. The cow and calf although then old were living in
the writer's remembrance.

256 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
journey Dr. Hazeltine came down severely ill with
ague. It was only during the eighth week of their
pilgrimage that they arrived at the rapids, May 27 or
28. At the time they passed through Buffalo the In
dians were very troublesome at that locality and it
was almost impossible for a settler to get through
without having many of his goods stolen by them.
The Doctor had daily shakes of the ague, and when
they arrived there was very sick and the teamsters
tired out. Mrs. Hazeltine was a small woman, never
weighing 100 pounds, but as resolute and brave as she
was small. She had driven one of the teams with her
own hands from Syracuse to Buffalo. Wm. Bemus, of
Bemus Point, was owner and driver of one of the
teams. We cannot now say, (a memorandum being
lost) whether one of his teams was used the whole dis
tance from Saratoga to tbe rapids., but believe it was,
as Bemus was originally from that section. One of the
teams, was sent on from his farm on Chautauqua lake
and met them at Batavia, at which place the contract
for one of the teams from Saratoga ceased. At Buffalo
Bemus said to Mrs. Hazeltine, "Content, the doctor
must not be disturbed to-night; if we wish to get him
through to the Rapids; this is the worst place on the
whole route, the Indians steal all they can lay hands
on here. I am going to have you mount guard to
night. Here is a musket with a good bagonet (bayo
net) on it but it is not loaded. If you see any of the
Indians around, take it up and carry it, and if they
come too near don't be afraid to prod them with the
sharp end of it." After a moment's reflection she re
plied: "I wish you to put a small load into the mus
ket, Uncle William, and I will stand guard as you di-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 257
rect. They would take it away from me before I could
use the bayonet, but I believe I could shoot one of the
¦scamps rather than have the wagons pillaged." Bemus
said he would have one of the men load the musket,
remarking he was afraid that with a loaded musket
she might harm herself. " Now," says he, " I shall
pretend to sleep, but shall keep awake. I have thought
it all over and believe you will be the best person we
¦can put on watch to-night. Don't be afraid ; remem
ber, I shall be wide awake." The evening was not far
advanced before three or four marauders put in an ap
pearance. Mrs. H. bade them begone, and that if they
came near she would fire at them. The Indians drew
off, one of them good naturedly muttering ; " A^ery
little squaw but much gun. Indian go away ; just like
little squaw to shoot some ; might get hurt a good
deal." Bemus remarked next day, "It worked as I
expected ; that the varmints would be more afraid
of a woman with a gun than a man, or if not would at
least show her more respect; but I took good care that
Lehigh put powder into the pan but none in the gun."
After leaving the Cross Roads it was in the after
noon of the third day before they reached the rapids.
The wagon drew up in front of the Blowers house; no
preparation had been made for their reception, the
reasons why need not appear in this narrative. The
north room of the house, the one they expected to oc
cupy that night, was filled with benches for a school
and Blowers had not removed from the remainder of
the house, although Judge Prendergast had made
-other provisions for him four days previously. Mr.
Prendergast had been three days absent from home,
had just returned and found Blowers dead drunk and
Mrs. Blowers away from home. Mr. Prendergast,

258 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Jacob Fenton and others carried out the school fix
tures, and Mrs. Prendergast and Mrs. Fenton mopped
out the room. Part of the goods were deposited there
in and a bed made on the floor for the night. The re
mainder of the goods were placed in the blacksmith
shop which had been converted into a barn as per
agreement. The plan which had been devised to
keep Dr. Hazeltine out of his house did not work.
Dr. E. T. Foote, who had come to the rapids a few
weeks previous to the arrival of Dr. Hazeltine and
family, came in the next day and said pleasantly,
"Dr. Hazeltine, I believe it is customary for the old
physician in a place to call upon a new professional
comer. I have been here nearly four weeks and you
see I have obeyed medical etiquette in calling. This
daily ague which you have is a bad -thing in a new
country. I have brought with me a bottle of good
whiskey and a couple of ounces of the best Peruvian
bark (the correct things in those days,) and as now is
just the nick of time'for you to take a dose, with your
permission I will prepare you one." The sick doctor
thanked the well one, remarking that his prescription
was altogether orthodox and according to the best
authorities, but knowing that medicines would be
scarce and difficult to procure in this wilderness coun
try he had employed all his leisure time during the
past year in reading Thatcher and other authors on
the indigenous Materia Medica of the country, and
had during his stay in the previous fall gathered and
prepared a quantity of the bark of the Cornus Florida
(boxwood,) and it was now a good time to test its vir
tues and Thatcher's laudations of it. His wife had
boiled up a quantity of it until nearly as thick as syr
up and he had already drank half a tumblerful of it

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 259
and declared he believed he should miss a shake that
day. He also said to Dr. Foote that he had always
been opposed to rum and never drank it but once in
his life and then it was poured down his throat by
some young friends at a dance through a tin funnel
This was before the days of quinine which is the ac
tive principle of the Peruvian bark. Foote, instead of
administering, begged a quantity of the bark to try
on two ague patients then on his hands. We do not
believe that either of the doctors used a pound of Per
uvian bark in their practice after that date. In fact
Foote gathered that season a large quantity of the
bark which he prepared with .much care with his own
hands and sent it to friends among the physicians in
the east for distribution and trial.
Dr. Hazeltine gave his entire attention to the
study and practice of medicine up to the last week of
his life. He died May 4, 1852. His active life was
spent in the heavy cares of the sick room and in pre
paration for the duties involved.
We make the following extract from an obituary
notice published at the time of his death, and which
we are informed was from the pen of the late Silas
Tiffany: "Dr. Laban Hazeltine, one of the oldest and most
respected citizens of this village, died at the residence
of his son on the 4th inst. Though not wholly unex
pected the intelligence of his death fell upon our citi
zens with a painful shock. For nearly forty years he
had been a resident and practicing physician in our
midst, and identified with the growth of the village
from infancy. He had been unusually successful as
a physician — uniting with a thorough education, the
clearness and accuracy of judgment, which were

260 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
marked characteristics of his life, and he therefore pos
sessed the confidence of the community to an unusual
degree. In the relation of a citizen no man stood
higher than he. He was possessed of a large fund of
general intelligence, elevated purposes, and his habits
and influence, were distinguished by a high moral
tone. The vacancy occasioned by his death, cannot
soon be filled. The medical profession have in him
lost a wise counsellor and society a most valuable
member. "Dr. Hazeltine with his family became a resident of
Jamestown in June, 1815, when the village numbered
twelve families, his own making the thirteenth. These
families occupied some half dozen small, unfinished
houses, all of which stood on Main and Cherry streets,
below Second. Only two of them were above Second
street. He was then young, active and vigorous and en
tered upon the practice of his profession in this, then,
almost unbroken wilderness with bis characteristic en
ergy and zeal. The country soon filled with inhabi
tants, but good roads and bridges did not accompany
the settlers from their homes. Many professional vis
its were made by him, when the only means he had
of finding his patients, was to follow the track of the
Holland Land company's surveyors indicated by the
trees they had blazed.
" Dr. Hazeltine died in his 63d year of chronic her
editary disease of the kidneys. He was a native of
Wardsboro, Vt, and his medical studies were pursued
under the famed Paul Wheeler, and he attended the
Medical Lectures of Dartmouth College. He was de
scended from the earliest settlers of Massachusetts.
His ancestors were among the earliest, pilgrims who
landed at Salem harbor with Gov. AVinthrop. He

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 261
was always careful to state that he belonged not to
the Puritan but the Pilgrim stock of New England.
His ancestors were among the earliest settlers on the
banks of the Charles. He was no less thoroughly
American in his habits, his feelings and his principles,
than he was in descent."
Dr. Hazeltine was a devoted student of Nature in
the best sense of that term. He was at all times ac
customed not only to reverentially study Nature but
to look thro' Nature up to Nature's God. The lovely
flowers with which he had strewn the pathway of his
being were bright and fragrant to the last, they smiled
up to him as children to the face of a father. The
perception of physical beauty, the intelligent love of
nature, the philanthropic and benevolent spirit, the
literary taste, which were the day stars of his youth
continued their ministry in riper age; with the holier
presence of domestic sympathies, of well-founded
friendships, and of blessed remembrances was blend
ed the consciousness of a life passed in the perform
ance of the sacred duties of his profession. One of his
last remarks was that he looked back on his past pro
fessional life with satisfaction, for he had labored to
prepare himself for its duties, and had performed them
honestly to the best of the ability given him; and that
he looked to the future, if with misgivings, not with
fear. That he had at times harbored feelings which
he now regretted; that it had been his study to do
right, but self righteousness was a poor guide for man
to rely upon.
A clergyman now dead who was well acquainted
with Dr. Hazeltine and who for many years was a
most intimate friend writes of him as follows: "It is
with pleasure that I send you what I wrote concern-

262 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
ing your father at the time of his death. When I con
sider him as the hard-working, self-denying physician
to the sparse inhabitants of a wilderness; when I
pass before my memory his unblemished moral char
acter, when I remember his devotion to his profession,
his great literary and scientific attainments; when I
remember him as I knew him, I must believe that the
most remarkable man I ever knew has passed from
the stage of earthly life. During the earlier years of
his career, he imbibed Socinian opinions and was led
to reject the doctrines touching the divinity of Christ,
but under the teachings and influence of the Rev. Air,
Murry, he relinquished these sentiments, and in pro
cess of time adopted the doctrines of the Episcopal
church. "All who knew Dr. Hazeltine, your father and my
most intimate friend, will vouch that he was not only
a Christian but a scholar of no ordinary attainments;
the extent of his talents and erudition was known only
to the few. He possessed so quick and retentive a
memory, that what he read or heard with interest, be
came his own, and hence his mind was a store house,
in which were deposited the riches which others as
well as himself had collected from the vast sources of
the natural, moral and scientific world. His percep
tion of things was remarkably clear, discriminating,
and consequently wonderfully correct. He almost in
tuitively saw the nature and bearing of things as soon
as presented to the sifting qualities of his discrimi
nating mind. His mind was so large and comprehen
sive, so trained in analysis, that he generally could
take in the whole ofa subject as well as distinguish
its minute parts; and hence he possessed in a more
than ordinary degree the rare talent of correctly clas-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 263
sifying and placing facts in a luminous order. The
versatility of his talents and the extent of his erudi
tion was truly extraordinary. He seemed to be capa
ble of fixing his mind with intensity on the most op
posite subjects, and there is scarcely a department of
literature or philosophy of science' or of medical
knowledge, with which he was not familiar. His let
ters to his friends were not only noted for their cor
rectness and purity of style, but for the scientific
knowledge they displayed, adorned with the imag
ery of a vivid imagination, which rendered them the
choicest of possessions with those who were fortunate
enough to receive them. His manliness was only
equalled by his highly cultivated mind, his highly
cultivated mind only by his desire and ability to be
useful." Although eminently social he was wonder
fully retiring and modest in his habits, and I most
conscientiously believe he was the only man I ever
knew, who never harbored a prurient thought. He
loved, nature, and was one of nature's truest noblemen.
In the life and character of Dr. Laban Hazeltine
wc see nurtured, with a beautiful and holy care,
"  those first affections,
Those shadowy recollections,
Which, be they what they mny,
Are yet the fountain light of all our day,
Are yet a master light of all our seeing;
Uphold us— cherish, — and have power to make
Our noisy years seem moments in the being
Of the eternal silence; truths that make
To perish never;
Which neither listlessness nor mad endeavor,
Nor man, nor boy,
Nor all that is at enmity with joy
Can utterly abolish or destroy." — Wordsworth.

264 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
After a short time Dr. Foote abandoned the pro
fession for politics, and the duties of various offices
which he from time to time filled. Both men for a
few years were extremely enthusiastic in studying the
remedial powers of the indigenous medicines of the
country. Learned physicians in New York, Philadel
phia and elsewhere wrote to Dr. Hazeltine long letters
of inquiry. He was considered authority on the sub
ject and he contributed to the early medical jour
nals liberally on this and other subjects.
To Laban and Content (Flagler) Hazeltine were
born ten children, all of whom died in infancy or child
hood excepting four, viz: Gilbert, Martha, Charlotte
and Richard. All of them were born in Jamestown ex
cepting John, who was born in Dutchess county and
there died in infancy.
Gilbert W., (the writer,) the third of this family,
has now passed his 70th year. He was educated in
the common schools — the Prendergast Academy and
The Academy of Jamestown and in Allegheny Col
lege into the Junior year, when he was obliged to leave
in consequence of disease of the eves. The college
course however he completed at home. His medical
education was gained by nearly six years' study in his
father's office. He then attended one course of lec
tures at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia,
where he was Assistant Demonstrator of Anatomy to
Dr. Grant who was ill and soon after died, the entire
labor devolving upon the writer. He went, with Pro
fessor Pattison from Jefferson to the University of the
City of New York and was one of the Demonstrators
of that school. In 1842 because of his father's sick
ness he resigned and came to Jamestown where he
has resided ever since. In 1843 he married Eliza Car-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 265
oline Boss, of Forestville, by whom he had four chil
dren and of whom two only are now living.
Mrs. Hazeltine was one of the most noble of wo
men. Her love of children and a desire to make them
happy was one of her most prominent characteristics.
She stood very high in the estimation of all who knew
her, and few die more universally and sincerely la
mented. We should feel that we had not fulfilled our
whole duty to our native town were we to omit placing
here a memorial written at the time of her death, by
one of her sincerest admirers, Abner Hazeltine.
DIED.
"Iii this village, on Monday, Aug. 20th, 1860, Mrs.
Eliza Caroline, wife of Dr. Gilbert W. Hazeltine of this
village, aged 35 years.
"The death of this estimable lady is an event too
sad to be merely announced by the usual passing no
tice stating her age, residence and departure. Real
worth, whenever or however manifested, should ever
receive that tribute to which it is entitled. It is not
only just to the memory of the departed, but is bene
ficial to the living, enabling them to see that a
useful and virtuous life has a hold upon our hearts,.
which no distinction based upon rank and wealth can
confer. Death levels all artificial distinctions; but it
does not subvert the nobility which is the fruit of a
well spent life. The subject of this notice sought not
fame. Her object was to be useful in the sphere in
which Providence had placed her; and that object she-
attained, by properly discharging the daily duties-
which devolved upon her as a wife and mother. In
these characters she was a model woman. If true
honor consists in acting well the part which the great

266 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Arbiter of events has assigned us, then did our de
parted friend achieve an elevated station among the
truly worthy. The character of the true woman,
drawn by inspiration, was exemplified in her life and
illustrated by her virtues.— 'Her works praise her.'"
He afterwards married Susan S. Fish by whom he
had one child. When we add that he was tolerably
successful as a physician, but that otherwise serious
misfortunes have marked his whole pathway and that
for ten years he has been an invalid, is all that need
be said. Martha was the fourth child. She became the
wife of Hon. S. P. Johnson, of Warren, Pa. She had
four children, three now living. She died in June,
1858. She was one of the most noble of women, best
of wives, and affectionate of mothers.
Charlotte, the fifth child, married Gilbert, Dolloff
Smith in 1844. He was the eldest son of Jesse Smith
and the eldest daughter of Capt. Horatio Dix already
mentioned. For many years Gilbert, and Charlotte
lived an unusually happy life and had one child.
The major was taken prisoner in Tennessee dur
ing the late war, stripped of his clothing even to his
hat and boots, aaid marched naked to a southern
prison pen and there died. The unpleasantness was
long ago settled and all is now peace and harmony —
nevertheless it makes our blood boil when we remem
ber how our brothers were tortured and murdered by
those southern fiends. The loss of the husband
opened up a new life to the devoted wife. But she
struggled through and educated her daughter, who
married a man by the name of Galbraith, by whom
she had three children. The mother was devoted to
the daughter and the grandchildren, but the life was

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 267
a sad one. I will sum it all up in one word — whiskey.
The daughter died suddenly and the little family
scattered. Charlotte took her youngest grand child,
an infant, to care for. The broken-hearted woman was
faithful, but the load was too*great and the silver cord
snapped. Before life ceased she was literally worn
out. We were with her two hours before her death.
She was elated with the prospect before her. She
wanted to die; she had lived long enough. "Oh do
not talk to me about living, talk of death, of father
and mother, of Gilbert and of Lottie; they are at rest;
let me go to them and enjoy the bliss of rest,"
Nothing is more certain in this world, than that the
rain falls on the just and the unjust. Calamities fall
not alone on those who, as it were, brought them upon
themselves and who deserve them, but upon the noble
and the good, those who seemingly deserved a better
fate. Surely the ways of tbe Almighty are past find
ing out. Richard Flagler Hazeltine married Jane, the
youngest daughter of Nicholas Sherman, an early set
tler of Busti. Pie is now a resident of Jamestown.
The present, Dr. Laban Hazeltine of our city is his sec
ond son.
If we said anything about the family of Laban
Hazeltine we could not say less, neither is more re
quired. Content, bis wife, survived him many years, and
died literally of old age, aged it.'!.
Before the coming of Dr. Hazeltine to Jamestown
Judge Prendergast, assisted by one of the best of wo
men, his wife, Aunt Nancy, as every one loved to call
her, was the successful and faithful physician of the
people. With considerable knowledge of disease and

268 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
of remedies, his sterling good judgment made him a
skillful and successful physician. From the first set
tlement up to November 9, 1815, there was not a single
death at the Rapids. The reguar physician came be
fore the skeleton with a Scythe. But we will defer this
part of the subject until we come to speak of Burial
Grounds and Cemeteries.
Dr. Foote at first used to declare that he intended
to go to the Western Reserve, but soon made the ac
quaintance of Miss Annie Cheney, daughter of Ebenezer
Cheney, Esq., whom he married. She was the mother
of his children although he was three times married.
Dr. Foote removed to New Haven, Connecticut, about
1842, and continued there to reside until his death.
Not long after the settlement of Hazeltine and
Foote in Jamestown, a poor, ragged, dirty old man
named Smith came to Busti. He always traveled on
foot; in warm weather barefooted or with his feet en
cased in a rude kind of moccasin, and with a dirty two-
bushel canvas grain bag thrown over his shoulder.
containing the roots and herbs used by him in the sick
room. One of the Owens's who lived at what now is known
as Fentonville, was taken violently ill with some deep-
seated difficulty of the throat. Dr. Foote was called, and
after making a second visit found him in so dangerous a
condition that he asked to have Dr. Hazeltine see the
patient with him the next day. Both of the learned
doctors gave it as their opinion that there would be one
Owens less in the Conewango^ valley within two or
three days ; that, they could do nothing for him. A
messenger was immediately dispatched to Busti for
Smith. He was found considerably under the influ
ence of corn juice, but with some assistance was seated

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 269
on the horse which was led all the way to Owens's — 13
miles as the roads then were. Arriving there Smith
was quite sober, but the bag of medicines had been left
behind. Smith examined his patient and then started
for the woods near b}' for his remedies. He soon re
turned with a basketful of stuff, but as he passed the
pig pen he picked up something which he carried in
and very privately mixed up in water and worried it
down the patient's throat, The dose made Owens
alarmingly sick and he was momentarily expected to
die. Owens's brother, who went with Smith to the
woods and had witnessed the whole transaction, swore
dire vengeance on Smith, who became so alarmed that
he decamped unnoticed. Presently Owens vomited
most, fearfully, and in doing so ruptured the walls of a
large abcess near the base of the neck which pressed on
the wind pipe and oesophagus. Immediately he could
breathe easily, could swallow without difficulty and
talk. Foote and Hazeltine were most roundly berated
for their d  nd ignorance and stupidity and Smith
lauded as one of the greatest of doctors, but poor Smith
was not, there to hear. Half frightened to death, he hid
himself away in the woods, and it was only after acci
dentally hearing what a great man he had become that
he ventured home. Owens was soon well. After learn
ing the truth of the matter he was accustomed to say
he was glad he sent for Smith for he believed it even
tuated in the saving of his life; but that lightning
seldom struck twice in the same place; that he wanted
nothing more of the filthy old fellow and his still more
filthy medicine,
Hazeltine and Foote were for many years the only
physicians in Jamestown. Occasionally a physician
would come in and remain a few weeks or months and

270 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
then would pass along. They were the only regular
physicians here to remain long. Previous to 1849, oc
casionally one came in and soon sought better loca
tions.

Dr. Samuel Foote studied medicine in the office
of his brother E. T. Foote, in Jamestown, and at an
early day practiced as an assistant to his brother. He
left the profession for several years and engaged in
lumbering and other mill operations at Waterboro, a
couple of miles beyond Kennedy. He afterwards re
turned to Jamestown and bought of James Harrison
his unfinished house, where the residence of the late
Mrs. A. F. Allen now stands, which he partially fin
ished and in which he resided for several years, prac
ticing medicine. He afterwards removed to Louisiana
where his only son resided, and remained several years.
He again returned to Jamestown a widower and alone
and resided for two or three years in a small house on
the southwest corner of Pine and Third streets, now
occupied by Bradshaw's feed store. On the morning
of 7th May, 1856, there was a meeting of the medical
society of Southwestern New York at the Allen house.
One of the members proposed that some one should go
up and see whjr Dr. Foote was not down. Dr. Gibbs
of Frewsburg went and found Dr. Foote dead, sitting
in his chair, The writer had called less than half an
hour previous and found him cheerful and expressing
himself as feeling so well that he believed he should
attend the medical meeting. His death had been so
instantaneous that his spectacles had not fallen from
his eyes or the book he was reading from his hand.
Cause of death, rupture of the heart,

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 271
Dr. Henry Sargent settled at an early day at
Sinclairville. He afterwards removed to Sears's, now
Kiantone, and practiced there for several years, He
finally removed to Warren, Pa., and had a lucrative
practice for years.' He, like Dr. Foote, died suddenly.

Dr. Cheney for several years lived near Nelson
Cheney's of whom he was probably a relative. What
became of him we are not informed.

Dr. Cornelius Ormes was induced by friends liv
ing in Panama to come and be their physician, I think
in the year 1833. On his first arrival there, after see
ing what a wilderness country it was and how few
inhabitants there were "to be sick and die that a phy
sician might live," the writer well remembers his say
ing to the late Dr. Hazeltine, "I shall not remain there
long;" and probably he would not have remained had
he not made the acquaintance of Miss Angeline Moore,
who acted as a lodestone to prevent his departure. He
remained a year and a half in a state of great uncer
tainty, longing to depart but finding it exceedingly
pleasant to remain; but love prevailed over self inter
est and ambition, and he married Miss Moore in 1835.
The result was that he remained in Panama over thirty
years in the successful practice of his profession. Four
children were born to Dr. Ormes ; his eldest son Fran
cis D. Ormes is now a physician in Jamestown. Several
years ago the writer had a conversation with the elder
Dr. Ormes, chiefly about the early days of the profes
sion in southern Chautauqua. He said, "Doctor, this
was a fearfully hard country to do business in; it is an
old saying that 'there is more pleasure in giving than
receiving,' and as I think this applies especially to

272 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
kicks, medicines and advice I remained in Panama."
Dr. Ormes removed from Panama to Jamestown in
1863, where he continued in the active duties of the
profession up to a short time before his death. He
died at his residence in Jamestown April 20, 1886, aged
79 years.

Dr. William P. Proudfit came to Jamestown to
reside in January, 1832. He was a thoroughly edu
cated physician, active and ambitious. He had not
been here long before he declared that it was no place
for him or for any other young man who desired to
make more than a bare living. He said, "There is
plenty of land to the acre here, but there are but few
men to the acre, and not sufficient sickness among them
to support the physicians previously on the ground.
I shall get away just as soon as I can find a place.
But he made the acquaintance of Elmer Freeman's
second daughter, Maria, and as usual in such cases,
this caused a delay, but not long. He married Alaria
Freeman in November of that year, and not long after,
I think the next season, he removed to Milwaukee,
which just at that time was becoming an important,
place. A few years later, (1843) he died while yet a
young man. AVm. H. Proudfit, our successful "big 33"
clothing man, is the only son of Dr. Proudfit. An
anecdote of the doctor, his old friends, we presume, will
never forget. A woman in a neighboring town noted
for her volubility and for always thinking she was sick,
had almost pestered the life oiit of the other village
doctors. One of them seeing her coining, told his stu
dent to semi her to Proudfit, and hid himself in the
back office. She had never beard of the new doctor
and was well pleased to go. She was scarcely within

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 273
the door when her tongue commenced running: "Doc
tor, I want you to prescribe for me." The doctor made
a few inquiries and felt her pulse and said; "Madam,
I think there is nothing the matter ; you only need
rest." Her tongue started and she used up half an
hour in telling the doctor about her aches and pains,
where she went to meeting, what her neighbors said,
where she bought her sugar and tea, what her husband
said, what medicine she had taken, what the other
doctors said, etc., etc. Proudfit got uneasy and began
to pace up and down the office and finally said,
"Madam, I am in a hurry; I cannot wait longer."
"Wish you would not be in a hurry. 1 wish to tell you
how I feel now, and how I have felt during the past
week." The doctor put on his hat and partly opened
the door. "Well, if you can't stay, look at my tongue,
do look at my tongue, and give me something to take;
just look at my tongue! look at it! Now, say, what
does that need ?" The doctor looked at it. " Madam,
I think that needs rest, too." " You do, you puppy,"
and greatly excited she raised her umbrella. Proudfit
clutched his hat and left on the double quick, and did
not stop until safely in Freeman's house and cosily
seated by Maria. "What is the matter, Doctor ; you
appear excited '!" "Nothing, nothing. Yes, a little
something. Perhaps I am a trifle excited. I have
just seen a woman's tongue."

Dr. Stephen I. Brown, not far from 1830, settled
in Busti. Brown was a genius. His countenance-
always reminded us of the pictures which have been
given of Oliver Goldsmith, and we apprehend that the
two men had many characteristics in common. Brown
was well read as a physician and a good practitioner,

274 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
but he preferred law to medicine, and we are informed
by a lawyer and a judge who was well acquainted with
Brown and who ought to know, that he had a thor
oughly legal mind, a fine knowledge of law, and might
have made an eminent lawyer. Brown was intemper
ate. It became necessary to amputate one of his'legs
on account of destructive disease in the foot and ankle.
But age, assisted by intemperance and disease, had not
left enough to insure the healing of the wound, and he
died from its effects.

Dr. Odin Benedict was not only a physician but
a prominent man in Chautauqua county for many
years, settled in the town of Ellery in the 3'ear 1826,
and was the first resident physician in that town. He
immediately took high rank as a physician, and in the
management of the affairs of the country. Soon after he
came into the county he married a Miss Copp of Ellery.
He had one son, Wm. C. Bendict, at the present time one
of the prominent men of his native town. Willis Ben
edict, a prominent lawyer in our city, is a grandson of Dr.
Benedict. Dr. Benedict was for many years supervisor
of the town, and twice was sent to the state legislature,
and for several of the last, years of his life was presi
dent of a bank in Dunkirk. He died in 1874.

From about 1830 the country gradually filled up
with physicians, as it increased in population; in fact,
to the older physicians, this increase appeared to be far
more rapid than the needs of the country required and
much to the detriment of the community as well as the
physician. Where previously a single professional
visit was considered necessary, half a dozen became
the rule.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 275
During the earlier years of this county's history,
the practice of medicine was among the most laborious
and fatigueing of pursuits. The roads were few and
almost impassable; the traveling was entirely on horse
back and mostly on old Indian trails, and the wilder
ness was full of howling wolves and screeching pan
thers. When a boy we have listened by the hour to the
recital of adventures in the deep forests of those days,
of Dr. Foote, Dr. Hazeltine, and others with the wild
animals of the woods. And we well remember that in
their opinion they were not so much to be dreaded as
most people imagined; that they seldom attacked a
man if they had a chance to get away, except when
famished by extreme hunger. Panthers were seldom
seen and probably were not numerous. The bear was
considered the really dangerous animal in our forests.
The doctors were frequently overtaken by the dark
ness when pursuing these paths or trails, and when
miles distant from any road or habitation, and when
their intelligent horses would stand still and refuse to
go farther. They would then tie their horses to the
nearest sapling and build a fire near some large tree ;
seat themselves at its roots and place their saddles and
saddle blankets over their legs for ^protection. So
wearied were they that frequently they would sleep
soundly, although the last sounds that saluted their
ears were the deep howl of the wolf, the wail'of the
panther or the lynx, or the screech of the owl and the
various noises of a well inhabited forest.
AVe shall always remember an instance related by
Dr. Foote as occurring in his experience not far from
what we now call Levant, in what was thenfaiown as
the Mudd neighborhood, in which the_ wolves came
so near that he struck one over the'''head: with his

276 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
heavy riding whip; and of their sudden leaving in an
swer to a call from some other portion of the woods; of
his climbing into a low hemlock tree; of his hearing
the barking of a dog in the early morning and finding
himself but a few rods from a log house where he found
his horse which had broken loose and gone away dur
ing his scrimmage with the wolves.
During the first years, Dr. Hazeltine generally
traveled with a small dog who he considered an
almost infallible protection, and who on more than one
occasion piloted him out of the woods. He found that
his horse would readily follow the dog in the woods on
a dark night, when he would not move a single step
without him. In traveling these primitive woods the
great danger consisted in leaving the old, well beaten
trail to go around a wind-fall, or to seek a more prom
ising place to ford a stream, or foolishly thinking they
could take a more direct course to the place they de
sired to reach. To leave the trail was generally a prep
aration for spending a night in the forest, Physicians
frequently took rides that required two or three days to
accomplish. Dr. Hazeltine frequently went to Warren
and below, and on several occasions as far from home
as to Franklin, Pa. It now seems almost impossible
that any one could or would endure the hardships and
dangers and privations which were the common lot of
physicians when the country was a wilderness, and
when the 'pay^received for their services would not
equal that received by a sawyer in one of the mills.
If any class of human beings wbo have ever lived de
served the gratitude of their fellows and liberal pen
sions for benefits gratuitously bestowed, it was the pio
neer physicians of southern Chautauqua.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 277
DRUGS AND MEDICINES.
For many years the only medicinesjkept for sale
in the village of Jamestown was at the pharmacies of
Drs. Foote and Hazeltine which were kept in rooms in
their residences. These pharmacies were adequate to
supply all the ordinary needs of the country at that
time, and were the sources of much profit to their own
ers. Dr. Hazeltine's pharmacy was much the larger
and the one mostly patronized up to 1829, when Dr.
Foote became postmaster. He then built a long, one-
story building on Main street, 16x40, on the south por
tion of the lot now occupied by Proudfit's clothing
store. Barrett & Baker's store was the next building
north, and between the two was a 12-foot passage way
to the store house back of the stores. Foote succeeded
Hazeltine as postmaster and removed the postoffice to
the back end of this building, using the front of it, it
might be said, as the first drug store in Jamestown.
In this he was succeeded first by Smith Seymour, a
brother-in-law, and afterwards by Joseph Kenyon; both
in turn became postmaster. After the Hall block was
built on the north side of Third street, the store next
to Potter's alley was occupied by John S. Yates, the
father of Henry Yates, Esq., and by J. Elliott Chapin,
(both sons-in-law of Solomon Jones) as a drug store.
Yates previously had studied medicine in Dr. Foote's
office, but circumstances prevented his becoming a
physician. Chapin was the first and for several years
the teacher of the district school in the lower room of
The Academy after its removal to the corner of Cherry
and Fourth streets. For many years he was a minister
of the Methodist church, but is now, I think, superan
nuated. During the summer Chapin and his wife
occupy their fine cottage at Chautauqua, and no one

278 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
appears to enjoy its great privileges more than they.
Yates and Chapin sold out to Ken yon, and he moved
the postoffice to that store in the fall of 1838. Nathan
Sears about, that time opened a drug and book store in
the Plumb store where Scofield & Co's store now
stands. The writer very distinctly remembers the
commencement of Sears in business; for he traded with
him his favorite gun "Old Kill Deer" for the first set of
Waverly Novels, in twenty double volumes, that were
ever brought to Jamestown. A year or so previously
Russell D. Shaw started a drug store in a small build
ing just above Fenner's shoe store. Russell D. Shaw
was afterward succeeded by his brother, AVarner D.
Shaw, who later was for many years proprietor of
Shaw's hotel. These were the only drug stores previ
ous to 1844 when Parsons of AVestfield (Chauncey C.
Burtch) bought out Kenyon who was then located on
the northeast corner of Main and Third streets, and G.
W. Hazeltine, (D. T. Brown it Co.,) opened a drug and
book store in the Allen house on Main street in what
would be now the southwest corncrof the Gifford block
occupied by Marble Hall.
The present is a good occasion to compare rents
on Main street, between tbe present and forty-two years
ago. The store occupied was in an excellent brick
building erected two years previous by A. F. and D.
Allen, and then known as the Allen house. The store
mentioned above as occupied by D. T. Brown it Co.,
was twenty-four feet wide, seventy-five feet deep, and
fourteen feet from the floor to ceiling, with extra
counters and shelving together with a light, airy cellar
with a permanent floor, ten feet, longer than the store.
For this store the writer took a, five-year's lease at $75
a year. At that time we think the rent of any other
; tore in town must have been less, for this was the best
room for a store at that time in town.

CHAPTER XI.
Human Life an Allegory — Inn of Court — A7olun-
teers in 1861 — Jamestown's Patriotism — Sam
uel A. Brown — Abner Hazeltine — E. F. War
ren — Lorenzo Morris — Geo. W. Tew — R, P.
Marvin — Joseph Waite — Franklin H. Waite
Madison Burnell — Orsell Cook.
human life  an allegory.
History, be it of a community, or more preten
tious and important, as of a state or an empire- — is but
the history of human life — the actors being the same,
varying only as to the high stations some have been
called to occupy during their earthly career. The
history of the lesser personages will- be read by an in
terested few, the most important of these only, follow
ing the same rule that governs the history of larger
communities, of states and of empires. The conduct
and the consequent station held, is truly the subject of
history and not the human life in which it is devel
oped. And conduct, Matthew Arnold declares is two-
thirds of human life. If this is even an approach to
truth, of what vast importance is the healthy growth
and right education not only to the individual but to
the community, the state and the world.

280 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
We have somewhere read an allegory, in which
human life was likened to a journey over a hill, the
sides of which are more or less precipitous, the ascent
rugged and uneven, with pleasant looking groves con
stantly in sight but not quite on the beaten path the
youthful traveler is advised and expected to take. In
these groves are seen lovely forms dancing to strains
of sweetest music, or reclining on beds of flowers, and
drinking from crystal cups a fluid, golden, or with the
deepest hues of the dark-red rose. The guides who are
to attend the company just setting out warn those in
their charge against these apparently beautiful groves
and point them to a beautiful castle on the brow
above. That they should bend all of their energies
towards reaching that edifice. It was true their route
in portions of the way was somewhat rough and in no
part quite as inviting in appearance as about these
groves which were scattered along the entire distance,
but that from the castle of Good Conduct all of the
most desirable routes over the plain of human life be
yond, commenced; that those who took the pleasant
looking paths through the groves seldom arrived at
the castle and were obliged to travel less desirable
routes over the plain, and which led to very undesir
able places on the other side from which to make their
descent into the city of Monuments.
The party of which we were one, listened with lit
tle attention to what the guides said to us. AVe were
impatient to commence the real work of life, we
longed to be free from the sweet, restraints in the flow
ery grove of infancy and childhood where a loving
mother and a doting father had so far watched over
us. Where every want had been supplied, where every
pure desire satisfied. AVe made a hasty visit to the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 281
nursery to kiss good bye to our infant brothers and sis
ters, crawling on beds of violets, or sleeping on pillows
of roses. They had just entered into human life, and
they smiled the joy of their new-born existence. True
many of them wept and wailed, but their weeping was
of short duration; — the presentation of a single flower,
would cause a smile in the midst of their tears, so that
nothing was more common than to see two tears
standing like pearl drops on their eye lids or trickling
down cheeks filled with dimples and smiles. We
were delighted, and for a moment inclined to tarry and
play with these new-born humans, which raised in
our minds the idea of angels and cherubs, and we
called them such, and we thought we heard a voice,
seemingly in the clouds, saying, "Of such is the King
dom of Heaven," and then the thought came to us,
that the more we retained and carried with us of this
scene, the happier and more successful would be our
journey. We passed along and although daily admonished
by our guides, found ourselves wandering contin
ually to the pleasant paths in the groves. Not unfre-
quently we found ourselves in thickets of thistles
and nettles. But these errors are not always irretriev
able, although they leave indellible marks and in
fluence the future. After numerous accidents by the
way, we were among the few that arrived at the cas
tle and finally with many admonitions by the keep
ers in charge was allowed to enter. Here we were
thoroughly schooled as to the dangers of the plain,
tbe hidden pitfalls, the sloughs and the quicksands*
the thickets of thorns and the rocks and the precipices.
The best routes were plainly in view and thoroughly
explained. The guides who came with us up to the

2S2 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
plain were to attend us no longer, but guide books
were placed in our hands and it was said to us. if we
followed their direction we would have no difficulty.
We advanced -with eagerness, studied our guide books
faithfully and for a time followed their direction.
But some of the views we deemed old fogyish and we
were quite certain that some more modern guides had
pointed out more pleasant, more direct and less diffi
cult paths. We found ourselves continually exploring
these new ways. We deviated without scruple from
the old paths, to which but few faithfully adhered;
and what greatly encouraged us was the fact that the
best, the most gifted, and highest intelligences, who
started with us at the nursery, were with us at the
castle of Good Conduct and were with us now. Finally
we concluded not to return to the old paths at all, al
though we were continually coming to paths which
led to them. The most of us passed on, each by paths of
his own choosing, for of these by-paths there were
many; those we chose we found beset by many diffi
culties and dangers. The pitfalls were so many that
more than once we stumbled into one,, receiving ser
ious injuries, and finally became so maimed that we
have traveled along on crutches ever since. Indeed,
on that part of the route in which the traveler is most
prone to travel in by-paths, the dangers and difficul
ties are the greatest, We saw the beauty of the flow
ers, we heard the music of the birds, and all nature
appeared full of delight, but instead of plucking the
modest sweet scented flowers in the best cultivated
gardens, we wandered into the fields and forests and
plucked the gaudy, scentless, poisonous, deadly night
shade, and the purple belladonna and the red and
golden poppy. The music of the songsters of the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 283
grove gave place to the croak of the ill-boding crow
and the screech of the owl. The sky became over
cast with clouds, obscuring the bright sun by day
and through which the bright stars refused to twinkle
by night. When we attempted to return we found
that we could not find the way; our faces became
clouded with weariness and care. Weary, footsore and
crippled, we commenced the descent. From time to
time we saw our companions fall into the pitfalls
which abound in the down hill side of life; they were
so weak and feeble and maimed that they . made no
attempt to get out and there perished. As we passed
along in diminished numbers we beheld man}7 de
lightful scenes, beautiful gardens, delightful song
birds, but tliere appeared to be a gulf difficult of pas
sage, and we did not attempt it, although we saw
many old friends yvho traveled with us up the hill and
over part of the plain on the top beckoning to us with
great solicitude and we could hear their voices saying,
"Come over here; here we have plenty to eat and to
drink and to wear; everything is delightful, the flow
ers never fairer, the music of the birds never so sweet.
It is not as difficult to pass through that gulf as it
seems, and we have a doctor over here who will cure
your wounds and relieve you of your crutches." We
consult our companions. They are too weary and too
much crippled to make the attempt, and beg of us not
to leave them. They gather around and bind heavy
weights on our limbs and even take away the crutches
on which we had depended. We continued to de
scend, crawling as best we could. We have not kept
up with our companions; most of them have reached
the foot of the hill. We do not see them, but we see
beautiful quiet groves in which arise here and there

284 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
equally beautiful spires and white marble structures
which mark, we presume, their quiet homes. We are
nearly' down, will soon be there and equally quiet, Is
not this a true picture in a majority of cases of human
life and human destiny? Let every one who reads, re
flect, and make application for himself.
our country's defenders.
We had a much occupied building, which filled a
space of about 20x£0 feet on the southwest corner of
Third street and Mechanic's alley. It was a two-story
building with a basement, painted white. This, to
gether with Waite's stone law office which stood
directly west of it, disappeared about twenty-five years
ago in the same way that so many of Jamestown's early
buildings disappeared, — in fire and smoke; the location
of these and other early time buildings is now covered
by the Sherman House. James Harrison erected the
building in 1828 for his watch repairing and jewelry
establishment, In 1831 it came into the possession of
AVood & Curtis as a boot and shoe store, and not long
afterwards was used for Lathrop's hat shop. After
Lathrop ceased business C. W. Jackson used the lower
rooms for gun repairing, and for finishing up house
bells, and the basement as a bell foundry ; the upper
rooms were used as a printing office, for the Under
current, the Liberty Star and the Jamestown Herald.
After Jackson vacated the building, the lower story and
basement were for a year or more used in a variety of
ways, and by various persons. Finally the building
was purchased by the Hon. R, P. Marvin, and the
occupancy of it fell to tbe lawyers. It became a sort, of
lawyers' headquarters for a time — an Inn of Court, as
it would be termed in London. Among the lawyers
occupying this building at the same time was the Hon.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 285
R. P. Marvin, who then was judge of the Supreme
court and occupied the back rooms; Madison Burnell,
Capt. James M. Brown, (afterwards Col. James M.
Brown, killed at Fair Oaks,) John F. Smkh, (after
wards Col. Smith, killed at Fort Fisher) and others,
and a number of law students. It was a busy place,
and withal a patriotic place, at the breaking out of the
late war. The Judge sent two sons to the country's
defence — AVilliam was a sacrifice upon that bloody
altar, the other is the present Gen. Selden E. Marvin
of Albany. Burnell became the celebrated home ora
tor, urging the able bodied man to shoulder his
musket and march forthwith to the front. Capt,
Brown at the first alarm raised Jamestown's celebrated
Co. B, and was among the first to report for action; he
soon became ( 'olonel of the 100th regiment of N. Y.
Infantry; the last he was ever seen he stood on a stump
on the battle field of Fair Oaks, waving his sword, for
saken by his men. As he was not mounted he prob
ably was fatally wounded at that time. His body re
turned to mother earth on Ahrginia soil. John F.
Smith, as soon as he could arrange his business, also
raised a company and followed his partner Brown to
the field. He fell leading his men to the desperate
charge of Fort Fisher. As he sat on the ground sur
rounded by his officers he predicted that he would be
killed that day. His body came back wrapped in his
country's flag, and rests in the peaceful shades of Lake
View cemetery. Col. John F., Smith and his brother
Capt. Hiram N. Smith, and the captain's two sons Mil
ton and AVilliam, sleep side by side. Brave men !
Such were the ones that Ellicott sent to her country's
defence. An act of heroism of Capt. Hiram Smith should

286 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
be recorded. After a battle (Williamsburg, I think)
his son Milton who belonged to the same regiment,
was not among those mustered after the battle. Smith
knew he was either killed or wounded. After mid
night he went alone over that gloomy battle field,
guided by the sickly light of the moon ; he beheld
the outstretched forms of the dead and heard moans
and groans of the dying. Every few paces he halted
and called, "Milton ! Milton!" Finally his call was
met by the feeble response of "Here I am father; I am
shot, I cannot get up." He was fatally wounded.
Smith took, his wounded, dying son in his arms and
conveyed him to the hospital, where he soon expired-
It was at a time when leave of absence, and more
especially transportation, were with great difficulty to
be procured. Capt, Smith was furloughed for ten days
to go home and bury his son. But there was no trans
portation. Smith took letters from the Colonel and
General, ivrrtpped his dead sun in his blanket, and went
aboard a boat at Fortress Monroe. The living and the
dead bunked together until they arrived at Baltimore ;
there a coffin was procured and the next day Smith ¦
and his dead child were in Jamestown. His telegram
had been received and everything was in readiness.
The burial was the next morning, and the day after
Smith was on his way back to the Peninsula. These
are the bare facts. Such were the men who defended
us in the great war of the Rebellion.
We would have the memory of this lowly building
embalmed in the remembrance of every citizen as the
headquarters of patriotism and love of country in
Jamestown, in 1<S01. There the old man gave up his
sons and younger men their homes, their wives and

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 287
children, to become sacrifices on the altar of their
country's needs. SAMUEL A. BROWN.
Hon. Samuel A. Brown was the first lawyer to
settle in Jamestown. He was the son of Col. Daniel
Brown of Connecticut. When but eighteen years of
age he left his home and came west to his brother's,
who was a lawyer in Otsego county in this state, and
with whom he studied law. He left his brother's house
in the summer of 1816 on horseback, and after travel
ing as far west as Painesville, Ohio, viewing the country
and forecasting its future prospects, he returned to this
state. Meeting Jacob Houghton, Esq., at the Cross
Roads he was induced to ride over to therapids, which
at that time was beginning to be known by its new
name of Jamestown. He arrived here in November,
and after consulting with Judge Prendergast, Dr. Ha
zeltine and Abner Hazeltine, who wtis then studying
law under Houghton, and Edward AVork, he concluded
to prepare for examination in Houghton's office, and
to apply for admission as an attornej7 at the coming
common pleas of Chautauqua. He boarded at Dish
er's tavern, and opened an office in the northeast cor
ner of a new unfinished building on the southwest cor
ner of Main and Third streets.
In March, 1819, Mr. Brown married Prudence 0.
daughter of Capt. Cotes of Otsego county. Capt, Cotes
resided in the same village in which Brown had studied
law with his brother. He soon returned with his wife
and that season erected a low, one-story building with
a front and backroom on the ground now occupied by
the store built by Dr. Simons on Alain street, next to
the Ormes residence. In the back room of this office
Mr. and Mrs. Brown lived for several months after their

288 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
marriage, and boarded a portion of the mechanics en
gaged in building their house, which was located
where the Ormes residence now stands.
Mrs. Brown did her cooking by the side of a big
oak stump back of the office, over which a slight shel
ter of boards had been placed. This stump was stand
ing long after the writer's remembrance, Mr. Brown
preserving it as a memento of the past, and was very
fond of showing it to his friends as Mrs. Brown's first
kitchen. In fair weather Mrs. Brown was accustomed
to set her table for her boarders by the side of the
stump on a platform over which a shelter of boards
had been placed. Brown in after years in showing his
friends the limited accommodations of his early house
keeping was accustomed to say: " Well and then, gen
tlemen and ladies, I can assure you we had ample ac
commodations, plenty of room — especially in Airs.
Brown's dinin' room and kitching. We slept in the
back room of the offis, 10x20; it contained besides our
bed all of our furniture, but the room was ample."
In 1828 he was appointed district attorney for the
county and held the office up to 1838. In 1826 he be
came agent for the "Cheny ATalle}r Land Co.", who
owned a large tract of land in the eastern part of the
county. For many years he paid to the soldiers of the
Revolution their pensions. He was elected a member
of Assembly in 1827 and again in 1845. In 1824 he
lost the election by two votes to Nathan Mixer of the
north part of the county. He was among the fore
most in all educational matters, and for many years an
elder of the Presbyterian church. He was always fore
most in any business or plans for the advancement or
care of the village. In 1829 Richard P. Marvin be
came his partner in business; Mr. Marvin retiring,

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 289
George W. Tew, who had studied law in his office, be
came his partner in 1831. Afterwards his three sons
successively — 1st Charles C, 2d Theodore, and 3d, Le
vant were his partners. None of these sons are now
living. The Ormes residence was built by Brown a
few years before his death. Mr. and Mrs. Brown were
among the very best of Jamestown's early residents.
He was remarkable for his industry, perseverance and
close attention to business. He was a strict adherent
of Franklin's rule, -'Keep your place of business and it
will keep you."
Samuel A. Brown was a man of a remarkably
cheerful temperament, quick and active mind, and
appeared to great advantage as a conversationalist.
He conversed without effort and without pretense, but
with great humor and wit and with skillful adaptation
to the tastes of his hearers. He was ready to converse
on all subjects, whether well understood by him or
not, and with all classes of persons. What he lacked
in knowledge of the subject he made up in wit, and
never lapsed into garrulity. He would engage in- a
grave discussion upon important subjects when the
occasion required, but he hated disputation and dog
matism and seldom failed to divert the current of argu
ment by some stroke of humor or quaint extravagance-
of remark. His more pointed and brilliant sayings.
should be preserved, although they could give but a,
faint reflection of his wit, and do imperfect justice to-
the shrewdness, humor and good sense of his conver
sation. The humorous sayings of a lively, quick-wit
ted talker like Brown cannot be reproduced in print,
their point and delicacy are sure to be lost in the pro
cess; they sparkle only in the atmosphere in which
they were produced. He was a keen observer of men

290 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
and often exposed the weaknesses and foibles of others
with quick and pungent satire — sometimes not spar
ing his best friends and associates; but there was no
malice in his wit, nor any disposition to inflict a ser
ious wound. His sarcasms were sometimes apparently
thoughtless, but never harsh or intentionally unkind,
and he would go far to do a kind deed for those whose
faults or peculiar position he had just visited with
playful severity. Always pleasant and agreeable, and
eminently social, his society was courted by all, and
during his whole life he was always found among the
foremost in all undertakings for the building up of
the town and advancing the welfare of its citizens.
From first to last more young men studied law in
Brown's office than in any other. Mr. Brown was a
devoted and affectionate husband and father. He
had a large family- — eleven children in all, five of
whom died in infancy or childhood. But three of the
children are now living. Prudence Olivia Cotes, wife
of S. A. Brown died in 1862. Samuel A. Brown died
June 7, 1865, sincerely lamented by all who knew
him.

ABNER HAZELTINE.
Hon. Abner Hazeltine came to Jamestown in No
vember, 1815, taught school three seasons in James
town and studied law under Judge Houghton. In
the summer of 1819 he was admitted as an attorney
in the supreme court, and returned to AVardsboro, A"er-
mont and married Polly Kidder in September of that
year. He returned in November and settled in AVar
ren, Pa. Three years afterwards he returned to
Jamestown. A talented young lawyer named Shel
don Smith, had settled in Jamestown nearly two years

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 291
previous, but his health, which had always been deli
cate, began to fail rapidly and he left the town and
went to Buffalo where for several years he stood in the
front rank of the profession. Samuel A. Brown says
of him in his History of the Town of Ellicott, that he
was a man of talent and an able lawyer. That when
a resident, here he amused himself and others in writ
ing humorous poetical effusions and still more humor
ous accounts of some of the crooked transactions that
happened here at an early day, especially those of the
"Junto." The writer is now the owner of the papers
spoken of by Mr. Brown, and although they deal in
facts he has no desire to draw upon them for this His
tory. Sheldon Smith died in Buffalo, of consumption
in 1S36. The office vacated by Smith in the back end
of the second story of Tiffany's store and which was
reached from Second street by stairs on the outside at
the east end, was soon occupied by Abner Hazeltine.
He continued to practice law in Jamestown up to
within a few days of his death, December 20, 1879.
His first wife died October 14, 1832, leaving three
children; the fourth died in childhood. Two years af
ter he married Aiatilda Hayward, who died April 1,
1877, leaving, three children all of whom are now liv
ing; of the first, family two only are living at the pres
ent writing. Abner Hazeltine in 1828, also in 1829,
was elected assemblyman of the state; in 1832, also in
1834, he was elected member of congress. In 1847 he
was made district attorney for ( 'bautauqua county,
and in 1.S59 and 1S73 was elected judge. He was one
of the founders of the Congregational church in James
town in 181(5, the first religious society formed in
Jamestown. The following extracts from the proceedings of

292 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the Chautauqua Bar in reference to- the Hon. Abner
Hazeltine, we take from a heavy document which
would fill a dozen such papers as this, and it is -all so
true, without undue laudation, from the address of
Judge Barker to the closing speech, that the writer
would be pleased to give place to the whole as a trib
ute to one of the best of men.
Mr. Jenkins says: "Mr. Chairman, I knew Judge
Hazeltine for a long number of years. There was a
characteristic of his of which I wish to speak. In the
younger days of my professional life I looked upon
him as a model to be kept in view. It was one great
characteristic of his life, that he read the law as a
grand science worthy of the best efforts of his life. AYho
is there among you from Jamestown, who in going
home late at night, have not noticed the flickering at
the window of that tallow candle, without feeling
aware that Abner Hazeltine was there and would be
there until after midnight, wrapt in deepest study, his
brain teeming with the grandest thoughts, and with
heart intent on the performance of duty? He was a
model judge, and he had a heart full of sympathy and
goodness. His intellect was trained to a higher and
holier life by that industry the young men might well
imitate. He stood out like the oak that had long
withstood the blast of many winters and fell by its
own weight at last."
Hon. Austin Smith, of Westfield, speaks of him
as "one who has always distinguished himself as an
honest and upright man in every position he has oc
cupied in life. As a member of the State Legislature,
as a Member of Congress, as District Attorney, as
Judge of Chautauqua county, and in all the varied re
lations of life."

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 293
Hon. Lorenzo Morris, of Fredonia, says : " That
in any relation in which you could meet him, either
professionally or socially, you could never leave him
without an admiration for him and without feeling
you had been meeting a great, good and perfectly bal
anced man."
Judge George Barker thanked the bar for invit
ing him to the chair on an occasion so important,
" This meeting will be the most distinguished in our
annals — for Abner Hazeltine was the oldest in years
and practice of the lawyers of this county. His life
has been so useful and so honorable, characterized by
so many virtues, and at this bar so pre-eminent, and
his departure delayed to a period so far beyond the
privilege of most men to live — so full of honors and so
full of usefulness, that it is a pleasure, a sad one in
deed, to speak of his life and character on this occa
sion. And whatever may be spoken of him at this
time by his brethren who survive him will be but
speaking the sentiments of every citizen of this county.
He was known to us and to every inhabitant. He
outlived all his earliest associates in the profession,
and I doubt not survived the first client he ever had.
Judge Hazeltine enjoyed one advantage which all the
members of the legal profession in this county did not
have, and that was a collegiate education. This early
education distinguished his whole life. I never heard
him speak on any occasion to court or jury, to people
or to fellow associates, without he expressed himself
in the completest manner and with the most thorough
diction." Many persons studied law in Abner Hazeltine's
office. Prominent among them was —
Hon. Abner Lewis, who afterwards was Member

294 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
of Assembly in 1839 and Member of Congress from
1847 to 1849, and County Judge in 1852. Soon after
his term of office expired he emigrated to the west and
there died a few years ago.
Hon. Emory F. Warren studied law in the office
of Hon. R. P. Marvin, and practiced law in Jamestown
from in 1834 to 1846. He soon became a partner of
Mr. Marvin's, and succeeded Abner Hazeltine as ed
itor of the Journal, and wrote a history of Chautauqua
county, often referred to, and which was published by
J. Warren Fletcher in 1846. In 1841 Mr. Burnell, who
had studied law in the office of Marvin & Warren, be
came the partner of Mr. Marvin, AVarren retiring and
becoming the partner of Abner Hazeltine. In 1840
Mr. Warren was appointed an Examiner in Chancery
by Gov. Seward. He was elected a Alember of Assem
bly in 1842 and 1843. In 1846 finding that his health
was failing he removed to a farm in Stockton and took
to agriculture. At the close of the same year his health
was so improved that he concluded to resume the prac
tice of law at Sinclairville, where he continued until
1856. He was appointed Postmaster in Sinclairville
in 1849, and held that appointment for several years,
In 1855 he was elected Surrogate of Chautauqua
county, and the next year removed to Fredonia. In
1859 he was appointed Commissioner in the Court of
Claims at Washington. He held the office of Excise
Commissioner for Chautauqua county from 1S61 to
1870. He was county Judge for six years ending in
1877. We are not aware that at the present time the
Judge holds any office — he is too old — yet we are in
formed in good health, goes to his office daily, and is
as busy with his law books and papers as ever, al
though he has slipped into the seventh year of his

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 295
eighth decade. What long lives these honest lawyers
are permitted to enjoy.
Judge Warren was born in Madison county in
1810, and came with his father to this county to
reside when a little more that eight years old. He
was an old settler and dates back to 1819. He
was made into a lawyer in Jamestown. Fredonia will
probably take charge of his funeral services and fur
nish the usual memorials.
Hon. Lorenzo Morris came from Madison county
with his father to Chautauqua in 1829, when iess than
twelve years old. His early education was that of the
common schools and Mayville academy. He read law,
first with Judge Thomas A. Osborne in Mayville and
afterwards with Orsell Cook in Jamestown. In 1841
he was admitted, and became a partner of Judge
Cook's. In 1844 he removed to Mayville, and in 1852
to Fredonia where he has since lived, one of the prom
inent lawyers of the county and is still active in the
"whereas," "nevertheless" "notwithstanding" profession
of his early choice. If as an advocate the mantle of
Madison Burnell fell upon the shoulders of any com
peer, it will be found in the possession of Lorenzo
Morris. Unfortunatelj' for his political preferment he
has been an uncompromising Democrat, a very unfash
ionable kind of politics in this highly enlightened
county, but exceedingly fortunate for his standing as a
lawyer. The only accident that has broken in to lessen
his high standing as a Counsellor and Advocate before
a jury was his election in 1867 to the Senate of the
state of New York by his fellow citizens, the Republi
cans of the district, We claim him as belonging on
the south side of the ridge.
Joseph Waite came from A7ermont with wife and

296 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
two children and all his worldly goods in a two-horse
wagon, and settled on a small farm in the town of Car
roll in 1816. He moved to Jamestown in 1821, and
commenced the study of law after he was thirty-six
years old. He became a successful lawyer and had a
good practice up to 1854, when he emigrated to Wis
consin, where he died the next year of apoplexy. He^
was atone time District Attorney for the county. He
was a good specimen ofa self-made man. His remain's
rest in Lake View cemetery by the side of Olive Davis
his wife, who died in Jamestown, in 1851.
Franklin H. AVaite, the eldest son of Joseph
Waite, studied law in his father's office and for several
years was in company with his father. He was a young
man of much promise. At one time he was Postmas
ter. He married Adeline, the eldest daughter of San-
ford Holman, spoken of in a previous chapter. He was
the oldest and leader of the boys of the village of the
writer's set. He vas our leader when we went to the
swamp to cut red willows for horses, foremost in play
ing ball, captain in the duties of the crate. AVhen the
boys played at soldiers, Frank Waite was captain,
Gust Allen was lieutenant, and the writer drummed
on a quite peculiar drum that had been prepared for
him. Rev. Dr. Hiram Eddy was the tallest and his
brother, Rev. Dr. Zack Eddy, next tallest of the high
privates. Dasc. (Dascum Allen) would not train be
cause he could not be captain. Many years ago AVaite
sought a larger field in the west. At Mankato, in
Minnesota, he became a judge of the courts, and at the
time of his death was a very important, man in that
region of the country.
Hon. Geo. W. Tew read law in S. A. Brown's
office and became his partner in 1831. Mr. Tew came

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 297
to Jamestown in 1825 and opened a shop for the man
ufacture of tin and sheet iron ware, in the building
north of Shaw's hotel, already spoken of as Noah's
Ark. He was elected County Clerk in 1834, and re
moved to Mayville and never returned to Jamestown
to reside. He was again elected County Clerk in 1837.
In 1841 he became Cashier of the bank of Silver Creek
and removed from Maj'ville to that place. He after
wards became President of the bank and continued to
reside in Silver Creek as long as he lived. Just before
his removal to Jamestown in 1825 he married Mary D.
Alger, by whom he had four children, one dying in
infancy. In 1840 he married Mrs. Caroline Reynolds,
by whom he had three children. His two sons, G. W.
Tew- and Willis Tew, are now residents of Jamestown,
the one president and the other vice president of the
City National bank.
Judge Richard P. Marvin, Esq., came to James
town in 1829. From the first he has been one of
Jamestown's prominent men and one of the leading
lawyers of the county and of western New York. It
may be truly said of him, he was the originator of
the N. Y. & Erie railroad. He frequently spoke of the
feasibility and the necessity of this road to his friends,
not only in Jamestown but in various parts of the state,
long before the project took form, and to his constantly
keeping it before the public is due the first commence
ment of this great road. Notwithstanding his studious
habits and close application to the duties of his profes
sion, he was a great favorite among the young people
of Jamestown. In the fall of 1834 he married Isabella
Newland of Albany, a sister of Robert Newland of our
city. He was a member of congress for four years from
1837 to 1841. In 1847 he was elected judge of the

298 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Eighth judicial district, which office he held by re-
elections for nearly twenty-five years and until he
reached the age by which he was incapacitated by law,
and that was many years ago. No man walks our
streets standing more erect than the Judge. No man
is more interested and busy, planning for the present
and future welfare of our city than the Judge. No
man is more regularly in his office, busily engaged in
preparing important law papers than Judge Richard
P. Marvin. AVe have been urged to give a fuller mention to
Judge Marvin, and intended to do so and had
written a long article in addition to the above, but
have concluded to lay it aside. The Judge is yet liv
ing, hale and healthy, and quite as good looking as
sixty years ago, notwithstanding he has for several
years been an octogenarian. We hope he will live to
be one hundred years old, and we believe he will. It
is not for us to write the biography of this great minded,
active, busy old man.
Judge Orsell Cook commenced the study of law
in Brown & Tew's office near the same time Madison
Burnell commenced in the office of Marvin & Warren.
In due time he was admitted and has from that time been
one of Jamestown's prominent and most trusted law
yers. Many young men received their legal education
under his tutelage. AVe think a majority of them from
time to time have been his partners. In 1839 he mar
ried Ann Tew, a sister of Geo. W. and W. H. Tew, < by
whom he had three children, all of whom are living,
married and residents of Jamestown. In 1S49 he mar
ried Eliza Reed Dexter, by whom he had one child.
In 1844 and in 1847 he was elected Surrogate, and in
1863 and in 1867 County Judge, stations he filled with

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 299
great satisfaction to the people. Gov. Fenton's home
office for many years was with Judge Cook, and he was
his confidential friend and advisor. The Judge is still
engaged in the active duties of his profession. He is
truly one of Jamestown's land marks. Erect in per
son and venerable in appearance, and like Judge Mar
vin, good looking as all old judges appear to be, James
town is truly proud of her venerable judges, and has
the greatest reasons for being so. Judge Cook is in
good health and as busy as ever in his office; we trust
he has many years before him. W"e leave him in his
studious quiet to finish his course and to become a
prominent figure in some future history.
MADISON BURNELL.
A more than passing notice becomes necessary of
this extraordinary man. There were no very remark.
able incidents in his life, but in his intellectual and
moral make up, there was a fascination and a charm
no one could resist. We shall therefore make only
such references to his public career as will enable us
to make manifest his personal characteristics as a man
and a lawyer.
Madison Burnell was born in Chautauqua county
on the 10th day of February, 1812. He was one of
Chautauqua's first borns. His father, Judge Joel Bur
nell, settled in what is now the town of Charlotte, in
the year 1810. The Judge is described by one who
knew him well, as a man of "original and brilliant in
tellect and of superior mental endowments and sound
judgment." Madison was the second of a family of
eleven children. His childhood and youth were spent
on the paternal farm, where he shared in the toil of
changing the wilderness into cultivated fields. Both
father and mother were persons of remarkable intelli-

300 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
gence and judgment and great readers. Brought up
by such parents it would be indeed strange if tbe son
did not share their tastes; indeed, it is said of him
that he was inclined to read whatever came within his
reach, and that consisted of his father's law books,
to which were added a fair library of religious and
theological works, for his father was a preacher as well
as a Justice and Associate Judge of the Court of Com
mon pleas. Books, such as these, was the reading of
his boyhood days. Judge Burnell's residence was also
his office and court room. On court days Madison al
ways tucked himself away in a quiet corner and
watched the proceedings. He became thoroughly ac
quainted with court procedure and rules of evidence
at an early age; he undestood everything and forgot
nothing. He was not quite 16 years old when he com
menced reading Blackstone and other law books in
his father's library. This great work interested the
future lawyer more than ordinary minds would be in
terested in the perusal of romance. When a mere boy
he conducted a prosecution brought before his father
against a person for sheep stealing with such skill and
ingenuity and in accordance with the rules of evi
dence as to obtain not only a verdict for the thief, but
the acquiescence of the entire community in its justness.
His tender sympathy for this misguided neighbor,
created a desire to save him from prison, and believ
ing he had found a serious flaw in the evidence he
voluntarily undertook to defend him, and with suc
cess. Judge Burnell's house for many years was a home
for the preachers and the place for holding religious
services. The Judge himself was a Methodist preach
er of signal ability. Madison became much interested

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 301
in religious reading and in discussions among and
with the preachers, and in their religious teachings,
and listened as attentively and with as much interest
as in court proceedings. As long as he lived at home
he cherished this portion of his early education as
highly as any other, and a short time before his death
spoke of it with much feeling. When but 17 years of
age he taught most successfully an unruly country
school, one most difficult to manage; his force of mind
was far more successful than the brute force which
had previously governed. He also in his 17th year
delivered a Fourth of July oration of great originality
and overflowing with eloquence and patriotism. A
brilliant career was prophesied for him.
At the age of twenty he finished his preliminary
education by spending a short time in a high school,
and a term in Fredonia Academy. Although diligent,
using to his best these advantages, his real and his re
markable education was obtained at home in his
father's house. AVe have stated that Mr. Burnell's
father was a man of superior abilities — his mother
was as remarkable for her mental power and ability to
train the son as was the father, and the superior abil
ity of each, which ran in quite different channels was
fully inherited by their son Madison. He inherited
his father's quickness, brilliancy and comprehensive
ness, his mother's intuitions — her closely analytical,
logical, deeply penetrative mind. Her insight into
the character she was dealing with was a marvel and
a mystery to all who ever knew her, and this marvel
lous insight was one of the greatest characteristics of
her gifted son.
About the time he reached his majority he was
summoned to Jamestown as a witness in an impor-

302 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
tant suit, and there as an attorney in the case, he first
met Richard P. Marvin, * a young man of splendid
presence, and the most popular and brilliant lawyer in
Western New York. Although Madison watched the
progress of the suit as if he were judge and jury and
lawyer on both sides — yet his beau ideal of all earthly
greatness and splendor was the young lawyer Marvin,
and that feeling he carried with him to the day of his
death, — and it is not strange that Marvin was as fully
captivated with the simplicity, humility and ability of
the young man he had examined as a witness. The
moment Mr. Marvin was released from the suit, he in
troduced himself to young Burnell and proposed that
he enter his office as a student at law. With this pro
position the young man was as much delighted, as sur
prised, and without delay, all the arrangements were
quickly made for his entry to the office of Marvin &
Warren in the village of Jamestown. The industry
of young Burnell was great, and his progress in legal
lore was a marvel even to his sharp-minded friend and
preceptor Marvin, who paid especial attention to his
young charge. He seemed to drink in law by intui
tion, and in a short time became distinguished as an
advocate in justice courts. He became greatly inter
ested in the study of the decisions in the higher courts,
¦ as in them were brought into the clear light the foun
dation of law in truth and in common sense.
He made no haste to seek admission to the bar,
for he had placed his standard high, and he sought to
qualify himself for any position in the higher courts,
* We assure the venerable Judge we are not writing the history
of the present, either as to facts or opinions. What, we have written
above i- in the precise words of one of the family as given to us and at
that early day was true, or we should say the true opinion of the sim
ple people of those days.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 303
when the seal was placed upon his acquirements.
When the day came when Madison Burnell sought ad
mission to the bar, — his ability and qualifications
caused him to stand forth as a jury lawyer without a
peer. It is said of the great French anatomist Cuvier,
that by seeing a tooth, or a few bones of a foot, of one
of the extinct animals, he could in a few moments
draw its profile and describe its habits. Comparative
anatomy and physiology had given him this facultj';
and such was Madison Burnell's insight into human
nature, and the ways of the world, that from a simple
fact in a case he would at times readily predict its ante
cedents and consequents, and thus unearth the whole
matter with accompanying proof. This remarkable
talent in Madison Burnell, depending for its existence
on the intuitive in his nature, constitutes that portion
of his heredity derived from his gifted mother.
Mr. Burnell approached the trial of an important
case with a feeling of strange timidity. This grew out
of the fact that, he was always self forgetting; self con
sciousness was lacking, to a most remarkable degree in
his organization. He fully estimated the difficulties
of the case, and gave the largest credit to the strength
and ability of the opposing counsel, and not the least
to his own great legal power. He often, in the higher
courts, in Buffalo and Albany, met the ablest lawyers
in the state, and though in the conflict he experienced
no sense of humiliation, yet to the last he was the same
timid man. As soon as the case opened and his own
powers began to work, the lion that was in him came
out of its lair, shook himself, and stood in all the
proud majesty of his legal strength, filled with all the
inspiration which his cause if just could give, and in
all cases his legal lore and ability put to flight the

304 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
arts of chicane with which some of his competitors in
dulged. To Burnell the study of law was not only a busi
ness but a pleasure, and his rapid acquirement of
knowledge was an astonishment to all. He spent sev
eral years in Marvin & Warren's office, and notwith
standing he learned so rapidly, made haste slowly to
gain admittance to the bar. He was admitted in 1838
and at the same time into company with Mr. Marvin,
Mr. Warren retiring and becoming the partner of Ab
ner Hazeltine. Mr. Burnell became noted immediately,
not only as a sound lawyer but as an advocate. AVhen
Mr. Marvin was elevated to the bench of the supreme
court, Burnell continued the business of the office, and
became noted as an advocate, and as such, having but
few superiors in the state.
His power over a jury became so overwhelming,
that Judge Mullett spoke of it in open court. The
Judge remarked that the influence of Madison Burnell
had become dangerously great. "There is no lawyer at
the bar who can cope with him, and the facility with
which he makes himself to believe that his'cause is just,
he practices on the sympathies of juries; — it is our duty
to prevent what may become a perversion of justice."
Mr. Burnell was never more fulty himself than
when defending the rights of the weak and oppressed.
Rev. Dr. Moore, his brother-in-law, writing us on this
subject, says : "We never knew him to refer to any
suit with more feeling and satisfaction than to one he
managed for a widow, that had fallen into the hands
of two villains who had plotted to rob her through the
forms of law, of the small property left her for the sup
port of herself and children by her husband. About
four o'clock on Thursday he got hold of a clue to the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 305
case. Messengers rode and he worked the most of the
night on the case, and the next day he was ready for
trial. In summing up, his powers of invective, sarcasm
and scorn, rose to their highest pitch, — and that is say
ing much, — and vial 'after vial of honest wrath was
poured on the heads of those men. The impression
made was overwhelming. A friend of one of them
went to him in open court and said in the hearing of
all- — 'M — , d — m you, kill Burnell or leave the country,
the sooner the better!' Without leaving their seats, the
jury granted him a verdict." In the presence of real
sorrow and suffering he would shed tears like a woman.
He wasoneof themost sympathetic of men. This sym
pathy was not a part of the lawyer, but was a part of the
man. He sympathized deeply with those bowed down
with sorrow- — filled with grief, pain or distress. We
never knew a person who was so sincerely and so
deeply distressed over the sorrows and misfortunes of
others as Madison Burnell.
Madison Burnell was at all times and upon all oc
casions, no matter where or how placed, "the noblest
work of God," an honest man. He despised all the ar
tifices of chicane, all deception, all trickery. He was
too straightforward' in all his methods to make a good
politician. We have before us a number of pages
showing, very correctly the influences which prevented
the fulfillment of the feeble political aspirations he
at times may have had. These words cover all — he
was no politician. He was too rigidly true to his own
convictions of right; so much so that he would not
yield when there was no dishonesty in doing so. The
pages spoken of amount only to this: — that he placed
implicit confidence in Weed and others — believing
that their rule of what was right and wrong was as

306 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
rigid as his own, and in the end found that their rule
bent into those fantastic shapes their political needs
required. As a politician, in the ordinary acceptation
of the term, he was a complete failure. He would not
himself, or permit his friends, to stoop to what he con
sidered trickery or deceit to secure nomination to office.
For several terms he might have had the nomination
for congress — and nomination was equivalent to elec
tion — by yielding a little to the methods in vogue in
caucuses. There was a way that appeared to him
right and another wrong; and he would not yield prin
ciple for office.
Burnell excelled as a criminal lawyer. He had a
deep insight into human nature, and it seemed as if
there was any crime in a man, he would detect it by
looking at him. It used to be said of him, break a
chain in fragments, retaining but a single link, and he
would soon again build up the whole chain, without a
single fault. He had great influence with the court,
and his sway over a jury was almost supreme. He was
twice elected to the assembly, in 1846 and 1S47. This
was at the time of the adoption of the new constitution,
and as a member of the Judiciary committe, he was
of great service in adjusting the statutes of the state
to it. The weak points in Mr. Burnell's character were
first, his timidity ; he was an extremely modest man,
and probably his timidity had its origin in this. AA^e
have been somewhat reluctant to place this character
istic in the list of his weaknesses; for it is certainly
true, that there were times, when its effects on others,
caused it to prove a source of true and valuable
strength, and it cannot be denied that it was the foun
dation of much we admire in his character. His weak-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 307
ness as a politician, founded as it were on the best trait
in human character we cannot commiserate, for it is
far better to be an honest man than a good politician.
He may have been mistaken as to what it truly con
sists, but of this we may be assured — that according to
his method of thought he could not be both, and he
chose the best. The writer is inclined to think a third
weak point lay in the humble deference he always
paid to the opinion of his preceptor and friend, Rich
ard P. Marvin. The Judge was his hero and he wor
shipped him with a devotion seldom accorded even by
the most devoted hero worshipper.
The following is a portion of a conversation
held with Mr. Burnell in November 1847 of which we
made a memorandum at the time. We introduce it
because he speaks of things and gives us his opinions
on subjects not ordinarily reached. We had been
urging him to furnish a lecture for our home course,
at the Jamestown Academy. After declining in the
most decided manner he said, " I love learning, but
have not had the advantages of a liberal education.
You learned fellows up tliere quote Latin as if it were
your mother tongue, and I am disgusted, for the per
son who indulges most in that artifice, to my positive
knowledge, never studied the Latin or any other
ancient language for over six months. I have gained
a small knowledge of Latin but know nothing of
Greek. I look upon this as a marked defect in my
education, and lament it as a real misfortune. It is a
great mortification to me that I am unable to read
such works as Caesar and Cicero — which should, judg
ing from translations, rank prominent among the
works of human intellect — in the language in which
they were written. I do hate shams and pretense in

St.

308 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
all things, and I have been led to think there is full as
much sham in education as in anything else. I met
a lawyer the other day, a pretended college graduate;
he had been making a great spread in the courtroom.
I at once detected him as a sham, and wrote on a scrap
of paper a simple sentence of seven words taken by re
membrance from the first page of the Latin reader and
desired him to translate it for me, remarking that I
was not a Latin scholar. Pie viewed it and looked up
at the wall, and looked in every way the pretensive
fool he was would naturally look, and finally handed
it back to me, saying it was one of those difficult law-
phrases he had seen, but just then he could not quite
give the true meaning of it. I try to compensate my
ignorance of the languages, by reading the best Eng-
glish works and translations, but I often stumble on
Latin words and phrases and sentences, and longer
extracts from old authors which I suppose to contain
some jewel too precious to be exposed to vulgar view,
and locked in a casket of which I have not the kev'.
Perhaps I do not judge correctly in these matters, as I
profess myself no scholar, but I believe I can at once
see the difference between pretended and true knowl
edge. Doctor, your selection of lecturers in the main
is good, but you have on your list more than one sham,
persons of pretense, nothing else. You invited them
to lecture because they exerted influence in some spec
ial direction or else you was willing to feed us oil'
trash. I won't mix in your lecture course. AVhen
Sammy, (S. A. Brown) Uncle Abner and others I
might mention lecture I will go as a listener. By the
way, I think your Charcoal Sketches was good, healthy,
solid, home-made fun. Your sketches although bor
dering on caricature, were true to the life and hurt the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 309
conceit of more than one of your number and I en
joyed it. Whatever we do, whether trivial or impor
tant, we should do honestly, thoroughly and to the
best of our ability. No man can be true to himself
without he is just and true to others, nor can he be
true to himself or to any one else if the principles
which actuate him are not founded in the just and the
true. If a man is not honest he is of but little value
in this world. And I have lived long enough to learn
that there is but little honesty in any class of society.
It is every man's duty to be honest; a duty he owes
to society and to the country. Look at our politicians,
how long will the country last under such fellows.
Ability and honesty are not looked for, but will he
help our party — yes, help our party to steal, or any
thing else, vile, wrong and unpatriotic. I would rather
be Shakespeare's dog and bay the moon."
In 1840 Mr. Burnell married Sarah Spurr. To
them were born three children. The only son, Mel-
verton died in 1864. Valissa married J. S. Cook and
now resides in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Ella was mar
ried to Dr. Charles S. Hazeltine in 1867 and died in
Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1873, leaving two children,
Eliza Irene and Madison Burnell.
Mr. Burnell was returning from Fredonia in poor
health. He stopped at his mother's in Charlotte over
night. Next day he took dinner with his sister (wife
of Rev. H. H. Moore) in Sinclairville. On the even
ing of that day he took tea in his own house, com
plaining no more than usual. Having important bus
iness to transact at his office he arose from the table
and went out the fron t door. Half an hour later Mad
ison Burnell was found on the ground a few feet from
the door, dead. The writer was soon there but the body

310 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
was cold. He must have fallen and died immediately
after leaving the house. Thus passed into eternity
one of the most remarkable men that ever lived in
our midst, on the evening of December 8, 1865.
The writer has condensed his material much more
than his own inclinations dictate. The few remain
ing that knew Madison Burnell living will soon with
him find places in our city of the dead. We could
not have written less and give even a shadowy pic
ture of this eminent man. If there is ever written
the biographies of the most eminent lawyers of the
Empire state, he will receive prominent and honora
ble mention, and not until the city of Jamestown shall
be obliterated from the map of the state, should its in
habitants cease to venerate the memory of Madison
Burnell as one of her greatest, and most deserving of
citizens.

CHAPTER XII.
Organization of the Congregational Church —
Quarrel and Division — Formation of the
Presbyterian Church — Father Spencer —
Father Eddy — E. J. Gillett- — History of the
Methodist Church — Quarrel and Division —
The Wesleyan Church — Edward Work —
Father Crane — Alonzo Kent — Man a Relig
ious Being — Mormons in Jamestown — The Bap
tist Church — Deacon John C. Breed — The
First Sunday School in Jamestown — Origin of
, the Episcopal Church.

In the realm of human thought and knowledge,
how conflicting are the ideas and opinions of mankind !
What one has been led to embrace as true, by his neigh
bor, equally candid and as able to form a judgment, is
considered false, and the third of equal reasoning pow
ers, discredits the opinions advanced by each. It is
impossible to make an assertion however grave or even
trifling — and to all appearance founded on most undis
puted truth — which your neighbor will not immedi
ately undertake to show is false, and that you are igno
rant of the principles involved, and that your assertion
is based in the most apparent falsehood. If you have

312 THE early history of
become convinced of the truth of a doctrine seemingly
based in intuitive certainty, you will not have far to
go to find a man who will deny the doctrine you have
espoused and pronounce in the most positive manner,
that what to you is intuitively true is to him intuitive
ly false. In a case of plainly vast importance as, for
instance, the formation and promulgation of men's
opinions regarding religion, it would seem as if all
passions and prejudices should be laid aside in the
hearty desire to find the truth, yet we find the same
clashing of opinions as to what is reasonable and un
reasonable, of what is true and false. No matter what
the dogma or belief may be, you speedily find that an
other deems it untrue and not worthy of belief. And
if you strive to impress upon him the importance of
unity of belief, he will argue that safety and true ad
vancement is to be found in dissonance and variety of
opinions. Some evils of this state of things are very
apparent. These conflicting opinions cannot all be
true. A large portion of mankind, and indeed, all
persons, to some extent, are holding opinions in oppo
sition to one another, and, on some one subject, at
least, erroneous ones. This leads to disturbance and
time-consuming controversy. The cause of truth suf
fers from that want of union in effort which comes from
the division of good men into sects and schools. Could
these men see eye to eye and at the same time truly,
it would give an unprecedented impulse to the best in
terests of society. A year would hold up in its exult
ant hands such fruitage as centuries of separate and
conflicting action have not been able to ripen. The
compact army, marching as one man, gains victories
impossible to many times its number of undisciplined
soldiers, whatever their individual zeal and strength.

the town of ellicott. 313
And yet, it is the teaching of all history, that this
conflict of opinion will continue as long as man con
tinues to inhabit this earth. The civil as well as the
religious power combined, aided by vast armies, have
not been able to enforce unity of belief or to overcome
the conflict of human opinions. It was an attempt to
produce this uniformity which expelled our New Eng
land forefathers from their English homes; and it was
by an act of uniformity that they afterwards expelled
from their wilderness homes, for opinions sake, their
dissenting neighbors. Conflict of opinions as of old,
continues to exist, and ever will, as old differences die
out new ones are continually coming to life. And es
pecially in matters of religion, if now there is more
agreement as to fundamental doctrines, we are more
widely divergent on points of minor consequence, and
the points of divergence are far more numerous. In
creased knowledge and greater intellectual culture
, have widened our habits of thought and given us new
subjects for speculative views. The conflicts of opinion
in the present age are not the rude and material ones
of the ages that are past, but those dependent on our
superior light and knowledge, and it is but reasonable
to think they will continue as long as invention and
discovery and advancement in knowledge of nature's
plans and actions are within the reach of the grasping
mind of man.

In writing up this part of our task we intend as
plainly and mildly as possible to tell th e truth, if not the
whole truth. It is said that offences will come. By that
we suppose misunderstandings, bickerings, differences
of opinions and quarrels are meant. We have ob
served, and so must have all, that the members of our

314 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
churches and doctors — the two most important and
necessary classes in a civilized and well-to-do commu
nity — have more quarrels and differences than any
other classes of society. And what is more strange
than all, religious societies are more anxious to cover
up these faults and their quarrels than any other class
and are most unreasonably offended if any one men
tions them. Whatever appears in this chapter relating
to the Congregational church and society is largely in
the words of Hon. Abner Hazeltine, given in a Histor
ical Address at the 50th Anniversary of the Congrega
tional church in 1866.
HISTORY AND DIVISION OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
In order to appreciate the feebleness when the first
organized band of worshippers set up a standard in this
wilderness, it is necessary to look into the state of the
country on the 16th of June, 1816, when a few profess
ing Christians here entered into convenant obligations
with each other and with God, and were organized as
a church of Christ. Our goodly- village was then a
mere hamlet in the midst of a forest. Its inhabitants
were few in number, most of whom were engaged in
the manufacture of lumber, and the only spires we
then had, were lofty pines which over-shadowed this
spot, and occupied most of the space where dwellings,
stores, churches, and other structures raised by men
are now so abundant. The idea of a village at this
place, to become at some future period a center of bus
iness for the surrounding country was just started, and
a few enterprising men were commencing the experi
ment, when Mr. West commenced preaching (in
1814.) Then there were only three professors of relig
ion in the place, viz., Captain Joseph Dix, and Mr.
and Mrs. Jacob Fenton, all Congregationalists. It is

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 315
proper that we should say a few words of Mr. West;
for although he remained in the county several years,
there are very few among us who have ever heard his
name. How just is the remark, 'Man being in honor,
abideth not!' When we first knew Mr. West he was
about forty years of age, and a bachelor. Having
lived long in the new settlements, he was careless of
his personal appearance, and was at home in any log
cabin whose latch-string was on the outside.
"The first sermon I heard here was in 1815, short
ly after my arrival. Information was given to me one
Saturday that there was a minister at Mr. Fenton's
who would preach there the next day. I soon called
and was introduced to the Rev. John Spencer, a mis
sionary in the service of the Connecticut Missionary
society. I found him a plain, old gentleman, nearly
sixty years of age. He said his business was to look
up Christ's sheep, scattered here and there in this wil
derness to strengthen them what he could, and organ
ize them into churches, whenever a sufficient number
could be found in any neighborhood to warrant such
a proceeding. He spoke of the prospect, that this lit
tle settlement would become a place of business, and
he hoped soon to be able to form a church here; but
said he could not learn that there were professors
enough here then. He enjoined it on me to ascertain
how many there were in the vicinity and to do what I
could in the furtherance of the object. The next day
he preached two sermons to a small but attentive con
gregation. The singing was conducted by General
Horace Allen and Jesse Smith, * now of Panama, then
* Jesse Smith is frequently spoken of in this volume. He was a
son-in-law of Captain Horatio Dix and father of Major Gilbert D.
Smith, spoken of in Chap. 9. Jesse Smith and wife both died a few
years ago in Panama, where they had resided for several years pre
viously.

316 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
young men working in the saw mill. They were as
sisted by a few ladies. In June, 1816, Mr. Spencer
again visited the place and stayed several days. It
was now ascertained that the number of professors
had increased since his former visit and he advised
the formation of a church. At this organization, the
church consisted of nine members, viz., Joseph Dix,
Jacob Fenton and Lois Fenton, Oliver Higley and Lu-
cretia Higley, Ebenezer Sherwin, Milton Sherwin, Ab
ner Hazeltine and Daniel Hazeltine." [All now dead
(1887) except Milton Sherwin.J
For several years after the organization, Mr. Spen
cer visited twice a year or oftener, and occasionally
ministers from other boards, or traveling through the
country gave us calls. Those who came most fre
quently were the Rev, Timothy Alden, the first Presi
dent of Allegheny College, and the Rev. Mr. Chase of
Centerville, Pennsylvania. Mr. Chase was a cousin of
Bishop Chase of Illinois and uncle of Chief Justice
Chase. Mr. Spencer was in many respects a remarkable
man, and it is fitting there should be some memorial
of his life and labors. He was born at Spencertown,
in the town of Austerlitz, Columbia county. The first
settlers in that region came from Southern Massachu
setts and Northern Connecticut. Among them the
Spencers were prominent, and gave their name to the
principal settlement, when a flourishing Congrega
tional church was formed, over which several doctors
in divinity have presided. He was of the same fami
ly as the Hon. Ambrose Spencer, and nearly related
to the late Joshua A. Spencer. He arrived at man
hood in the stirring times of the revolution and was a
participant in the events of that period. He served

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 317
early and long in our armies, first in the troops of
Massachusetts and afterwards in those of his native
state. He entered as a private, rose to be an officer,
and served some time as the aid of the gallant Colonel
Wiletts. He used to say when interrogated about his
education, that he was educated in the continental
army. Although his education was limited he wrote
and spoke English with great accuracy. He had much
intellectual acuteness and was noted for the keenness of
his wit. As a preacher he was remarkably clear and
logical, always making himself distinctly understood.
In 1819 there was a considerable revival here and in
the neighboring towns. Rev. Phineas Camp,' pastor
of the Presbyterian church at Westfield, Elder Davis
and some other Baptist preachers visited this region,
preaching to the people. Elder Davis was an old
neighbor to some of the members in Vermont, and
preached statedly for a time by special arrangement
On the twenty-second day of October; 1821, a meeting
of the members of the church and others was held pur
suant to notice for the purpose of organizing a relig
ious corporation, under the statutes of the state. That
object was accomplished, the corporation taking the
name of the First Congregational church of James
town. The first trustees were William Deland, Daniel
Hazeltine and Samuel A. Brown. From 1821 to 1824
public worship was regularly observed in the Acad
emy, though generally without preaching. Many at
tempts were made to procure a stated supply by a
minister of our denomination, none of which were suc
cessful. As a last resort, in the summer of 1824, some
of the members of the church united with other per
sons in employing the Rev, Rufus Murray of the Pro
testant, Episcopal church, then residing in Mayville,

318 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
to supply us one-half the the time during the season
of navigation on the lake. While matters were in this
shape, one of the members being at Warren on busi
ness, there met the Rev. Isaac Eddy, who was on a
visit to his brother at that, place, and invited him to
Jamestown. Mr. Eddy remained several weeks, re
ceived a call and afterwards remained for several years,
preaching with much acceptance, and greatly reviving
the church. During his pastorate many of our prom
inent young people and some leading citizens, among
whom was Judge Foote, gave evidence of conversion,
and vere afterwards received into communion.
The progress of the church was onward; there
was scarcel)*- a communion season without additions.
The village grew rapidly, and the surrounding coun
try was prosperous. Mr. Eddy was a faithful pastor,
and perhaps at no other time was the discipline of the
church so strictly enforced. The church from being
dependent on foreign aid, became self-supporting.
In the fall of 1827 an association was formed for erect
ing a meeting house. In this enterprise no one was
more active than Alvin Plumb, Esq., then a young and
prosperous merchant in the village. Up to this time
the old Academy, which had ceased to be used as a
school house, was the place of worship. It was some
what re-modeled and fitted up with a rude gallery, but
was wholly inadequate. After considerable debate as
"to location, size and form, the frame was raised the lat
ter part of June, 1828, but was not finished until De
cember, 1829. It was, when completed, the best
church edifice in the county.
"But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked. A portion of
the church, including some who had been brought into
it by Mr. Eddy's instrumentality, about this time made

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 319
the discovery that Mr. Eddy was an unlearned man,
that he had become old and was behind the times, and
it began to be said that he should not preach in the
new house. The time for dedication was approaching
and a neighboring minister was spoken of by many as
the preacher, on that occasion. The acting trustee, a
man of much financial ability, reported that he was
unable to raise the salary for the current year. Upon
this announcement Mr. Plumb and Dr. Hazeltine,
members of the society, but not of the church, said if
the sheep would not pay their minister, the goats would
undertake it. They got up a subscription for the re
ported deficiency, which was filled in a day with a
handsome surplus. Although the salary was raised,
the state of things was not agreeable to a man of Mr.
Eddy's temperament, and at the close of the year he
tendered his resignation, which was accepted. Upon
the retirement of Mr. Eddy, the Rev. Erastus J. Gillett
was invited to supply the pulpit. He was at first a
Baptist preacher, but came here a zealous Presbyterian,
seeming to believe that his mission was to presbyteri-
anize the church. When he came the church and soci
ety had become strong. The business of the place had
greatly increased, and the village was assuming a com
manding position. People flocked to the place for
various reasons, among whom were many professors of
religion, who cast in their lot with us. The summer
of 1831 was a season of general revival thrgughout the
country, and our church shared in the glorious work.
On the second of October in that year, forty-eight were
admitted to the church. Nearly all of them were re
ceived on the profession of their faith. This is the
greatest number ever received at one time to our com
munion. The church was now strong in numbers, in

320 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
influence, and in the means of supporting its institu
tions, but with all this prosperity, there was evidently
a want of harmony. As early as August 5, 1830, a
prominent member gave notice that he should at some
subsequent meeting move for a division of the church.
The same member was afterwards a leader in the di
vision that occurred. About this time the great con
flict between the old and new school parties in the
Presbyterian church was at its height. Barnes and the
elder Beecher were arraigned as heretics, and the whole
subject was an engrossing topic among evangelical
Christians. Mr. Gillett was a zealous new school man,
and in private interviews with leading members used
to argue the importance of our becoming Presbyteri
ans, on the ground that it would add more strength to
the new school party. There were also frequent re
marks that another church was wanted in the eastern
part- of the village, which then, as well as more recent
ly, was supposed to grow much faster than other por
tions of it. This constant, talk about Presbyterianism
and another church, no doubt helped to prepare the
way for what afterwards followed. On the 12th of
September, 1833, Messrs. Foote and AVait. both of
whom had been brought up Congregationalists, had an
entry made upon the records that the}' were Presbyte
rians." "In speaking of the division of the church which
occurred In 1834, I am aware that I am treacling on
debatable ground. Perhaps not exactly 'between burn
ing plough shares,' but I am apprehensive that the
fires which heated them are not wholly extinguished.
1 am aware, also, that very different versions have been
given, both of the cause and the facts of that division.
It has been said, even, that we seceded from the Pres-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 321
byterians. How that could be, when we never were a
Presbyterian church, and remained what we were, at
the formation, it, is difficult to conceive. Still, it was
even quite common in some circles to speak of us as
the seccders. Some attributed the cause of our divis
ion to a controversy which tit one time existed in the
church in respect to Free Masonry. That controversy,
no doubt, caused some of the alienation of feeling that
existed, but when the division came, it was not 'on
that line.' Several of those wbo had been or were Free
Masons, remained with us, whilst others of the same
class went with the Presbyterians. By others, the di
vision was attributed to alienated feelings growing out
of the dismission of the Ucv. Air. Eddy, and opposition
to his successor. It is very likely Air. Eddy's dismis
sion intensified in some minds, the ill-feeling that ex
isted. AVith regard to Air. Gillett, had he been less
zealous for Prcsbyterianism, and said less about a di
vision of the church, he would not have been opposed.
What opposition there was to him, and there was not
much previous to the separation, was mainly on those
grounds. It is also a fact that when the separation
came, some who had been active in bringing about
Air. Eddy's dismission remained firm adherents of the
old church, whilst some of Air. Eddys friends and even
some members of his family went with those who left.
The principal cause of the division, and without which
it would not have occurred, was the desire on the part
of a few leading minds, the pastor included, to revolu
tionize the church, and by making it distinctively
Presbyterian, to transfer the government of the church
from the majority to a select few, who could be more
readily managed. The)' intended, undoubtedly, tore-
tain the records, the ecclesiastical corporation, the

322 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
church edifice, and the prestige of the old church.
Most likely they expected that the strong Congrega
tionalists, rather than surrender them, would eventual
ly submit to the desired change. Their motives to di
vide, I always believed, were arguments in terrorem.
"But the crisis came at last. Judge Foote, on the
twelfth of September. 1833, the same day on which he
had his name entered on the minutes as a Presbyter
ian, offered a resolution in these words: 'Resolved,
that the book of constitutions of the Presbyterian
church of the United States should be observed by this
church, so far as it is consistent with a Congregational
church, on the plan of Union between Presbyterian
and Congregational churches under the Buffalo Pres
bytery.' "Of course the introduction of the resolution caused
a sensation; and the more, as Mr. Gillett had pre
viously been in the habit of taking with him The
Book, as it was called, to church meetings and citing-
its rules and directions. A counter resolution was im
mediately offered by Daniel Hazeltine, to the effect
that the connection between the church and Presby
tery be dissolved and measures taken to form an Asso
ciation. Action was not then pressed upon either res
olution. On the fifth of December following, a new
clerk was appointed, who presented a charge against
one of the members upon 'common fame and general
rumor,' no one appearing as an accuser. Objections
were made to the reception of this complaint, unless
some accuser appeared on the record, it not being ac
cording to Congregational usage it was urged, to in
vestigate charges founded on common fame. The
complaint was, however, received, and a committe ap
pointed to prosecute the alleged offender, and the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 323
meeting adjourned to the eighteenth of the same
month, at 10 a. m. On that day, after the transaction
of some other business, the resolution proposed by Mr.
Daniel Hazeltine was called up, and the question
thereon taken by yeas and nays and lost, twenty-two
voting in favor, and the same number against the reso
lution. The resolution of Judge Foote in relation
to the Presbyterian book was also taken up and lost.
The case of discipline on the charge of 'common fame'
was then taken up and the accused being present, it
was moved that he be required to answer. This was
opposed on the grounds that there was no responsible
accuser and that the previous steps of gospel labor had
not been taken. The motion to require the accuser to
plead, as the matter then stood, was lost. Judge Foote
then moved that the church observe the rules of the
Presbyterian church, in cases when we have no rules
to govern us. This motion was put and lost. AVhen
the motion was decided, Mr. Gillett, who had the Book
in his hands, threw it down and said with much em
phasis; 'we have no law, no rules to guide us. How
am I to moderate the meeting?' The quick reply of
Deacon Garfield was, 'For mercy's sake, Mr. Gillett, let
us do then as the early settlers in Connecticut resolved
to do, be governed by the laws of God, until we have.
better.' The results which were obtained caused a deep
sensation. They were undoubtedly unexpected by
those who wished a change. The time and circum
stances under which the votes were taken were sup
posed to be favorable for a different termination.
Those who desired a different result had selected their
own time and manner for bringing it'about, and they
supposed that some obstacles that might be in the way
were removed, an old member, decidedly Congrega-

324 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
tional, being absent. The then clerk of the church was
of the Presbyterian party. His entry in the records
in respect to the last motion of Judge Foote, is as fol
lows; 'Alotion after discussion being put was lost.' He
then adds; 'Taking into consideration existing cir
cumstances and contending opinions, as to church
government, they being such as to paralyze all efforts
to discipline, it was deemed necessary that steps be
taken preparatory to a division of the church. Accord
ingly committees were chosen to adopt measures for a
division of church and society property, etc' The
following persons were chosen as such committee.
Those on the Congregational side were Daniel Hazel
tine, AVilliam M. Eddy and James Carey. Those on
the side wishing to remain with Buffalo Presbytery
were Elial T. Foote, Joseph AVait and Elias Haven.
The meeting, after the choice ofa delegate to Presby
tery, adjourned to the twenty-fifth of the same month.
"On that day the church again met. Propos
itions for division were made by both parties, neither
of which were accepted. It, was then moved that the
voice of the church on the expediency of a division
should be taken. This done and the yeas and nays
being called for, twenty voted that it was expedient
and twelve that it was not. These propositions are
riot spread upon the record, but the substance of them
was, that the Congregationalists should, within a spec
ified time, pay to the Presbyterians a stipulated sum,
supposed folic half the value of the church grounds.
purchase all the pews of such pew holders as preferred
to sell at the prices originally placed upon them, and
permit the Presbyterians to use the house until the
terms were complied with. As soon as it wtis ascer
tained that the Congregationalists would carry out

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 325
the arrangement on their part, fifty-four members of
the church were by its pastor organized as a Presby
terian church. Several others shortly after took let
ters of dismission to the new church.
"Upon the character of this transaction, we do not
propose to comment. Whether it was in accordance
with Christian principles, or was aff'ected by legitimate
means, or was in conformity with Presbyterian usages,
we shall not attempt to decide. The new church was
not formed by the Presbytery, but was received into it
after its organization. That the division was unneces
sary and uncalled for at the time, and would not have
occurred, if the prudent course pursued by Father Eddy
had been continued, we are quite confident. After
many attempts, in various directions, to get a minister,
Mr. Ta}dor was at length induced to come, and was in
stalled and remained two years, faithfully and accepta-
ably discharging the duties of his office. He then be
lieved it to be bis duty to return to New England, and
we were again left to take care of ourselves. We at
length secured the services of the Rev. Edwin Parmely,
who was then preaching occasionally at Ashville in
what would be called an irregular way, that is, he had
received no license from any ecclesiastical body, but
felt impelled to do what he did, to induce his fellow
men to repent and believe, Some of our people hear
ing a good account of him, invited him to spend a few
Sabbaths with us. His preaching was acceptable and
the Association soon gave him a formal license. He
was soon after installed our pastor. After being with
us a few years he contracted a bronchial affection
which rendered it impossible for him to speak so as to
be heard in our church, and compelled him to resign.
On Air. Parmlv's leaving us, we were for a time with-

326 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
out a minister ; Mr. S. H. Elliott, a member of the New
Haven seminary, supplied us for a few weeks, and gave
us encouragement that he would return; he did not
return, but sent in his place the Rev. Owen Street.
Several were twice disappointed in him — first that it
was not Mr. Elliott who came — and then, that they
found themselves liking Mr. Street better than they
did Mr. Elliott.
"But we are getting a little too near the present
time to enlarge. Mr. Street remained with us nine
years ; his pastorate was a season of prosperity ; our
number and our strength increased, the old debt was
obliterated, and we again felt strong. Our minister
was a favorite in the community, and perhaps greater
harmony has at no time prevailed. The only charge
we have against Mr. Street is that he stole awav' from
us unawares, as did Jacob from Laban, the Syrian ;
and although he did not like his prototype take away
our daughters, he did carry with him the affections of
the people. Mr. Street was in a few months succeeded
by the Rev. Sylvanus P. Marvin of Saybrook, Conn., a
recent graduate from the New Haven seminary, who
remained five years and a half. As might be expected
from a descendant of the Mathers, coming from the
place from which the celebrated platform took its
name, he was a good pastor, and faithful ; he was a
friend of order, and came and went in an orderly man
ner. "We have performed the duty assigned us. It has
been pleasant to recall the memories of years long past,
and to bring in review the scenes and actors of former
times. To us it has been indeed a labor of love; it is a
pleasure to think and to speak of former associates, and
to notice the kindly dealings of our heavenly Father.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 327
We have great reason to be grateful for the numerous
favors and blessings which he has bestowed upon us.
Through his goodness our ways have been ways of
pleasantness, and our paths peace. Since the great
contest in 1834 which rent us asunder, we have had
few jars and have known little of jealousies, heart
burnings or embittered feelings. We are at peace with
our neighbors of other denominations, and we can
meet and pray with them as brethren. The matters
about which we differ are not often mentioned, except
in a friendly spirit. Of our Presbyterian brethren who
went from us, but few remain, and towards those who
do, we trust we entertain none but friendly feelings.
A new generation has arisen among them, even more
fully than with us, and we certainly do not hold them
accountable for any acts of their predecessors, which
in our judgment were wrong. Substantially, we be-
believe, ' Ephraim has ceased to envy Judah, and Ju-
dah to vex Ephraim.' The separation that occurred
was painful at the time, but no doubt has been over
ruled for good."

At the time this division took place there stood on
the south side of Second street and facing Spring
street, a large two-story, wooden building. This build
ing was erected by a company for merchandizing, and
was divided into three stores. The east store was orig
inally occupied by Titus Kellogg & Co., for dry goods,
etc., the center one by Luther Lakin for hardware, and
the west by Havens & Grout as a dry goods store. At
the time in review none of these stores were occupied.
The second story of this building, which was large and
spacious, was very soon converted into a place for the
meetings of the Presbyterian church. The entrance

328 THE EAKL1 HISTORY OF
was through the center store, tit the back end of which
were stairs ascending, one to the east and the other to
the west to the assembly room above. The congrega
tion was sufficient to fairly fill this large room. Nearly
all of the young people went, with the Presbyterians.
Air. Gillett for a longtime had been our teacher of
Latin and Greek, and we could not forsake our old
preceptor, and was ranked by our much respected
uncles with the seceders. In 1834 the Presbyterians
built a large, commodious church on the corner of
Cherry and Third streets, where the present beautiful
church now stands. The edifice erected in 1834 was
destroyed by fire in 1S77. The ( 'ongrcgationalists in
1868 built the large brick church on Third street be-
yond Prendergast avenue, where they now worship.
The old building was sold, and after passing through
various hands and uses, was also destroyed by fire. Mr.
Geo. AV Tew then purchased the lots and erected
thereon the fine residence in which he now lives.
Mr. Gillett, remained the pastor of the Presbyterian
church for several years. He was a man of influence,
much loved and respected by his church and congre
gation. He built, the house yet standing on the south
west corner of Prendergast avenue and Fourth street,
and resided there many years. He finally went west,
first to Fon du Lac in Wisconsin, afterwards was a pro
fessor of chemistry in a college at Kenosha in Iowa
where he died a few years ago. He was a man of en
ergy and a good preacher.

The following history of the organization of the
Methodist Episcopal church in Ellicott, and especially
of the trouble which rent the church asunder, is from
the pen of that ready writer and close observer Elijah

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 329
Bishop, a life-long, active and prominent member of
that church.
Mr. Bishop commences at the organization of the
first class in AA'orksburg in 1814, of which Edward
Work, James and John Willson, John Arthur, Wm.
Staples and their wives were the members. He gives
a long and accurate list of the presiding elders and
of the preachers from that time, with the dates of their
service up to the present time. This long list, if space
permits, will be given in our appendix. In the por
tion we exclude, Mr. Bishop states that in 1820 Phele-
tus Parkus being preacher and E. Work secretary, a
legal society was formed in order to secure a deed of
twenty-five acres of land donated by the Holland Land
Company to the first legally organized church in the
town of Ellicott, and that this donation was received
by this organization. In 1843 Moses Hill was the
preacher in Jamestown and J. J. Steadman presiding
elder. Mr. Bishop continues :
"Here comes in the causes of the formation and
history of the AVesleyan church. I reluctantly' enter
into its history, but as it is not generally understood I
am in duty bound to write it truthfully, divested of
any ill feeling to those who were the actors. The
preacher (AIoscs Hill) had lived here before, went away,
was converted, became a preacher and was sent here,
where he took great pains to improve the singing in
public worship ; a teacher was hired, he joined the
singing class. To help the music a musical instru
ment was added in public services. All went well unil
action was taken in the conference against the use of
instrumental music in public worship. The presiding
elder, (J. J. Steadman) came and directed the preacher
to order the instrument out of the choir, which he did.

330 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
The choir, composed mostly of some of the best mem
bers of the church, thought he had no right to do it as
it had never been done before. The matter was re
ferred to the presiding elder, who decided against the
choir; the question of power was referred to the bishop
who decided ' that the preacher in charge had full
power over all matters in the church, to appoint its
officers, direct the time and manner of worship and
singing, and appoint the trustees except in states where
the law provided otherwise.' This produced great
astonishment and dissatisfaction, as the trustees here
were appointed according to law by a vote of the
church. The trustees (of which I was chairman) were
told to order the instrument out of the choir. I had
taken no part in the controversy, and undertook to
make peace. The choir agreed to leave out the instru
ment if a vote of the majority of the church decided
it. I went to the preacher (Hill) with the proposition,
which he utterly rejected. I earnestly urged it, saying
if the order was enforced a number of our best mem
bers would leave. He replied ' it was his province to
rule, that the stars might fall from heaven but this re
bellion must come down; that if but three members
were left he would present to conference a true Meth
odist Episcopal church,' and other positive assertions.
In a public address the presiding elder (Steadman) said
' Let them secede and their history vill be the history
of all past secessions who are now only known as once
having been with us; we number sixteen hundred
thousand, have gained many thousands last year, etc'
Another preacher at the quarterly conference said,
'Were I preacher here I would take the discipline in
my hand, go and smash down the church door and
turn out those radicals !' The house had not been

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 331
closed against any one. They held a quarterly con
ference composed of the preacher, his appointees and
presiding elder, when it was decided to order me to
turn the choir out. The preacher gave it to me (as I
was chairman of the board). I begged of him not to
enforce it as it would ruin the church which we had
built up with so much labor; that to him it was of less
consequence as he would soon be gone ; that I could
not conscientiously do it, but would resign and let one
be appointed who could. The trustees here were ap
pointed under the laws of New York. The next I
knew my class leader (Orril Green) came to me and
said he had a charge against me for disobedience of
orders which the preacher told him to present. I was
greatly astonished, for I had labored in the church for
over thirty years and never had a shadow come over
me before. I told him the whole case, when he in
dignantly said 'it was outrageous and he would return
the charge to the minister.' He was put out of office
and another class leader appointed. Next I found one
morning thrown into my house the charge, citing me
to a trial within twenty-four hours. I subsequently
learned that at a secret meeting held at A. W. Muzzy's
(who lived across the way from the church) it was de
cided to turn me out to strike terror into the rest. A
committee was appointed to try me, and a preacher on
his way from a circuit over the ridge was to at
tend the trial and give a warning to others by my
fate. Dr. Van Rensselaer of Randolph was one of the
committee chosen. Coming here he learned the facts
of the case, and distinctly told them it would not do to
use that power. It would put weapons into the hands
of our enemies and ruin the church ; that it had better
be settled and take up with my offer of resignation,

332 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
which was done. Matters grew worse and worse, the
singers left the gallery, and on the next Sunday, Hill
gave out, the hymn of which the second verse was :
" Let those refuse to siDg,
Who never knew our God,
But servants of our Heavenly King
May speak their joys abroad."
"It was sung with great glee, and the choir and
their sympathizers were spoken of, 'They look mean,
feel mean and are mean, etc' I found that I shared
the fate of a man who stepped in to stop a fight who
got badly whipped himself.
"I will here pay a compliment to a man who,
though not, a member, generously stepped in and
helped the preacher and has been a great help to the
church ever since, for which I did then and do now
honor him.
"A ratters grew worse and worse, for in those days
the anti-slavery feeling was aroused in the church and
the withdrawal of some of its most influential mem
bers who had been persecuted for their principles, such
as Luther Lee, Edward Smith, Cyrus Prindle, L. C.
Matlock and many others who had formed an anti-
slavery church; also the temperance question was up
in the church. Efforts were made to restore to the
discipline Wesley's rule which forbade the manufac
ture and sale of intoxicating drinks. It was alleged
that arbitrary and wrong decisions were made against
the reformers by the presiding bishops at conference,
which prejudiced many against the bishop feature of
the church. Those elements of dissatisfaction mingled
with the action taken here in regard to church music,
and the agitation grew worse. Added to this, the next
year Joseph blower, rash, and firm as he was rash,
was stationed here, who took up the difficulty. The

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 333
AVesleyans started a paper. A Mr. Rogers handed one
of the papers to my brother to read. Abram Pier
wished to see it. Flower heard of it and preferred a
charge against my brother 'for reading and circulat
ing a paper published by Orange Scott called The
AVesleyan.' At the trial my brother honestly confes
sed he saw such a paper and did not know as there
was any harm in that. He had taken no part in the
church difficulty. The committee to get out of the
absurd case, decided 'the charge not sustained' al
though it was confessed in the trial. Flower made a
flaming speech saying 'but some will say have we not
the right to read such papers if we choose? A pretty
doctrine this! I have Universalist papers but think it
wrong to put them into the hands of those who are not
able to detect their fallacies.' Such was the treatment
then received by those who were suspected of being-
recusant members of the church, so that fifteen or
twenty asked for letters of dismission which wtissneer-
ingly refused. All over the country the question of
shivery and whiskey agitated the M. E. church; at
every conference north, efforts were made to take ac
tion in relation to an alteration of the discipline on
those subjects; the movers were treated with great in
dignation as enemies of the church when they only
wished to purify it. It was so here, yet I will confess
they were honest, and I believe the Wesleyans were
forced out on a. mission by divine appointment to save
and purify the church which worked that in the end
as we shall see; and so it has been acknowledged by
some of tbe first men in the church.
"Luther Lee came here, preached, organized a
AVesleyan church of 47 members (mostly from the old
church.) They hired a house in which to hold their

334 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
services, and finally erected a respectable church edi"
fice on the east side of what is now known as Prender
gast avenue and on what is now the Third street ex
tension, had preaching and a Sabbath school which
drew off many scholars from the old church. They
met with great success as the sympathy of the public
was with them. Conversions and additions followed,
the old church suffered loss as even many who staid
with them felt they could help it better in than out of
it. They hardly held their own until they were re
vived by the ministry and by the coining of the Rev.
John Peate in '57 and '58. There were men in the
Wesleyan church with fertility of ideas, with words to
clothe them, power of utterance and magnetic influ
ence to carry them to the hearts of their hearers. The
Christian sentiment of the north was with them, and
the contest was unequal, for it is justly said ' that he
that has his quarrel just is thrice doubly armed.'
Many members of the old church said the discipline
was wrong and pressed a change, so the good old
church was pressed on every side.
The discipline was changed, the old rule against
whiskey and slavery was restored, the powers of the
bishops and ministers were modified, lay delegation in
the law making power conceded, which left the AVes-
leyans nothing to complain of, or hinder the AI. E.
church to march forward triumphantly in their spir
itual conquest. A convention of ministers and lay
delegates (of which I was one) was held by the AATes-
leyans at Adrian, Michigan, to take action in relation
to continuing the seceding church. Luther Lee arose
and in his solemn, logical manner said; ' AVere I called
to-day up to the court, of Heaven to render up my ac
count I know of no good reason I could give why I

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 335
should longer be separated from the M. E. church.'
Cyrus Prindle in his honest simplicity said: 'I left the
church for good reasons and as those reasons are re
moved if I was honest then, the same convictions of
duty would require me to return.' Matlock and others
hold the same views. What my convictions were are
recorded in the published proceedings so I will not re
peat them; but it is enough to say that by almost an
unanimous vote it was determined that there no long
er existed a necessity of continuing a separate Metho
dist organization as it had fulfilled its mission. Most
of the sterling Methodists stepped into the open door
of the old church and received a Christian brotherly
welcome. In 1858 John Peate was sent as our preacher.
Under his preaching began a great revival, the church
arose to its former power and efficiency, slavery and
whiskey as before stated were banished from the church
and all were free to speak in thunder tones against all
sin! I will here do justice to a class of men 1 have
before noticed, moral heroes; who in the church at risk
of ostracism, bore testimony against its sin, whose
noble daring shielded them until they saw the tri
umph of their cause and the purification of their be
loved church. Such were the Rev. John Peate, J. E.
Chapin and others, and even J. J. Steadman regretted
his persecution of the AVesleyans and turned his pow
erful intellectual guns against those evils. Many of
the Wesleyans had come back and the church in
creased in numbers and power after the return of Peate."
"For many years the church, after its early organ
ization in Ellicott, worshipped in school houses and
other places on the circuit, sometimes in barns, but in
1827 and 1828 preparations were made to erect a church
at the junction of Second and Chandler streets. It

336 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
was raised in 1829 and in the years 1830 and 1831 it
was enclosed with loose boards, with seats on blocks.
The church was 40x50, without porch or steeple, fin
ished and dedicated in 1832. In 1836 a gallery was
put in on the west end — in 1842 a basement was put
under it. The church has since been elarged, and in
1854 an addition was made on the west end with a'
tower and hall and an ante room above it. - In 1S65
and 1866 the audience room was lengthened 20 feet on
the east end and great improvements made within.
In 1884 it became too small to accommodate the con
gregation, and the present beautiful edifice decided
upon. The old building was sold, and is now owned
and occupied by the Independent Congregationalists.
"I will leave further notice to go back and speak of
some of the persons who have been pillars in the
church from the beginning. The first was Edward
Work, one of the first members. He continued to la
bor for the church for many years after the class at
Worksburg was removed to Jamestown, supported it
liberally, was considered the "father of the church."
He died at his old home, was a humble Christian, died
as he had lived in full faith in his beloved Saviour.
When he lay dying he asked who was singing so
sweetly up stairs? Tiny told him no one. He said
with much animation, "Don't you hear it? The
sweetest music I ever heard," and left to listen to the
still sweeter anthems in heaven of which his spirit had
Hist caught an echo.
To Lyman Crane the church owes much of its
prosperity, and it goes without speaking that for many
years he seemed to be the soul of its existence. Pie
seemed to live for the church and to have no other bus-
in ss but to serve his Lord and Master. Mighty jn

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 337
prayer and exhortation he would sway a congregation
who would follow him with no discount of feeling, for
his life spoke louder in favor of religion than his voice
from the stand on Sabbath, by his godly example
through the week. Whenever a reviler of religion
said that its professors were all hypocrites, they were
silenced by pointing to Father Crane. I can in fancy
see him now with one of his benevolent smiles which
told of a happy heart within. All of his surplus earn
ings was devoted to the church, which owes so much
to him. I visited him on his death bed and on my
speaking of what he had done he replied, "I have no
regrets for what I have done but that I could do no
more." * The church for a number of years has in
creased in numbers and influence through the faithful
labors of its ministers, and the godly examples of its
members, until it stands second in number and spirit
uality to none of its sister churches. I have compiled
this history with much care and labor as no public
records appear until 1835. In early days the preach
ers kept and carried them in his saddle bags with his
library as he ranged the country to gather up the "lost
sheep of the house of Israel. In addition to what Mr.
Bishop has so kindly said for us we deem it due this
church as well as to the village of Jamestown that we
speak of Alonzo Kent's relation to it, for what is true of
him in this connection, has been and is true of one or
two in each of the other churches from their earliest
organization, up to the present time. Perhaps the one

* Mr. Bishop has inadvertently omitted the name of one who
should always be remembered as one of the most faithful workers in
the early days of the Methodist church in Jamestown. In zeal, and
as a constant and faithful worker no one stood higher than Anna
Cheney, the first wife of Dr. E. T. Foote.

338 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
or two in the other churches have not held their pe
culiar positions quite as long as Mr. Kent has in the
Methodist, we therefore choose him as an exemplar of
a small class of men in our community, and perhaps
to a certain extent in all communities.
About the year 1840, during this great quarrel so
iustly spoken of by Mr. Bishop, and after the choir had
vacated their seats, and the bass viol had been carried
out of the church, the preacher found himself
placed where prompt action was necessary. It is
truly wonderful how great a blaze a little fire can kin
dle, especially in a church and particularly in a church
choir. The Methodist preacher was a good leader. He
knew that Mr. Kent, who at that, time generally at
tended the Presbyterian church, was a good singer, and
could, if he would, soon educate a new choir "who would
prove steadfast supporters of the old church and would
not turn kickers when something occurred that did not
accord with their notions. He applied to Mr. Kent in
a manner to arouse his warmest sympathies, and he
went over and organized and drilled a choir and re
mained with them a long time as their leader. AVhen
he was willing to go they would not permit it. He re
mained and became strongly attached to his choir and
finally to those by whom he had been for so long a
time surrounded. He found that he was attached to
that society, he sympathized with them in their
troubles, and e'er long became a necessary part and
parcel of the Methodist church so far as their worldly
interests were concerned. He was always a free and
liberal giver, and whenever he found them in a finan
cial strait or difficulty he gave freely and on certain
occasions most bountiful ly. It finally came to this,
that he virtually said to them, raise all you can, give

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 339
liberally youselves, and I will attend to the balance.
This we are informed has been the condition of affairs
in that church for nearly fifty years. Their financial
motto has been, "We must do all we can, — give liber
ally ourselves, — Kent does the rest." It is not wonder
ful, that that cliurch is attached to Alonzo Kent, or
that Alonzo Kent feels that that church is, as it were,
the apple of his eye. He is, and as long as he lives
will continue to be, one of its fixtures, a part of its
furniture, as much so as the grand organ they placed
in their beautiful new church a few months ago. And
we freely write our belief that the Rev. Dr. W. G.
Williams would never have entered upon that surpris
ing church building undertaking without the advice
and direct encouragement of Alonzo Kent; — without it
that splendid edifice would never have been built.
After that society had seemingly given to their ut
most and Alonzo Kent had aided most liberally, when
the day for dedication came, they found themselves in
debt over 20,000 dollars. Rev. Dr. Flood with all of
his persuasiveness and extra pleading would never
have raised that vast amount if he had not said, "I
will give $1000, Mr. Kent will you give still another
thousand dollars?" AVhen the reply was "I will," Dr.
Flood knew that the fire which was to burn out that
debt was kindled. It was a glorious ending of a grand
undertaking. We would be proud to possess a photo
graphic group with Dr. Williams as the head and
Alonzo Kent as the feet, with the three learned doc
tors, Flood, A nicent and Peate, sandwiched between,
as the body of this great Methodistical power in James
town. We know of similar cases in the past history of
churches in this town, smaller amounts to be sure,
but full as grievous to be borne. And we know to-day

340 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
of another man with good aids, in another church,
who is doing a similar work. Such churches will
surely prosper, they can never fail as earthly organi
zations at least, for their foundations are granite.
At the last meeting of the Methodist church in
their old house, Dr. Peate in closing the service, spoke
as follows: " The church has had a good many
friends outside of its members, but I never met with as
true a friend as Alonzo Kent. I never knew an out
sider so true and constant. I wish we had more like
him in the congregation. I make these remarks, be
cause he is not here to-night; and I miss him, for he
is always in his place. I like to see him here and I
expect to meet him in Heaven." From all parts of
the house, came the loud, hearty, feeling Amen! Both
the preacher and his congregation held in true estima
tion the man's acts. If this is not the true estimate, if
it is not by a man's acts that he is to be finally judged,
churches can be of little use to human beings. AA7hat-
ever views man may entertain of the present and its
relations to the future, he has never been able to sep
arate life from religion. The one is as diffusive as the
other, worship of a Supreme Being as necessary as the
air he breathes. In his most uncultivated thoughts,
mortal life suggests immortal being; the finite leads
him to the infinite. It is the main spring of exis
tence. It is as easy to believe that the trees and the
flowers in the spring time could put forth their leaves
and unfold their painted glories without looking up
to the sun for his warmth and light, as that, man will
continue in life and health unaided by a superior, In
telligent Power. Religion is the animating spirit of
all man accomplishes here. Whether our reason ad
mits it, or denies it, our spirits affirm it. It is as natur-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 341
al for man to worship as to breathe. As his intelligence
increases, the higher is the intelligence he worships.
As his greater knowledge teaches him the wonders of
mortality, greater becomes his faith in immortality.
The gods or the God he worships increase in intelli
gence, knowledge and power with himself until at last
he worships the one only Ever-living God — not a God
he has created, according to Ingersoll, but a God he
sees behind all the wonders his knowledge reveals to
him — God his creator. Is it not strange that some of
our most learned men, theologians as well as scientists,
would have us transfer our worship from this Infinite
Being our intelligence and our knowledge points out,
to a microscopic mite of jelly, protoplasm they call it,
with an unintelligent force, the know not what, in or
behind the know not which. Whether we follow the
Old Theology, with God a special creator, and man
the immediate and especial work of His hand, or the
New Theology with God the creator of a clam or
something less, and that evolving into that wonderful
scientific humbug, the "anthropoid ape," who after
thousands of years of "monkey shines," forces himself to
stand erect and cast his gaze heavenward- — after all,
the great gap remains between the known and the un
known, the finite and the infinite, between God and
man. Whether our Creator is an evolver or a maker,
the Bible alone makes the only pretension or effort to
fill the immense gap remaining. We do not know
whether Adam and Eve were evolved out ofamonke}'-
or were the immediate handiwork of God, but we do
know that the Old Theology, the old churches and the
old ministers filled a glorious place in the early his
tory of Jamestown, and we sincerely trust the time is
far distant when Materialism and its right hand Evol-

342 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
ution, with its protoplasm and apes, gains a large
hearing in the churches of the Pearl City. We think
that anyone leaning heavily towards the ape theory
of his origin may be thorougly cured by reading a
work entitled, Matter, Life and Mind, by Rev. Dr.
Moore, who was formerly a preacher in the old Metho
dist church of Jamestown. We contend we are not
over stepping the bounds of truth- — of a chain of facts
linked one with another — when we broadly state that
that wonderful Chautauqua at old Fair Point on the
beautiful banks of beautiful Chautauqua lake, would
never have existed but for the Methodist Episcopal
church of Jamestown. Truth sometimes is far more
wonderful than the fairy tales of romance. In 1869
Rev. H. H Moore, a green young man (in appearance)
who had not been quite two years in the preaching
business was sent to Jamestown to assist Rev. E. J. L.
Baker (the writer's room-mate at college) in his pas
toral duties. During the summer of that year he
spent a week or more at a camp meeting at Round
lake, studying the situation — having in view the es
tablishment of a similar affair somewhere on Chau
tauqua lake. Returning from Round lake he attend
ed another meeting of a similar kind at Dayton, in
Cattaraugus County. At Dayton Moore brought the
subject before the presiding elder, Rev. J. Elliott
Chapin, which resulted in the appointment of a com
mittee to seek out a proper location on the lake for a
permanent Camp Meeting ground. Fair Point was
selected and 50 acres purchased for $10,000. Here
again Alonzo Kent's purse became very useful and
made the purchase possible. One or two camp meet
ings had been held on the grounds when Rev. Dr.
Vincent and Mr. Miller came along and wanted the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 343
beautiful camp meeting grounds of Moore and Chapin
and Kent and of the Jamestown Methodist Episcopal
church for another but allied purpose. Believing that
it would advance the cause for which they were all la
boring they surrendered. The Matter of Fair Point
had been thoroughly organized by these Life giving
substances, and made ready for the great Mind which
was destined to inhabit and rule all- — Independent of
human organisms, the work of the Almighty — never
has Matter, Life and Mind been more happily blend
ed, than in Chautauqua. THE MORMONS IN JAMESTOWN.
Notwithstanding the length of this chapter, it still
devolves upon us to write concerning the Baptists and
Episcopalians, and, we are sorry to say, of the Mor
mons. We will perform the disagreeable part of our
task first. There are but few now living in this Pearl
City aware that many years ago, for a short time only,
this was one of the headquarters, a gathering place
preparatory to a removal to Kirkland, Ohio, of that re
ligious parasite, Mormonism. At one time there were
nearly 300 of them here, although the general belief
was that there were less than 100 in all. They were
then preparing to occupy their newly discovered land
of promise, and their policy was to conceal their num
bers, and not to make a display. The vanguard put in
an appearance in May, 1833, and immediately occu
pied a number of indifferent houses on Third street
west of Jefferson street. These houses had been rented
by their advance agent, William Barker, early in
March. Barker had charge of the Jamestown rendez
vous, although Rigdon himself was frequently here.
This Rigdon, who subsequently became one of the
high apostles of the concern, was one of the arch devils

344 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
that aided ignorant Jo. Smith to start this humbug
in Ontario county. He had been a Baptist minis
ter, but as such had been noted for qualities bet
ter fitting him as a teacher in the Mormon iniquity
than for a Christian minister. Whether Rigdon or
Spaulding or some one else wrote the Book of Mormon
is a matter of slight importance, but, he had the educa
tion, the smartness, the love of deceit, and all the other
devilish qualities of head and heart, to make him one
of the best men in the world for such an undertaking.
He was present with Jo., or more correctly, we think,
Jo. with him, when the angel gave to Jo. the golden
plates of Nephi in the presence of Cowdrey, Whitman
and Harris. In 1833 he was a fine appearing, pleasant
spoken, agreeable man, and made several friends
among the unbelievers of Jamestown. Barker was a
mean looking chap, and was meaner than he looked ;
disagreeable in person, harsh and low in speech, igno
rant and as thoroughly contemptible as bigotry and
zeal could make him. He was a man who had never
known ought of the laws of kindness, or the luxury of
doing good. In his whole body and soul there was not
the first particle of love or charity or human kind
ness. He was a fit person to be a leader of Mormon
ism, in which he most thoroughly believed. Rigdon
drew a general order on Judge Prendergast to supply
all Mormons with flour or feed, the individual orders
to be countersigned by AVm. Barker. Judge Prender
gast from time to time drew his drafts on the bank of
Kirkland, Ohio, which were promptly paid. They had
frequent religious exercises and preaching, generally
we think in the street in front, of their dwellings. Dur
ing this Mormon exodus and occupation of AVest
Jamestown, the small pox broke out m one of the Mor-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 345
mon houses. At that time the " peculiar people" did
not allow the ministrations of physicians, depending
on the power and efficiency of prayer to cure all dis
eases. A Jamestown convert to the faith believing the
case to be small pox privately informed Dr. Hazeltine.
A town counsel was held and the trustees sent Dr. Ha
zeltine and Dr. Stephen I. Brown, of Busti, to examine.
With difficulty they performed their mission and re
ported genuine small pox. Then commenced the
Jamestown Mormon war. They not only were deter
mined that the physicians should not visit the patients,
but they would allow no white flags or signs, warning
citizens of the pestilence within the houses. The phy
sicians found it impossible to visit the patients and
declared that it would be useless if they could, for no
one would administer medicines. The citizens con
tented themselves with putting a fence across Third
street at Lafayette, and another near the beatlanding,
and interdicting the denizens of this Gomorrah coming
into the town. A few who tried to travel eastward on
Third street beyond Lafayette speedily returned com
plaining of headache. The arch fiend himself, Bar
ker, tried it, fainted by the way, and lay in the street
near Lafayette until carried back by some ef his clan-
It was never judicially decided whether he fainted or
ran against a hickory cane in the hands of " Big Sim
mons," the watchman. The last of the Mormons left
Jamestown in the spring of 1834. They made very few
converts here, but among them was John Fent, author
of Fent's Arithmetic, and family, and J. Sanford Hol-
man, the blacksmith before mentioned, and his wife.
Holman was a good citizen and a loss to the village.
The Mormons were quite welcome to all else they took
away from Jamestown. Worn out by frequent mov-

346 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
ings and fatigue, Holman died at Council Bluffs on his
way to Salt Lake city.

BAPTISTS.
The first Baptist to settle in Jamestown so far as
the recollection of the oldest inhabitant extends or can
say to the contrary, was John C. Breed, " the deacon,"
as he was familiarly known. When this chapter was
written Mr. Breed was alive and well, but a few days
ago he passed away. See chapter six. John C. Breed
came to Jamestown in January, 1822, an unusually
proper, good-looking young man. His influence upon
the young people of that period was very happy, prob
ably because they had not been accustomed to find
true piety and so large a share of health, strength and
good looks combined in the same person. He was a
constant attendant and took an active part in the
meetings at Prendergast academy, for at that time there
were no other meetings to attend. E'er long he mar
ried Olive, a daughter of Solomon Jones, and the
handsomest girl in town, and the best singer.
Whether it was through Breed's instrumentality
we cannot say, but in the fall of 1823 a Sunday-school
was established, the first in the settlements, at the old
academy, and he was made the superintendent. There
were no regular teachers in this Sabbath school. There
were quite as many adults and church members who
attended as children, and Mr. Breed would select there
from a sufficient number to hear the recitations and to
report the number of verses each one recited. The
school was not divided into classes then as now, each
class having a selected teacher. It was the duty of
each scholar to learn as many verses in the testament,
commencing with the first chapter of the Gospel of St.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 347
John, as he could during the week, and these he recited
to some person appointed to hear them. Each scholar
was rewarded with tickets according to the number of
verses recited. These tickets were of different sizes and
colors according to the number of verses committed to
memory. For five verses a very small, inferior looking
ticket was given ; for ten, one a trifle larger ; fortwenty,
a respectable one ; for fifty, a fair sized blue one ; and
for 100 verses a large sized, good looking red ticket
Louisa Jones (Mrs. J. E. Chapin,) and William Deland
we observed received many red tickets, and we asked
for one. Mr. Breed replied that when we recited 100
verses at once we should have one. The next Sunday
we carried home and exhibited to our delighted mother
a red ticket, and frequently after that two reds and a
blue. We doubt very much if we should have received
as many red tickets as we did, if it had not been for a
ruse of our father. If for any reason we needed pun
ishment, we were sentenced according to the enormity
of our offence, to sit down and not get up until we had
committed to memory ten, twenty or fifty verses. The
Sunday-school and our paternal parent made a perfect
system of rewards and punishments for us. In those
early days the entire care and management of the Sun
day-school devolved on the superintendent. We pre
sume there are no superior superintendents now in the
Sabbath schools, and we claim that John C, Breed was
the best ever in Jamestown. He knew just how to talk
to children, to gain their good will, their love and affec
tion. Every one loved John C. Breed, the superin
tendent of the first Sabbath school ever taught in this
town. He has gone where he will be rewarded with
red tickets. The writer's recollection is that there was a Baptist

348 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
organization here as early as 1825 or '26. He is posi
tive that there was one before the Mormon excitement.
Be that as it may, the Baptist church of Jamestown do
not claim an organization previous to 1832, according
to Young's history. During this same year (1832) they
built a large, good looking barn on the site of their
present church and called it a meeting house. It
looked like a barn on the outside, excepting the win
dows, but in the inside was comfortable and church
like in appearance. The Baptists worshiped in this
building twenty-five years and then (1857) sold it, and
it was moved away for a mechanic's shop. They then
built the present church-like edifice in which they now
worship. The Rev. Rufus Pratt was the first settled
Baptist minister in Jamestown, and he died here April
2, 1829. The earlier ministers at this church were Da
vid Bernard, Asahel Chapin, Rufus Peet, Alfred Handy
and others.
A little more than 40 years ago a young man named
Blakesly,'5' a student in the Oberlin college, considered
it his duty to speak upon the crime of slavery during
his vacation, and came to Jamestown for that purpose.
He delivered three lectures at the Baptist church.
There was great excitement when it was announced
that there would be a lecture there upon the subject of
slavery. At the conclusion a second lecture was an
nounced for the next day. The excitement spread
like wild fire. He was warned 'to leave town. Tar,
feathers, etc. were plainly spoken of, and if he persist
ed, death to the Abolitionist more than hinted at. A
* In our newspaper article we unaccountahlv mixed up our re
collections of this person with Prof. Fairchild who became the hus
band of Marcia Kellogg, one of Jamestown's most excellent daugh
ters.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 349
third lecture was announced. Jamestown and vicinity
was never more excited than then. On the afternoon
of his last harangue the Baptist church was a danger
ous place to be in. The church was crowded ; more
than half present were there for the lecturer's protec
tion, but the crowd outside was double and triple of
that within, gathered from all parts of the country.
We believe that if some man in that excited crowd
more crazy than the rest, could have reached the lec
turer he would have killed him, and this was pre
vented by Hiram Eddy, who, when he left the church
after the third lecture ran by his side with his right
hand in his coat collar, and would occasionally give
him a flying leap ahead of ten feet or more. The
crowd pressing too hard, Eddy threw the little lec
turer over a five-foot garden fence, and as he proved a
good runner, was in a place of safety before the mob
had realized what had happened.
The early Baptists as well as the religious societies
alreadjr mentioned, had their worldly troubles, their
bickerings and their quarrels. At one time a Baptist
brother, "one that paid," wanted to dismiss their min
ister, an eloquent man, because he was not " edicated."
A quarrel and a dismissal followed. The Baptists have
had some very unhappy quarrels and more than one
unhappy minister. But such devoted Christians and
eloquent preachers as Bernard, Chapin, Wells and
Haughwout cover a multitude of short coinings.
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH,
Young's history states that the Episcopal church
of Jamestown was organized in 1853. St. Luke's church
of Jamestown was organized and wardens and vestry
men chosen previous to the writer's leaving home for
college which was in 1833. How long previous we can-

350 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
not state. We believe about two years.. But the soci
ety was. too poor to build a church or even to hire a
clergyman. In 1853 a few friends of the church, the
writer one of them, were seriously talking of hiring a
clergyman. They wanted church services for their
fathers and mothers, wives and sisters, if not for them
selves. One evening Win. F. Wheeler and Wm. H.
Lowry, going home to tea, happened to meet John M.
Grant, Smith Seymour, and the writer, at the corner of
Main and Third streets, and they had a conversation
concerning hiring the basement of the academy and
fitting it up for church services. While they were talk
ing their friend, the Rev. Mr. Blinn, came along and
inquired, " Boys, what mischief are you at now ?"
The writer replied, " Do you see the old Fletcher place
up there ? We are going to buy that and build thereon
a church that will knock'the spots off your Presbyter
ian church down there." " Good for you," says Blinn;
•"do so and I will come and be your priest, and permit
me to give you this as the first donation towards the
church," at the same time handing me an old fash
ioned copper cent. This was all pleasant badinage be
tween friends. We were all sincere friends of Air.
Blinn and he of us. He thought nothing wrong and
meant nothing wrong. Mr. AVheeler held up his hand
and made oath that within two years that, penny
should be deposited in the cornerstone of an Episcopal
church in Jamestown, and turning to his four compan
ions said — "as I swear so swear you all." They an
swered in the affirmative. Blinn then remarked, "I
fear we have been making light of serious things ; and
I will now say if you can build a church on the strength
of that penny, you are doubly welcome to it and I bid
you God speed." This is very near the conversation.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 351
That evening seven of us subscribed $500 each for
building a church, and the next day the amount was
nearly doubled. Blinn's cent was the main argument
used in obtaining subscribers. At noon the next day
we were owners of the lots on which the church and
parsonage are built, Mr. Tew having conveyed them to
us to be used for that especial purpose. The Rev. Levi
W. Norton was shortly engaged as rector, the basement
of the academy was rented and prepared for church
services, and all the friends of the church were happy,
none more so than our friend the Rev. Mr. Blinn. The
church was erected the next season, and the copper
cent with its history well engraved, deposited in the
corner stone. A few years afterwards the church was
burned. The contents of the box in the corner stone
were not injured, and were, penny included, deposited
in the corner stone of the present structure.
In our last conversation with Mr. Blinn he said,
" You fellows to whom 1 gave the penny have done
well. I wish I could invest another penny that would
yield a like increase."
Jamestown has now many churches, how many
we do not know. Since the time above spoken of we
have gained a large Swede population. Among
them are several church organizations and they have
already erected four respectable churches, and now I
understand another is spoken of. AVe have also gained
a large and respectable Irish addition to our popula
tion, mostly Roman Catholic. A large church edifice
at present is sufficient for their church needs.

CHAPTER XIII.
The Bad Districts — Whipping the School Master
— Log School Houses — First Schools in James
town — Thos. Walkup and the Bird Nest Rob
bers — Pine Street School House — Early
Teachers — Juty Smith — Old Put Takes a Ride
— The Academy — Its Teachers and Pupils —
The Jamestown Academy.
A few evenings ago after a half hour spent in dil
igent writing concerning our early schools and school
masters, we laid our pad of paper aside, to allow our
little pond of remembrances to fill up again. We have
with sufficient accuracy ascertained that our reservoir
for thoughts is quite thoroughly drained by an hour's
active use of the pencil. We soon fell into a deep re
verie over what were called the hard districts of those
early times. Districts in which besides the troop of
children, were, in some localities, perhaps a dozen big
unruly boys, with well developed muscles, full of
strength and fight, and double the number of half big
ones, boys of 13 or 14 years of age, but as stout and
surly and as full of mischief and undeveloped strength
as little mules. In these districts the first thing to be
done at the commencement of each winter's school,

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 353
was to break all rules and whip the- school master. It
took the stoutest, double breasted fellows in the coun
try to manage one of these schools, and teachers for
them were quite as frequently chosen for their bodily
strength as for their mental qualifications; and even
such were quite as frequently thoroughly whipped,
thrown out into the road, and then pelted with mud,
or snow balls, until finally glad to beat a rapid retreat
not stopping until the confines of the district were
reached. This disposition to whip the school master
we find was no new thing; it did not originate in the
settlements, or in this country, or in this age. This is
proven by a case related by an old Latin author over
two thousand years ago which we translate into verse
as best we can for our edification. It strikes us as be
ing appropriate, and descriptive of the condition of
things in the bad district of sixty years ago:
Once the master was obeyed and feared
Till youth was wise and fit to govern— but now
When he admonishes a child of only seven years,
The brat hurls the tablets at his head.
You to his father go and make complaint,
And what redress is given? 'Tis this:
"Ah-ha! old bum-bruiser.
My boy you find, can, himself defend,
Spank him if you deem best — and can."
This is the solace given; you
Lop your ears in silence, sneak away,
And next are seen
With cracked pate beplastered— and face bepatched
Like an ill-used paper lantern.

EARLY SCHOOLS OF ELLICOTT.
Among the many comforts and advantages to
which the early inhabitants of Jamestown were in
debted to Judge James Prendergast, were the extra aq-

354 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
commodations for schools, and the superior school
teachers he bestowed upon them from 1814 to 1822 at
his own cost. He set a high value upon education
and as the early settlers at the rapids, having children
ofa proper age to attend school, were too poor to fur
nish either school-room or teacher, he furnished both,
and insisted strenuously, that all children between the
ages of six and fifteen should be sent to school, which
he made free to all without reference to age. The
first schools taught, here were attended by several over
twenty-five years of age, who then for the first time
learned to read and write. The school rooms provid
ed by Judge Prendergast for these schools were first
class for those times and the teachers collegiates.
The first school houses in the town of Ellicott, out
of Jamestown, as well as in other parts of the county
were like the settlers' dwellings, built, of logs. A log
school house was easily distinguished from a dwelling
by not being as high, as no sleeping room, reached by
a ladder; was necessary upon an upper floor, and also
by the shape of the windows. The writer during the
winter 1825-26 lived with his grandfather in Busti and
attended the school — over a mile distant, taught by an
uncle of his, in one of these log school houses. The
writing desk for the larger scholars was along one end
and about one-half of each of the sides. This was
nothing more than a shelf made with wide boards sup
ported by long pins driven into auger holes in the
logs. Just above this desk were four long windows
only two or three glass high, one on each side and
two at the end. The seats were trees, split in two and
made tolerably smooth by hewing, with pins driven
into the lower rounded sides for legs. A row of these
were placed before the desks. Through the center of

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 355
the room were several of these long slab benches, all
without backs, for the smaller scholars. In the other
end of the building was the big Dutch fire place, the
hearth of which was the ground, and this piled full of
logs four feet long or more kept the place sufficiently
warm. Between the front benches and the fire was
the master's table, and a bolt sawed from a big maple
tree by the side of the table was the dunce block. If
a scholar large or small, male or female, was so dull or
inattentive as not to get his or her lesson, the dullard's
head was ornamented with a tall, pyramidal paper
cap, leather spectacles were tied over the eyes and were
then politely conducted to and placed on this block by
two school mates of the opposite sex. AVithout excep
tion, it was great fun for the scholars to see this exhi
bition; the one on the block looked so droll, so queer,
so verily like a fool, that every one laughed at his ex
pense, and the blockhead appeared to think he was a
fool, and would willingly exchange his place for half a
dozen sound floggings. At least, so it appeared to us,
for we were never placed there ourself, we had a
wholesome dread of it from the beginning and worked
dilligently at our lessons, and, perhaps, our uncle had
a little regard for our feelings. The punishment of
the dunce block was reserved for those who were neg
ligent in learning their lessons, and we believe that if
it had been retained at least for these cases, it would
have proved the greatest spur to diligence among all
the forms of punishment that have yet been invented.
The beech and the birch, the switch and the gad,
were reserved for the more flagrant breach of school
and moral law. And our own observation and re
membrance is, that the thorougly bad boy would pre
fer a flogging that would place him hors de combat for

356 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
a week, than to spend one hour on the dunce block.
The first school ever taught in Jamestown was
during the fall and winter of 1814 and 1815, in the
north room of the Blowers house before mentioned.
The teacher was the Rev. Amasa West who received
his education at Williams College and who was the
first minister who resided here. There attended this
school seven children and irregularly three or four
adults. Wm. H. Fenton, the present patriarch of
Jamestown, and Seneca, his brother, and Rebecca, his
sister, (Mrs. Abram Jones) still living, and Alexander
T. Prendergast, all were pupils in this first school.
The school commenced the first of December and con
tinued four months.
As the Blowers house had been sold to Dr. Hazel
tine and the Academy building not completed, in fact
at this time the frame was not up, Judge Prendergast,
with rough boards, partitioned off a room in the cob-
ton factoiy for a school, and Abner Hazeltine, who but
a short time previous had graduated at Williams Col
lege and was expected to arrive at the rapids in No
vember, was, through Dr. Laban Hazeltine, engaged
as teacher. Abner Hazeltine opened his school soon
after his arrival in November and continued it for five
months. Seventeen children and eleven "large schol
ars" attended this school. Alexander T. Prendergast
commenced the study of Latin; Phineas Palmiter,
Plinny Cass, two daughters of Horatio Dix, Alex. T.
Prendergast, and occasionally others made the first
class in English grammer ever taught in Jamestown.
This class had a "parsing school" once a week in the
evening, which was generally attended by Judge
Prendergast, Dr. Hazeltine, Deacon Dix and others.
Several came from what are now the towns of Kian-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. . 357
tone and Busti to these parsing schools. As many as
could were expected to bring a Murray's grammar*
Murray's English reader, Milton's Paradise Lost and a
tallow candle, otherwise the parsing school was free to
all who were sufficiently advanced in knowledge of
English grammar to take a part. There attended
these parsing schools some as finished grammarians as
could be found in any country. This, the second
school taught in the settlement, took the name of
Prendergast's Academy. That name was given to it by
Abner Hazeltine; first, because the Judge paid the
teacher; second, on account of the imposing building
in which the school was taught and lastly because of
this parsing school and because the Junto called it
A. B. Abs Academy. It became the regular name of
the Jamestown school during the three seasons it was
taught by Abner Hazeltine, .and the select schools
taught in the village up to the advent of John Foster
Allen in the year 1830, then the "Prendergast" was
dropped and The Academy was spoken of; after
wards under Lysander Farrar as the "Jamestown
Academy." In the fall and winter of 1816 and 1817
Abner Hazeltine taught in Keyes's shop chamber, it
having been found difficult to heat the room in the
cotton factory with any appliances then on hand.
Prendergast's new academy building, the "old acad
emy" frequently spoken of in these papers, became use
able in the fall of 1817, and Abner Hazeltine's third
and last school was taught therein in the winter of 1817
and '18. The building was especially erected as a
place for religious services, for at a meeting at Dr.
Hazeltine's house at which were present Judge Prend
ergast, Dr. Hazeltine, Abner Hazeltine, Daniel Hazel
tine and Jacob Fenton and others, held a few days af-

358 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
ter the organization of the Congregational Church, it
was represented to Judge P. that there was no place
for meetings but at the taverns, which were inconven
ient and inappropriate, and as he had declared his in
tention of putting up a building for that purpose and
that as the timber for the same had been got out the
year previously and was on the ground and par
tially framed by Deacon Dix and Ebenezer Sherwin,
they asked him to put up the frame and enclose a por
tion of it that it might be used for meetings. Judge
Prendergast replied that he had expected that Captain
Dix would have completed the building the fall pre
vious, but work for Cass prevented; that both Dix and
Sherwin were then engaged on Freeman's bouse and
Pier and Freeman's hat factory. If any one could be
found to do the work he would put up and enclose the
building immediately. That it was not necessary to
go to the taverns; they could use the academy room
in Keyes's shop. He did not believe there was dan
ger of its breaking down as some believed. No one
was found to engage in the putting up of the building
until the next year. Israel Knight, a builder Mho
came to the rapids in 1815 and who was then engaged
in putting up a building for John Frank in Busti, took
the job for early the next season but did not com
mence work before midsummer. The first school
taught therein was by Abner Hazeltine in the fall and
winter of 1817 and '18. The school in the fall of 1819
was a writing and grammar school taught in Keyes's
shop chamber by a Mr. Flack who made the teaching
of writing and grammar a specialty. * Many more
* Fitly years ago and more Grammar Schools were common
and there was a class of men who wandered through the country
teaching them and generally they were well patronized.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 359
adults attended this school than those under twenty
years of age. This was the first school taught in
Jamestown for which Judge Prendergast did not pay
every cent of the teacher's wages and he paid three-
fourths of this. The school in 1820 was expected to
be taught by Abraham Hazeltine (the late Dr. Abraham
Hazeltine) but before the school commenced, a young
man named Austin Nelson, a graduate of Hamilton
College, came in, and desiring some occupation during
the fall and winter, Hazeltine permitted Nelson to take
his place. This school commenced early in the fall
and was taught in the Prendergast Academy. In the
fall of that year an epidemic of typhus fever broke out
in Jamestown of which several died. Nearly every
member of Solomon Jones's large family had this
fever but all recovered. Nelson after teaching a short
time also took the fever and died and the school was
abandoned. In 1821 Thomas Walkup was employed to
teach a summer and a fall and winter term of school
in the academy, Judge Prendergast paying two-thirds
of the teacher's wages and furnish wood which was,
near at hand on Fifth street between Main and Cherry.
Much of the wood was cut by the large scholars and
drawn to the academy by the smaller boys on their
hand sleds. The wood cut was three to four feet long
and burned in an enormous fire place. In those days
there were several large, heavy hand sleds in town and
many families cut and drew their own wood. No
one would have to go far from his own door to find the
best of wood which he was welcome to if he would cut
and haul it away. True, in places the pine trees were
cut out, but the hard wood and underbrush remained.
Where the pine was cut out a heavy growth of pine
bushes soon sprang up, in some places so dense that it

360 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
was impossible to get through them. These bushes
grew very rapidly and soon became of large size. In
an early day the pine lands were considered almost
valueless for farming purposes. If a person wanted a
farm he would make for the beech and maple in Busti,
or the oak and chestnut lands north and west from
the rapids. Then the idea was, that not only the pine
land was poor, but that the labor and expense of get
ting out the pine stumps, would be double the value of
the land. But farmers were not long in learning that
the pine lands were the best and as soon as the lands
were really needed, Yankee invention rid the land
of stumps in short order. Their value for fences more
than half repaid ¦'heir removal. The big pine stumps
which would never decay, and which for many years
they had no adequate appliances for pulling, helped
to sell the lighter frosty soils of the beech and maple
sections of the country.
Thomas Walkup bad the honor of being the
writer's second teacher; his mother was the first. She
had thoroughly learned him his a, b, c's, his a, b, abs,
the words in three letters, and those in two sylables,
from baker to vocal in AVebster's old spelling book, be
fore he ever saw Thomas Walkup and his watch and
his switch.
We never thought it quite right, Ezra Jones and our
self,* and we vowed that we would never forgive Walkup,
and if we lived to be big enough would whip him for
that switching he gave us, the first we received at
school. There was an upturned pine stump precisely
where Harmis Willard erected his residence in 1823

* Rev. Ezra Jones, son of Solomon Jone*, now resides in Lan
sing, Mich.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 361
and which for many years was the residence of the
late Charles Butler on the northwest corner of Main
and Fourth streets. Among the roots of that stump,
partially concealed by a few tufts of grass and wild
flowers was a nest containing four beautiful speckled
eggs. We thought there was no harm in taking them
away, we wanted to show them to our mothers, we did
not know they would break so easily; we did not
know when the old birds were screaming so pit-
eously they were begging us to let the eggs alone;
we did not intend to soil our aprons, and had
not our mothers washed them when worse soiled
than they were then? We pleaded innocence and ig
norance most eloquently, but all to no avail. We
were there to be educated, and we got a lesson we have
never forgotten. "Just as the twig is bent," you know.
If we did not then know, we have ever since known,
that it was wrong to rob a bird's nest. That was sixty
five years ago, and we seldom if ever pass that house
without feeling a tingling along up our back and
down our legs. There is brought up from the deep
memories of the long ago and placed before our eyes a
picture. Yes, that is the same old stump, the nest is
behind that clump of grass ; there are four beautiful
speckled eggs in it; up there is one of the old birds
sitting on that high, long root that reaches out towards
the academy. We seldom see that house when we
pass it, but we frequently see that old upturned pine
stump. We see the nest and the eggs and the
birds. We see Thomas Walkup and that nice beech
switch, and we feel it, too. There is one gratifying re
membrance. We promised Walkup we would never
rob another bird's nest as long as we lived. We have

362 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the satisfaction of believing that this promise has been
faithfully kept.
The Pine Street School House was erected by
subscription in 1822 by the " Junto " opposed to Judge
Prendergast, the Academy, and the leadership of the
Congregational church. It occupied the lots on the
northeast corner of Pine and Fourth streets, now oc
cupied by the residence of Sheldon Broadhead. It
afterwards passed into the hands of the school district
in which it was situated. It for many years was a
prominent school house, and the first efforts of the
Methodists, and also of the Baptists, at separate exis
tence, are indissolubly connected with the " old Pine
street school house." If any preacher, no matter of
what denomination, or of no denomination, came to
Jamestown and could not be accommodated at the
old academy, the door of the "old Pine street" had no
lock upon it, and he was welcome to enter without even
asking permission.
Among the early school teachers here we men
tion Richard F. Fenton, Henry Gifford, Elisha Hall,
Isaac Eddy, Jr., and Orrel Green as the principal ones.
During the same time at the academy were Rev. Lewis
C. Todd, Samuel Brown, of AshviUe, and a person
whose name we cannot recall. These are the princi
pal up to the removal of the academy to Fourth street
in 1829. After its removal, J. Elliott Chapin was the
teacher of the common school iu the lower room for
several years.
Rev. Phillip Smith, said to be a Baptist, clergy
man, came to Jamestown in 1825 and opened a select
school in Keyes's shop chamber. This school was the
last of the series included under the name of Prender
gast Academy. Smith was an educated man and a

the town of ellicott. 363
good teacher. He was a small, near-sighted man and
wore spectacles. He opened and closed each session of
the school with a short prayer. He had certain set
forms which he used, a peculiar posture and peculiar
ities of pronunciation which provoked the larger boys
to imitate him, to his great annoyance. One peculiar
ity of pronunciation was, that such words as duty and
dutiful he pronounced as if spelled juty and jutiful.
Soon in consequence he was nicknamed " Juty Smith"
and "Old Jutiful," and "Old Spectacles." For this
disrespect the small boys got floggings, and the larger,
ones lectures on Christian deportment and juty. Smith
very soon resorted to the plan of praying with his eyes
open that he might detect those who mocked him. He
soon found that this was not practical, for in watching
his scholars he would forget his prayer and the room
would be filled with a roar of laughter. He finally re
sorted to the plan of kneeling before his chair with his
back to his unruly scholars, and after a short time the
disturbance and mocking which had so annoyed him
ceased. We have in a previous chapter described the
situation of the Keyes shop — about eight feet below the
house with the stairs filling this space between the two
and going up to a wide platform at the west end, from
which was the door into the schoolroom.
Silas Southland, who now resides on the lake this
side of Lakewood, eldest son of Judson Southland who
was a prominent citizen of Jamestown at an early day,
attended this school. Silas was decidedly the fat boy
of the town. His avoirdupois when ten years old was
something tremendous — his diameter seemingly fully
equalled his length, and his daring fully equalled his
adipose; he was the butt as well as the pet of the
school. Frank Waite one day said to him, "Let us see

364 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
you ride down these stairs on your sled." "No, I guess
not," says Silas, " I fear it would hurt me. You ride
down, and if you don't break your neck, I will try it."
Frank declared that he dare not try it, but thought
that Silas dare attempt anything. "Well," says Silas,
"as you own you are a coward, and we all know you
are, else you would not mock ' Old Juty ' when he is
praying, I will try it." Laying down on his sled he
told Frank to give him a start and down he went, head
foremost, not stopping until he had reached the middle
of the bridge at the foot of Main street. That day he
received the name of "Old Put " — a name that clung to
him for many years, and to the present day for aught
we know to the contrary. Mr. Southland will pardon
us for bringing up this incident of his early life.
Mr. Smith taught a large and most excellent
school for two years and then left for a more advan
tageous situation, we think in Ohio. A Miss Farnham
then taught the school one term, but the school was
not a success and she left. At the period we are now
speaking of many objected to sending their children to
the district schools, and Mrs. Charles R. Harvey — then
Miss Rebecca Hayward — was induced to teach a se
lect school. After Miss Farnham left, Keyes's shop
chamber was rented for a billiard saloon, and the first
billiard tables ever in Jamestown were placed there in
1828, The second story of Tew's tin and sheet iron
factory on the southeast corner of Main and Fourth
streets was secured and made into a school room. In
this Miss Hayward taught her large and successful
school. How long it continued we do not just remem
ber, but we believe until near the time she was married
to Col. Charles R. Harvey.
John Foster Allen, a graduate of Middlebury

the town of ellicott. 365
College, Vt, was sent for- and employed as principal of
Prendergast Academy, to succeed Smith. Judge Foote
contended that as there was no regular academic or
ganization the school should be called a select school;
at all events it was high time to abandon the affix of
Prendergast as applied to the school as there vas no
warrant for it; that Abner Hazeltine had given that
name to the second school taught in Jamestown under'
peculiar circumstances; that that school was as much
an academy as a common school, and that as Judge
Prendergast furnished the school room and paid the
teacher, it was perfectly correct to call it Prendergast
Academy or anything else they chose, but to continue
it longer when the village was paying the teachers,
would create confusion and trouble, and that it should
be abandoned. Henry Baker moved that the school
be continued under the old name. That he had nearly
supported the schools for fifteen years, and accord
ing to his mind Prendergast should be the nama
of any'Academy established here. Elias Haven moved
it to be called Foote's Academy, and S. A. Brown sug
gested that it would be appropriately named if called
Abner Hazeltine's Cotton Factory Academy. Of course
every one laughed except Brown. Abner Hazeltine
enquired if it would be satisfactory to call the new
school the Jamestown Academy. He was willing to
compromise on that, although he thought the name
Prendergast should be retained. Although Mr. Ha
vens had given Judge Foote the credit of being fore
most in the move for a new Academy, he believed his
fellow citizens who had been here much longer than
Mr. Havens, would agree with him in saying that
Judge Prendergast had done far more than any one
else in Jamestown for the cause of education. He

366 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
hoped the citizens would not do a wrong now, because
he had applied the name of Prendergast Academy to
our first feeble schools. Dr. Foote thought Academy
would be shorter and better ; that very soon there
would be a legal organization with a board of trustees,
and that the name then probably would be Jamestown
Academy, and it would be better not to use that name
• until the legal organization took place. If at that time
it was thought best to name it after some prominent
citizen he should not object. He did think that the
name Prendergast was too long, and that it was best
to wait until they had a legal organization. On mo
tion of S. A. Brown, Esq., it was Resolved, that the
select school to be taught by John Foster Allen, A. M. in
the old academy be called "The Academy,'' without any
affix whatsoever. That it is the sense of this meeting
that neither the name Prendergast, Foote, Hazeltine's
Cotton Factory, or any other person, factory or mill,
shall be affixed to the same until so authorized by a
board of lawfully appointed trustees. A few only voted,
and Mr. Brown's resolution was carried by one vote.
Thus ended in the greatest good humor Prendergast
academy, which had been in use for fifteen years.
Miss Frances Bristol, of Dunkirk was made assistant
teacher. Mr. Allen remained principal for about two
years, and was then succeeded by James Boutelle, who
remained until 1835. During the first, three years of
this academy the following young men were fitted for
college; George T. Stoneman, afterward major general,
now governor of California; Glenni W. Scofield, now
judge, of the Court of Claims, Washington, D. C. ; Benj.
W. Whicher, Episcopal minister, is now a Roman
Catholic; his wife was known to literature as A\ridow
Bedott; Zacharia Eddy, son of Rev. Isaac Eddy, now

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 367
Rev. Dr. Eddy of Michigan; Hiram Eddy, son of Rev.
Isaac Eddy, now Rev. Dr. Eddy of Connecticut;
Thomas R. Hazzard, lawyer, settled at Monongehela
City, dead; Orlando Havens, intended for the ministry,
dead; Daniel Whicher, afterwards judge of the Su
preme Court of Western Virginia, dead; Charles G. Ha
zeltine, oldest son of Hon. Abner Hazeltine, professor,
dead; Ezra Jones, Methodist minister, Lansing, Mich
igan; Darwin Dewey, intended for the ministry, dead;
and the writer, who is privileged to write M. D. after
his name. Twelve is a very fair number. It com
mences with names of persons who have a national
reputation and does not taper immediately to a point
by any means. Of over half of them Jamestown may
well be proud.
Boutelle was the last who taught in the upper
room of the old academy building, built in 1817 on
the southwest corner of the lots now occupied by Geo.
W. Tew, Esq., removed in 1829 to the northeast corner
of Cherry and Fourth streets, and which after the
academy had been removed from it was known for
many years as the "old red school house," and which
after the erection of the Union school building was
sold to B. F. Lownsbery, together with the lots on
which it stood, and the frame of which to-day consti
tutes the frame of the Lownsbery residence.
Infant School. — In 1832 an infant school was
established here by a stock company ofa number of
citizens. Trustees were chosen and a lot purchased on
Fifth street west of Spring street, and a large building
erected on the corner of Fifth street and the alley. All
the paraphernalia of an infant school were provided at
a heavy expense to the projectors. Miss, Brewster, an
experienced teacher, was brought from New York to

368 the early history of
preside over the affairs of the institution. It was well
patronized and flourished for about two years and then
rapidly dwindled into nothingness. Parents soon be
came aware that they were ruining the health of their
infant children for the sake of a little knowledge
which they ought to gain at home. The building was
used for the Jamestown academy during the erection
of the new academy building on the corner of Fourth
and Spring streets.
The Quaker, Boarding School.— In 1833 Mrs.
Mary E. Osborne, a widow lady and a Quakeress, came
to Jamestown to establish a boarding school. She
bought property of Gen, Allen on what was then
known as the Frewsburg road, afterwards as Quaker
street, and now as Foote's avenue. This purchase was
on the west side of the street and about ten rods be
yond the intersection of Mechanic street. Upon the
plot of ground here purchased she erected a fair sized
but very plain building for boarding school pur
poses. The next season large additions were found
necessary, and small additions of cheap buildings
were made year after year, until the establishment
had a rambling, peculiar and anything but a neat,
Quaker-like appearance. Notwithstanding the un
inviting appearance of the buildings the school
there taught was one of a very superior character.
Teachers of a superior class for the most part were em
ployed and young ladies from all sections of the coun
try but especially of the state of New York were there
yearly congregated. The methods of teaching there
employed were superior to anything the writer had
ever before met with — more like present methods so
far as he is acquainted with them. Object teaching
and by conversations was extensively adopted. If

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 369
there were any possible means or appliances to illus
trate a lesson or fix it in the memory they were at once
adopted. The question asked was not, whether the
recitation was perfect, but was the lesson understood.
Each class read up on, and talked over in familiar
conversations, each subject presented until it was per
fectly understood by the dullest member of the class.
The teachers for the most part were from abroad.
Among these probably none ever stood higher than
the three Misses Dennis. But the teachers changed fre
quently; most of them must have been under prior en
gagements before they came, for when their time was
up they could not be induced to remain longer, and
were married soon after their leaving. Among the
home teachers were Miss Clarissa D. Wheeler who sub
sequently taught in the Academy and who afterwards
founded the Jamestown female seminary; Miss Eliza
beth Breed, Miss Lucy Fletcher and the writer, wbo
was the only male teacher in the establishment and
was engaged to" teach Botany, and to lecture on Physi
ology, Chemistry and Natural Philosophy. This
school was probably the most flourishing from 1836 to
1841. In 1843 a horrible tragedy was enacted here which
destroyed the school. Alvin Cornell, brother of Mrs.
Osborne, cut his wife's throat and then cut his own.
Mrs. Cornell ran from the kitchen into the school
room and there fell dead. Cornell, although he had
cut his own throat from ear to ear, severing the wind
pipe, singularly enough missed the carotid arteries. The
writer sewed up Cornell's throat and dressed the wound,
He was left in charge of Justice W. H. Fenton and
ourself for about three weeks, when we delivered him
up to the jailor at Mayville. He was tried, convicted

370 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
and sentenced, but his sister clung to him and finally
induced Governor Wright to commute his punishment
to imprisonment for life, This horrible affair closed
the Jamestown Quaker school forever.
JAMESTOWN ACADEMY.
We have considered it our duty to write up the
schools of Jamestown to the commencement of the
Union School and Collegiate Institute. The printers
are now calling for copy and we are compelled to send
what we have prepared to the press. In excuse we
have this to offer. The subject to us was an extreme
ly painful one. There was a severe quarrel about the
location of the Academy building, it was finally locat
ed on the southeast corner of Fourth and Spring
streets. Lysander Farrar was the first principal, he
was succeeded by George W. Parker. After Parker,
Charles G. Hazeltine, eldest son of the late Hon. A.
Hazeltine, had care of the institution until they could
provide some one else. Edward A. Dickinson was
finally procured. He was its principal for many years,
and for a long time was assisted by one ofthebestof
teachers, Miss Eliza Kent. For over fourteen years
the writer was intimately connected with the institu
tion, but without remuneration. He spent over $1000
•during that period for its benefit. He had a reward.
Two persons well acquainted with all the facts in the
case promised to write up what to us was a painful
.-subject. Each after duly considering the subject de
clined. Although we have not at, any time intended
to shirk this duty perhaps it is quite as well that we
are now compelled to pass it over.

CHAPTER XIV.
Our Early Merchants, J. & M. Prendergast —
Richard Hillick — Silas Tiffany- — Jehial Tif
fany — Samukl Barrett — Henry Baker — Al-^
vin Plumb — J. E. & S. Budlong — Elisha Hall
— Wm. H. Tew.

DR. JEDIAH Attn MARTIN PRENDERGAST.
In the spring of 1814 bought one lot of their
brother James on tbe noiihwest corner of Main and
First streets and erected thereon a store 20 by 45 feet,
one and one-half stories in height. The frame was of
three-inch plank setiled wilh thin boards in the inside
and covered with chipboards on the outside. There
was in the east end facing Main street a stout battened
door in the south corner, and in the center a large win
dow and a, smaller one above; and on the south side
facing First street two large windows with a door be
tween, and in the west end a window lighting the up
per floor. True, the building had for a foundation
pine blocks and never was painted, but was substan
tial and large enough for the purpose intended. Why
it should have been spoken of as a "shanty store" in
some historical sketches of Jamestown we will not

372 THE EARLY history of
stop now to explain, for the explanation would not
pay for the paper on which it was written. It was one
of the most substantial buildings of those early times.
A young man by the name of Thomas Disher was the
first superintendent of this store, afterwards Richard
Hiller for many years was the sole manager. So much
so that many supposed he was the proprietor, and it
was as frequently called Hiller's as Prendergast's store.
The late Rufus Jones, when about 18 years old, en
tered this store as an assistant. Still later Isaac H.
Hiller, half brother of Richard Hiller, was for many
years assistant and remained such until the store closed
in 1836. Neither Jediah or Martin Prendergast were
ever residents of Jamestown, although both frequently
visited the store.
They dealt in general merchandise, dry goods,
groceries, hardware, liquors, and all goods required by
the early settlers. RICHARD HILLER
Was a lumberman as well as agent for this store.
For many years he either alone or in company with
Horace Bacon, a brother-in-law, bought a fleet of lum
ber of Prendergast, rafted it and ran it to Cincinnati.
In those days Eliakim Garfield was the most promi
nent raftsman on the head waters of the Conewango.
Richard Hiller married Hannah, the eldest daughter
of Joseph Garfield and Horace Bacon married Anna,
the second daughter. They had several children.
After leaving the store Hiller removed to a farm in
the town of Carroll, where both he and his wife died a
few years ago.
It is proper here to mention that Wm. B. Allen,
Johnson Goodwell and Elial T. Foote, erected, near
the time the Prendergasts were building their store, a

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 373
mere shanty on the northeast corner of Main and Sec
ond streets, and placed therein a few articles of mer
chandise. This concern was of short duration.
While it existed it was in care of W. H. Fenton, who
was then nearing manhood, and who is now the pat
riarch of the town. Who Allen and Goodwell were
we have not been able to ascertain. We have several
accounts of the closing up of this store, the most prob
able of which is that Foote and Fenton bought out Al
len and Goodwell and sold goods there for nearly a
year, finally selling the remnants of their stock to
Silas Tiffany, who had purchased the lots and soon af
ter erected a store. SILAS TIFFANY
Was among the earliest of Ellicott's substantial
settlers and for many years was one of Jamestown's
most important citizens. The incidents of his jour"
ney hither are related in his own laconic style, in the
following letter written bjr him, and read at a meeting
of old settlers, held at Fredonia in 1873.
Early settlers, friends and fellow citizens — It is with pleasure
that I claim to be one of your number, and regret that I cannot be
with you to-day.
More than half a century have I spent the days, months and
years in your midst. In June, 1816, I left Buffalo for the "rapids'"
of Chautauqua outlet. Then the western trail whs along the beach
of Lake Erie and through the "Cattaraugus woods." The day's
travel brought up at the old Cash stand. Left in the early morning
after breakfasting on cat-fish and red potatoes. At Canadaway had
a good meal at Abel's; at the Cross Roads ate with Perry Ellsworth.
At Mayville stopped with Captain Scott over night; thence took pas
sage by canoe down the lake, old jolly Tinkham the oarsman and
pilot — fare 50 cents to the rapids, then a hamlet consisting of Judge
Prendergast's saw and grist mill, and J. & M. Prendergast's store,
with some small dwellings. Then the time from Buffalo to the Kap-
ids was three days; now from same point less than three hours to
Jamestown with a population of 7,000 to 8,000, where the hum of a
busy and varied industry greets and tells of progress. Where once

374 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the native Indian roamed a hunter's life, now smiles the blooming
field. The school house tells of mental culture; the steeple pointing
to heaven admonishes the wayfarer that he treads on Christian
ground May the citizens of our country ever merit the reward held
in reserve for the most worthy, is the prayer of
Stlas Tiffany, Aged 81.
Jamestown, June 10, 1873.
We are indebted to a memoir of Silas Tiffany read
by W. W. Henderson at the annual reunion of the
Jones-Hazeltine Historical society at Chautauqua in
June, 1883, for many incidents related in this memor
ial. "At the time of Mr. Tiffany's arrival in James
town the area now occupied by the city was largely
covered with an unbroken forest of pine. Deer were
numerous, and bears and wolves not, uncommon. The
year previous the village plot had been surveyed and
the name of Jamestown adopted to succeed that of The
Rapids. Of the few building that had been erected,
was the house on Main street, built by Blowers for
Judge Prendergast as a boarding house for the hands
building the mill, and then the borne of Dr. Hazeltine;
the house on Cherry street built as a residence for
Judge Prendergast and Captain William Forbes; the
new house just completed for Judge Prendergast on
the west side of Main street; the tavern of Jacob Fen
ton and a few other small houses and a few buildings
yet incomplete. Soon after Mr. Tiffany's arrival at
the rapids he purchased the lot on the northeast cor
ner of Main and Second streets and erected a large
two-storied store, to the north side of which he attached
a one-storied building for a residence. The first per
son to occupy this residence was J. E. Budlong; after
wards Benjamin Budlong; and after Mr. Tiffany's mar
riage it was his own residence until 1837, when seven
buildings on the east side of Main street, between Sec-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 375
ond and Third, were destroyed by fire, including Mr,
Tiffany's house and store. Not counting the shanty
store on Mr. Tiffany's lots when he purchased them,
his was the second store in the town; his first goods-
arrived in the fall of 1817. His store was first built
on blocks, as then was usual. In the spring of 1819
he dug a cellar under it, and under the house and
built cellar walls of stone picked up by the side of a
small brook which runs along the west side of what is
now Baker street. These stones were of poor quality
and were laid up without mortar under the store, but
with a kind of mortar made of ashes and clay under
the house; these were the first stone walls built in
Jamestown." Mr. Tiffany was for many years engaged
in merchandizing in Jamestown, with which he con
nected the purchase of lumber, rafting, running and
selling the same in Cincinnati and other southern mar
kets. From 1819 to 1831 or 1832 his brother, Jehial
Tiffany, was connected in business. In 1829 the
brothers bought the mill privilege, and 1000 acres of
land lying on both sides of the outlet at what has long
been known as Tiffanyville, between Dexterville and
Worksburg, and discontinued their store in James
town. Silas Tiffany continued to reside in Jamestown
but his brother removed to Tiffanyville and there re
sided up to the time of his death. About two years
afterwards the brothers dissolved partnership and di
vided the property to their mutual satisfaction, Jehial
Tiffany continuing to be the manager of the mills and
landed property.
Silas Tiffany, on September 20, 1831 married Lucy
Hyde, daughter of the late Elias Hyde and step
daughter of the late Benjamin Budlong. Silas and
Lucy (Hyde) Tiffany had born to them six children, of

376 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
whom but three are now living, viz: Miss Cornelia Tif
fany, Martha, wife of W. W. Henderson, Esq., and
Lucia, first wife of the late Lieut. Albert Sprague, U. S.
N., and now of Prof. Henry D. Ingraham, M. D., of Buf
falo. Mr. Tiffany died on the 24th of June. 1874
Lucy (Hyde) Tiffany survived her husband two years
and died in June, 1876. Mrs. Tiffany was a woman of
-sterling character. She had for the times received a
superior education and was web known for her many
accomplishments. In speaking of the personal traits of character of
Mr. Tiffany we quote the language of Charles Sterns,
himself an early settler long associated with and ob
servant of the men of his time, lately deceased. He
says :
" The tall, spare gentleman now wending his way slowly down
the sidewalk with a quiet dignity and gentleness of tread denoting
the self -poised gentleman of the old school, is Mr. Silas Tiffany. Mr.
Tiffany was an original, independent thinker, radical in politics, a
Whig previous to the organization of the Republican party, and dur
ing the war an earnest, uncompromising Unionist. He possessed a
genial, kindly disposition, especially observable in his domestic rela
tions. His sympathies were easily enlisted in behalf of those strug
gling to secure an education, many young men could testify to en
couragement and aid received at his hands. His interests in ihe
schools were unabated. Let us for a moment reflect. More than
three-fourths of a century of participation in, aad observation of the
growth of this country. An eventful chapter in the history of the
world, embracing great revolutions in politics, in religion, in science
and the arts. A new world of inventions, of railways and telegraphs
had grown up around him. Toilsome journeys like those of his boy
hood abridged to days and even hours. Time and distance so almost
obliterated that the citizenship of this broad republic of once isolated
homes had become, as it were, a great home circle — a vast social
presence and neighborsbip from the Atlantic to the Pacific."
Mr. Henderson tells us that " Mr. Tiffany was an
optimist. His faith was reliant and hopeful in its hold
upon established truths. In one of his latest conver-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 377
sations on the subject of the future he expressed con
victions based on the most exalted ideas of Supreme
creative wisdom and power. His death took place
immediately following the date of the last meeting of
the old settlers of Chautauqua county held in James
town. But a few hours before he expired, with a smile
upon his lips, he pleasantly referred to the proceedings
of the meeting, repeating a humorous anecdote of the
earlier days applicable to the subject. His going to
sleep at last was like that of
' One who wraps the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.'
Silas Tiffany was certainly a very remarkable
man, and during his fifty-eight years residence in
Jamestown one of its most important citizens. He was
in all respects a gentleman — not in his own estimation,
but in the estimation of every one who ever came in
contact with him. He could be nothing else if he had
tried, either in appearance, words or conduct. Hand
some in form, — generous open countenance- — refined
and gentle in all of his movements, well educated,
pleasant of speech, a fine conversationalist, pure in
thought and in diction, unassuming, correct in his
deportment, beloved by all who knew him, — it is
•difficult to see how Silas Tiffany could be anything
else than a gentleman, and that, too, in any age of the
world, and under all circumstances in which it would
be possible to place him. It is not possible to come
in contact with a man of his stamp without feeling a
fascination more than ordinary. Any one possessing so
many good qualities of person and mind, awaken in
ns a deep sympathy and an admiration we can neither
repress or express. If it is or ever has been true of

378 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
any one, we feel that it is certainly so of Silas Tiffany,
that he was a gentleman by nature and
"ONE OF NATURE'S NOBLEMEN."
JEHIAL TIFFANY
Was born in Randolph, Vt., in 1798, and emi
grated with his parents to Darien, Genesee county in
1809, making that journey with oxen in twenty-six
days. He came to Ellicott in 1816, went back to Da
rien the next year, and again came to Jamestown in
1818. He was for several years connected with his
brother, Silas Tiffany, in merchadizing and lumbering.
Purchased a large tract of land on the outlet between
Dexterville and Falconer, and in 1829 built mills.
From that time up to his death devoted himself to
lumbering and farming. He died after a protracted
illness Jan. 11, 1867. His son, John H. Tiffany writes
us that " The first funeral in the old Congregational
church was that of Mr. Tiffany's mother, who died
when on a visit to her son. Mr; Tiffany was twice
married ; his first wife was a sister of the celebrated
Dr. Silas Durkee of Boston. They had eight children;
all now dead except the youngest son, who resides at
Falconer. Mrs, Tiffany died in 1848. In 1853 Mr.
Tiffany married Charlotte Hopkins, of Clarence, N. Y.
They had two sons, James H, who died in infancy,
and John H, who is still living, with his mother, on
the Jehial Tiffany homestead.
SAMUEL BARRETT
We have already spoken of as one of the early set
tlers, and as engaged in the business of tanning and
currying with Wilford Barker, and in lumbering with
Henry Baker. He was prominent in the affairs of the
town and of the county. Mr. Barrett was engaged for
many years with various partners in merchandizing.

TKE TOWN OP T.LLICOTT. 379
He was for many years President of the Chautauqua
county bank. For several years he served as justice
of the peace, and. also as supervisor of the town, and in
1850 was elected as member of assembly. Samuel
Barrett was one of Jamestown's most prominent and
active business men, but he has been spoken of so fre
quently in these pages, that it is not necessary to say
more of him here. He was frequently called upon for
advice in business matters, his opinion being held in
highest estimation. He had a large family of children
of whom but three are now living, and Mrs. Lucy Bar
rett White, the only one living in Jamestown. Samuel
Barrett died in Jamestown in 1872. His wife survived
him for several years, but we have not been informed
of the time of her death. HENRY BAKER
Became one of Jamestown's most important men
— next to James Prendergast probably the most im
portant. Mr. Baker came to Jamestown at an early
day, but as the memory of his youngest son does not
agree with that of several old settlers and our historic
memorandums, we omit what we had written upon
the subject. He served in the war of 1812, and his
services were paid in a warrant for land. In those days
the soldier was not permitted to locate his land as now,
but his warrant was given for a specific tract, located
where the government might choose. Young Baker's
land warrant was located in Illinois, then considered
too far distant to be of much value, and he sold it for
$10 to Dr. Foote, and took his pay in plug tobacco at
one dollar a pound. For a time he lived in Fluvanna.
He built a small shop near the lake, and when not en
gaged in cutting logs, made shoes for the settlers. Af
terwards he came to Jamestown and started a shop in

380 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Harrington's Ark. In the fall of 1822 he married
Anna, a sister of Royal Keyes, who died the folio wing
May. The infant child was buried clasped in the arms
of its mother. On the tombstone erected at the head
©f Mrs. Baker's grave in the old graveyard above
Fifth street, for many years might be read the follow
ing couplet :
" Clasped in the mother's arms the infant lies,
Insatiate Archer, could not one suffice.".
In the fall of 1823 Mr. Baker, in company with R.
F. Fenton, rented the Ballard tavern for two years.
He continued in this business for a few months and
then retired, as it interfered with his lumbering.
In 1825 he entered into partnership with Alvin Plumb,
and purchased lands and a water power at the mouth
of the Cassadaga and built a saw mill, but the next
year he sold his interest to Plumb, and the mills were
always known as Plumb's mills. In 1827 he bought
an interest in the store of Barrett & Budlong, which
was located where Kent's brick store now stands. Mr.
Budlong withdrew in 1830 from the firm; the business
was continued for several years more by Samuel Bar
rett and Henry Baker, under the firm name of Barrett
& Baker. In 1828 Mr. Baker married Maria, a daughter of
Cyrus Fish, one of the earliest settlers of the county,
coming in in 1813. Soon after his marriage Judge
Prendergast offered to deed him a whole square on
Third street west of the swamp, if he would place a
good house upon it and make it his home. He ac
cepted the offer and erected what at that time was the
best bouse in Jamestown, and in which he resided up
to 1844; afterward, for nearly twenty years it was the
home of the writer. In 1863 we sold the place to J. S.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 381
Cook, who resided there for a short time and then re
moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It has been known for
the last twenty years as the Cook property, and has
become one of the most valuable locations in the
city. Col. Baker was one of the company which bought
out the property of Judge Prendergast in Jamestown.
" This purchase was made in 1836, and the company
consisted of Aaron D. Patchin, Henry Baker, Samuel
Barrett, Guy C. Irvine, N. A. Lowry and E. T. Foote,
who with characteristic caution transferred his share,
before the papers were completed, to E. G. Owens."
The property consisted of the immense water power at
Jamestown, and sixteen hundred acres of land, of
which about three hundred acres were swamp lands,
together with numerous village lots scattered all
through the town. In a short time Irvine, Lowry and
Owen disposed of their interests in the property to the
remaining partners, and during the succeeding year
Henry Baker was made sole purchaser, Judge Pren
dergast releasing the other partners. At the time the
purchase was first made it was considered a very ad
vantageous one, but in the fall of the same year the
" great panic." and the greatest depression in trade
ever known in the United States came on. Mr. Baker's
associates became exceedingly alarmed, and it was not
until after a hard struggle, and after Baker had had a
long interview with Judge Prendergast, that he con
sented to be saddled with the whole of this great pur
chase. Every one prophesied that it would be his
ruin, and in a certain sense it was, for he had a heavy
debt holding over him for the remainder of his life.
After his death in 1863 the balance of the debt was
paid and a fine property remained to be divided among

382 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
his heirs. Col. Baker was a far seeing business man,
and after he had made up his own opinion as to the
results was bold and brave in accomplishing them. In
1846 he went into mercantile business with Rufus W.
Pier, in which he continued for three years, then sell
ing out to Wm. E. Barrett, a son of Samuel Barrett.
In 1847 he sold the grist mill and accompanying wa
ter privilege to Wellington H. Griffith; it is now the
property of D. H. Grandin. For many years before
his death he was the owner of some 600 acres of land
south of and in addition to the Prendergast purchase.
This was his farm, and his home after his removal
from Jamestown. On this farm he built a large and
commodious residence, houses for his help, and nume
rous large barns. He devoted his time largely to
farming, and added farm after farm until he was sur
rounded with over eighteen hundred acres of highly-
cultivated land, the large fields originally thickly stud
ded with huge pine stumps, which were removed by
his efforts, leaving the land as smooth as a western
prairie, and divided up by the massive pine stump
fences into suitable fields, will be an almost, durable
monument to his indomitable energy. As a politician
he was a prominent and ardent Republican. A dili
gent reader, a man of excellent, memory, a fluent
talker, he was always an influential man in the county,
and for many years was the standing supervisor of Elli
cott, and a person of greatest influence in county
affairs. The same martial ardor that had kindled in his
bosom in youth, flashed into a fierce flame in his
old age, at the breaking out of the rebellion in 1861.
With his consent three of his sons volunteered for their
country's defence; two of them in Co. B. and his eldest

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 383
son was a Lieutenant in the 9th N. Y. cavalry. Well
do we remember a meeting in Jones's hall after the
Army of the Potomac had closed its disastrous cam
paign on the peninsula, and we were trying to raise
still another regiment. When the clouds hung heavy
and everything was gloomy, Col. Baker came in and
took his seat on the platform. In response to repeated
calls he addressed to his old friends then assembled a
few brief remarks. He said: "I know we are called
upon to make sacrifices, but thank God we have a
country worthy of them. I was willing that my two
oldest boys should go when their country called, but I
did not want the youngest to go. He was too young
to endure that fatigue and I told him so. But he said,
' You enlisted in the war of 1812 when no older than I
am now. I want to go, but I want your consent.'
What could I do ? There was but one thing to do,
and I said to him 'Go, go, and if wounded don't let it
be in the back; if you will be a soldier, I rather see
you dead than a poor soldier.' I have just received
the intelligence, so long after the last battle on the
James river, that Jim was wounded at Malvern and
taken prisoner, and has had a leg off at the hip, and
Charley is in the hospital sick with Chickahominy
fever, and the last I heard of ' Dick ' his company was
serving the artillery at Yorktown. God only knows
whether I shall ever see them again. I do not expect
to see all of them. I do hope that at least one of them
will come home." He stopped for a moment and
o-azed at the American flag suspended over the plat
form and with the tears streaming down his haggard
face, he continued ; " My family is dear to me. It
makes me faint to think of losing my boys. But I love
my country. I almost worship that blessed old flag.

384 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
There must never be another flag in any part of these
United States as long as a man remains in the north
to defend its stars and the stripes. Raise your regiment
and that quickly; the country needs the men; I have
no more sons to give, but I will give more money, and
keep on giving as long as I have a cent left, and if I had
three more sons old enough to bear a musket I would
give them too. We must save that flag." The herrt of
that great assemblage was touched, the silence profound
the tears plentiful. Thank God, the life of that old
patriot was spared to see all three of those sons once
more; spared to see that pall of gloom which had over
spread the north, withdrawn; spared to know that vic
tory was surely to be ours, and that flag safe and free
to wave from the lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. And
yet the case is a sad one, if the old Colonel was yet
living. Richard, the oldest son, died in 1880, aged 48
years, from disease the foundation of which was laid
in army life. James was an almost constant sufferer
after the amputation of his leg from disease of the
nerves of the stump, requiring at times an almost daily
subcutaneous use of morphine to allay the pain; death
came to his relief in 1884, at the age of 43. Charles
recovered from his fever, but has had both eves de
stroyed by an accident with machinery.
Col. Henry Baker died on the 31st of July, 1863,
at the age of 66. Mrs. Baker is still living to mourn
the changes of time and the destructive ravages of
war. It should be inscribed on his tomb stone, here lies
HENRY BAKER, THE PATRIOT.
ALVIN PLUMB
Came to Jamestown in 1826 and purchased thirty
feet in width from the north side of Judge Prender-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 385
gast's yard, and built a store which he filled with
goods the following year. Charles Butler became a
clerk in this store soon after its establishment. Later
he became a partner with Plumb, and afterwards sole
proprietor, selling his interest in 1831 to Chas. R. Har
vey and John J. Leonard. When the store building
was erected a passage way 10 or 12 feet wide was left
to the north between the store and the Ballard tavern
which admitted equally to the store house of the store
and to the barn yard of the hotel. In after years this
passage way became the subject of warm dispute but
the matter was finally settled without litigation. The
stores now occupied by Scofield & Dinsmore and L. L.
Mason occupy the ground formerly occupied by the
Plumb store and that part of the passage way awarded
to it. Mr. Plumb was twice elected as Member of As
sembly, in 1833 and 1837. He was elected County
Clerk in 1843. He was at one time Post Master in
Jamestown. He built the first steamboat on Chautau
qua lake. He married a Miss Davis of Westfield and
had children. His son and a son-in-law we are in
formed served in the war of the rebellion and both
were severely wounded. He removed to Westfield
nearly fifty years ago and there resided up to the time
of his death. His death occurred a few years ago but
we are not able to give the date. Alvin Plumb was a
ver}r active, busy, generous and good man. As a boy
we remember him as one of the most important and
as the best man in Jamestown.
JEDIAH E. BUDLONG,
Who for a year or so at an early date became the
proprietor of the goods in the Tiffany store, built a
store on the east side of Main street which we have
designated as the Barrett & Baker store. J. E. and

386 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Samuel Budlong were the first occupants — -afterwards
Budlong & Barrett, and finally Barrett, Baker & Co.
The Kellogg & Higley store immediately above was
built in 1833. ELISHA HALL
A brother of the late Wm. Hall, built a brick
house, the first brick building in Jamestown, on
ground now occupied by Fenner's shoe store, and a
store immediately south of it in 1831 in which for sev
eral years he did a general merchandizing business.
Hall married Mary Foote, a sister of Dr. E. T. Foote.
He removed to St. Louis many years ago where his
children now reside, and where he and his wife both
died. Their remains are interred in Lake View cem
etery. NATHANIEL A. LOWRY
Located in Pine Grove in 1828 as a merchant and
buyer of lumber. He removed to Jamestown in 1833.
His first stock of goods were displayed in "Noah's
Ark" and Horace Jacobs was his managing clerk.
'The brick building erected by Plumb & Lowry on the
northeast corner of Main and Third streets has al
ready been spoken of. As soon as the building was
completed Mr. Lowry occupied the north of the two
stores. He made merchandizing secondary to lumber
ing and always, I think, had some one as partner in
and manager of the store. Jacobs, Richard F. Fen
ton, S. C. Crosby, Wm. F. Wheeler and others were
one after the other his partners. In 1844 he was
stabbed in front of his own house (the house now
owned by Dr. Hall on the southeast corner of Lafay-
ette and Third streets, when returning home from his
store in the early evening. Jeremiah Newman of Pine
Grove, the would-be murderer served a term of years in

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 387
Auburn for the deed. Mr. Lowry died February 23,
1852. The large wooden building already mentioned as
the Trinity building, was built ' and occupied as then
stated by Havens, Grout, Lakiii and others. Small
general stores were plenty in Jamestown from 1835 to
1845. In these stores were sold dry goods, groceries,
hardware, etc. The complete list of those who first
and last occupied them would be a difficult thing to
give, for the stores were many and the changes fre
quent. Grocery stores were not plenty in those days.
Those we had, generally combined therewith the sa
loon and the eating room. William H. Tew was a
noted mechanical genius, and by trade a tin smith.
He was at one time a notorious commissioner of high
ways. He was the father of our Union School. Years
ago he was called a black Abolitionist, and was dur
ing his whole life a strong advocate of Total Abstin
ence. He was a man of strict integrity — firm in his
opinions — a man of wealth, and influence and a
banker. As he was over forty years a dealer in stoves
and hardware we place him here with our mer
chants. WILLIAM HENRY TEW.
Wm. H. Tew was not only one of Jamestown's
prominent merchants, but one of its most prominent
citizens in. the conduct and management of affairs.
He stood in the front rank of those who labored a life
time to build up its moral and intellectual, as well as
its material interests. A laborer himself, and a su
perior mechanic, he believed in the dignity of labor,
and work honestly and thoroughly done, was to him
a delight. His intellectual faculties were of a high or
der — his perceptions quick, his reasoning sound, and

388 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
his judgment seldom surpassed. He was a reader
and a thinker, and he always took a high stand, in
promoting the educational institutions of the village;
and truthfully it may be said of him, that he was the
founder of our Union School, in so much, that he was
the bold and intrepid leader of followers, timid in an
undertaking, then considered novel and radical, an<J
which involved our town to so great an outlay of
money. Mr. Tew was fond of society and excelled as a
conversationalist; he rejoiced in a good story, and was
always brimful of wit.
The honest, hard-working man, overtaken by
misfortune, never went empty-handed from his office.
We have in mind the case ofa farmer and a superior
mechanic in danger of losing all from endorsing the
paper of a neighbor, but a scoundrel, who had procured
his signature by false representations. He was owing
Tew (with whom he had a business acquaintance
only) and several others considerable amounts which
he desired to pay before making an assignment, and
sent a man from Busti to Jamestown with the money.
Tew had heard of the man's misfortune, and made fur
ther inquiries of the messenger, as to the state of af
fairs. Instead of taking the money, he harnessed his
horse and went to Busti in the midst of a fearful snow
storm, to aid a man whom he deemed worthy but un
fortunate. Tew was full of these tricks of generous
benevolent feeling, so much so, that it was said of him
" Tew's stubbornness is only equalled by his kind
ness." He always visited the sick and afflicted, and may
this pencil drop from a palzied hand if we ever forget
his kindness when the great misfortune of our life
overtook us in 1860. He was the first to call and

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 389
mingle his tears with mine and to offer all the con
solation in his power.
He relieved the wants of the poor and needy, but
in some cases it aroused his ire to know that the food
he had sent to a starving wife and children, was shared
and monopolized by a lazy, shiftless, drunken husband.
It was well for such that Wm. H. Tew could not exer
cise the power of the Sultan of Morrocco; if he could
have done so, mutes and bow-strings would have
found employment in Jamestown, He was generous
to the sick the needy and the unfortunate; his heart
melted before the needs of even the unworthy for he
could not see distress without alleviating it — yet his
hatred of the idle, the drunken and the profligate
knew no other bounds.
Mr. Tew was born in RensslearviUe, Albany
County, N. Y., in 1808; two years afterwards his par
ents removed to Otsego county. At an early age he
evinced a genuis for mechanics which became so con
spicuous in after life. His education was that of our
common schools and of the newspaper. As a boy he
worked at cloth dressing, and afterwards as an assis
tant to his father who was a carpenter. His brother,
George W. Tew, came to Jamestown in 1825 and es
tablished a tin and sheet iron factory. The following
year William, then 18 years old, came to Jamestown
and labored as a common workman in his brother's
factory. We remember him very distinctly; his ap
pearance at that time; and how he was lauded for his
correct habits and dilligence in business. He was a
great favorite not only among the young people of
that day, but of the older ones also. He was constant
ly spoked of as one of the most industrious young men
in the village, and as opposed to drinking, a habit to

390 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
which too many of the young men of those days were
addicted, and also as strongly opposed to slavery.
Wm. H. Tew brought his temperance and his anti-slav
ery opinions with him when he came to the town in
1826, and he never abandoned them up to the day of
his death. A strong temperance man, he bitterly op
posed the organization of the first temperance society
attempted in Jamestown, because their pledge permit
ted the use of hard cider, ale and wines. He declared
in the open assembly that their use was more baneful
then the rum and whiskey against which they pro
posed to combine their influence. Young Tew said,
there was but one kind of temperance society he would
ever join, and that should prohibit everything that
would intoxicate or even stimulate. He did not be
lieve in cutting off Carpenter's whiskey,and permitting
judges, doctors, lawyers and even ministers, to drink
cider and wine. Perhaps he was drunk once* and that
was after drinking what they called Muscat wine.
He well knew that he was sick for two days, and that
he had a headache and was dizzy for nearly a week.
Drinks that produce such effects should be pro
hibited. A prominent leader in all good works in
those days answered Tew — said he believed he intend
ed to be personal in his remarks, and scolded him for
expressing his opinions so freely at that time, and re
marked that in such matters boys should be seen and
not heard; that it was the business of older people to
direct. The young man replied that he was not as old
either in good works or in iniquity, as some of them,
nevertheless he had opinions and he should not give
them up as long as he believed them right. Silas
Shearman sprang to his feet and said, "Tew you are
right, and I go with you and when I join a temper-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 391
ance society it shall be a total abstinence one." The
leader declared there was no such society in the Unit
ed States. Tew replied it was high time there was
one. The reply was, you and Shearman are Extremists.
Yes extremely right, replied Shearman, When the call
for names to the pledge was made Dr. Hazeltine and
three others replied, that they sympathized with Tew
and Shearman and would wait for future develope-
ments. The meeting adjourned without effecting an
organization, a short time after an organization was ef
fected but it never amounted to anything. A year or
more later a society was formed nearly on the plan
proposed by Tew and Shearman, as spoken of by Elijah
Bishop. Coming home from the first temperance
meeting S. A. Brown, Esq. met Joseph Waite, Esq.,
" Well and then, Squire Waite, how did you like the
meetinV "A pretty question to ask; — Sile Shearman is
always putting in his gab when it is not wanted, and
that young Tew bids fair to-, be worse than Shearman."
" A very prom.isin young man Squire Waite, and would
make a fine appearin capting in our militia. By the
way Squire Waite, Mr. George Tew is about commenc
ing the readin of law in my offis." "Success to him,
but do you not think the young Abolitionist is a little
too fast? You and me and our chairman, and many of
our best citizens drink wine and cider and it never
made me drunk." " Well and then Squire Waite I
must confess I have had a headache, and sometimes
all of the symptoms spoken of by Mr. Tew. You say
he is but a boy and I should not call him Mr.— Waite,
some men arrive at maturity quite young— if I re
member correctly you commenced the study of law
when you were 36."
When he became of age in 1829 his brother took

392 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
him into partnership; and in the spring of that year
he married Rhoda Burnham, a prominent young lady
of Jamestown, and who was previously of the town of
Pomfret. In the fall of that year the brothers erected
the large two-storied building on the southeast corner
of Main and Fourth streets, and removed their factory
from "Noah's Ark" to it, and added stoves to their
stock in trade. In 1835 Geo. W. Tew became County
Clerk and removed to Mayville and Wm. H. Tew con
tinued the business alone. He afterwards bought a
lot on the southeast corner of Main and Second streets
(a portion of the old Disher tavern property) and in
1847 erected thereon a large brick block, the second of
importance in the town. At this time his brother-in-
law Rufus Jones became his partner, and they added
a full assortment of hardware to the stock previously
kept. After a few years Mr. Jones retired and went
into business by himself; Mr. Tew continued business
at the old stand up to 1867, with either his eldest son
Harvey, or his son-in-law Wm. H. Sprague as part
ners. He gave his entire attention to this business for
over 40 years, and retired from it with a fortune. At
the time of his retirement from the hardware busi
ness, himself and his brother, Geo. W. Tew of Silver
Creek, were the principal stockholders in the City Na
tional Bank of Jamestown, and he became the Presi
dent, but not long after his health began to fail and in
1880 he was compelled to withdraw from all business.
His enforced idleness, and confinement to the house
were irksome and he became hypochondriacal. His
mind soon began to brood over fancied ills, in sym
pathy with his physical ailments, and finally his mind
became partially unhinged. Society, even of his most
intimate friends, became distasteful to him, and he

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 393
confined himself to the house and the companionship
of his children. During the last years of his life the
writer occasionally visited him partly professionally,
and partly socially. He suffered severely both physic
ally and mentally, and he was constantly looking anx
iously for the time to come when he should be relieved
from his suffering and at rest.
In all his intense suffering Tew had one great
consolation, and he appreciated it, it was his remain
ing source of happiness. During his long, painful
illness of years, his children were most faithful and de
voted, and watched over him with a constant and most
tender solicitude; every, and the least want, if possible
was anticipated. Such an example of filial affection
we never expected to behold, and shall never see again.
Those children who so tenderly and so long, watched
with affectionate care over a stricken father, found a
streak of silver lining to the cloud of their grief when
he departed; — and the remembrance of duty then
faithfully performed, will not only line with silver
certain clouds which must arise in the future — but
will also place a golden crown upon each.
To Wm. H. and Rhoda (Burnham) Tew were born
five children; all now living, except the eldest daugh
ter — Mrs. Julia Sprague.
In the fall of 1870 Mr. Tew married Mrs. Mary G.
Smith, the widow of Harvey Smith, spoken of in the
chapter on Newspapers. Mrs. Tew died about five
years before her husband.
One of the most prominent characteristics of Wm.
H. Tew's character was his sense of justice. He never
failed to stand by the side of the weak against the
strong, if he found their cause just, no matter what their
character or standing might be otherwise. Is it right?

394 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
— was the question he always asked himself before em
barking upon any important undertaking. But after
his mind was once made up, his tenacity of purpose
and of opinion was so great, that he was seldom
swerved from his original purpose. He adhered to his
opinions upon all subjects with a tenacity which is
rightly termed stubbornness ; — so much so that it be
came a mode of expression in Jamestown, when a per
son would not yield to what were considered reasona
ble arguments, to say to him — " You are as stubborn as
Wm. H. Tew." Mr. Tew was a stubborn man in the
fullest sense of the word, but his stubbornness was al
ways founded upon what he considered right and justr
and in the end it was rarely found — never in things of
importance — that he was wrong. It is a great pity we
have not many more stubborn men like Wm. H Tew.
He formed his own opinions, and when formed, he
firmly, stubbornly if you will, held to them. Wm. H.
Tew worshipped at the shrine of the Just and the
True, and we are quite willing to write him down
THE STUBBORN MAN OF JAMESTOWN.

CHAPTER XV.
Other Early Settlers of Ellicott, Carroll, Ki
antone, Poland and Busti.

Capt. William Forbes. — We have not been able
to obtain much information about this important early
settler at the rapids. To that which we have, dates
for the most part are wanting. If he did not come
with Judge Prendergast, he certainly came soon after,
and during the same year. We believe we are correct
when we say, that Prendergast, previous to his com
mencement of operations at the rapids, had employed
William Forbes and Horatio Dix to come and erect his
mills for him. Be this as it may, it is certain that both
of these persons assisted in erecting the first saw mill
and were present when his log house burned.
When the company was raised in the south por
tion of the county in 1812, John Silsbee, a son-in-law
of Wm. Bemus, was made Captain, Wm. Forbes Lieu
tenant, and Elijah Akins, Ensign. Silsbee was wounded
at the battle of Black Rock, and the command de
volved on Forbes, who soon was made Captain. Akins
had the honor of bringing home the intelligence of the
disaster at the Rock in advance of all others.

396 the early history of
Forbes, previous to entering the army, lived in a
plank house on the east side of Cherry street, below Sec
ond street ; from this he removed to the mill house,
built as a home for the sawyers. Mrs. Forbes desiring
a more quiet residence, he built a small plank house
near a spring which was on the back part of the lot on
which the store now occupied by Whitley stands; it
was not much more than a shanty, and he made im
mediate arrangements for erecting a larger house,
which was also of planks, about fifty feet above and on
the line of the street. After residing there a year or
more he removed to the Disher house, which was no
longer used as a tavern, and there resided as long as
he remained in Jamestown. During his residence here
he was constantly emplo}red by Judge Prendergast to
superintend his mills. In 1828 Forbes & Runyan
rented the mills in Kennedyville and removed there.
Two or three years later he emigrated to the west, we
believe to Illinois. After Forbesremoved to the Disher
house, the plank house vacated was occupied by Wm.
Clark, and afterward was known as the Clark house.
This house, which was one of the land marks, was de
stroyed by the fire of 1837.
Gen. Horace Allen, came to the rapids in 1815
in a wagon drawn by oxen from Otsego county. He
was originally from New Hampshire. His wife, who
came into the county with him, carrying in her arms
an infant child — the late Dana Allen— was Fannie, the
daughter of the late Col. Nathaniel Fenton of Revo
lutionary memory — whose bravery and deeds of valor
as a scout at the age Of eighteen were nursery tales in
the early days of Ellicott. After a long and most wear
isome journey they arrived at the rapids, and for a time
lived in the plank house on Cherry street, built after

the town of ellicott. 397
the burning of the log house, as the residence of Judge
Prendergast and William Forbes. Wm. Forbes, a fev
days before, took possession of a frame house (the sec
ond erected at the rapids) which had been built as a
home for the superintendent of the mills and as a
home for the sawyers. This house if now standing
would be north of the east half of the N. Y. P. & Q.
passenger station. Allen immediately hired out to
Forbes as a sawyer on the gang. To run the gang for
twenty-four hours required four gang sawyers and two
slabbers. Allen worked on the gang for nearly a year.;
his companions were Nicholas Dolloff, Jesse Smith and
William Clark, all of whom afterwards became promi
nent men in the country. Sawyers in those days
worked for twelve hours and something more ; their
tours were from 12 o'clock to 12 o'clock ; and as one
sett went " off tour" the other were required to be on
hand to go "on tour-" the mills were not permitted to
shut down, Mr. Allen writes, many years ago, "The
entire business of the place at the time of my moving
into the country was the cutting of about three million
feet of boards a year, which was mostly run down the
river, and the major part of the provisions and grocer
ies used by the people were brought from Pittsburg in
keel boats." The Durham boats which were constantly
plying to and fro on the Allegheny river, and up the
Conewango to Mayville, brought up to the rapids
most miscellaneous cargoes of flour and pork, dried
fruits, potatoes, codfish, tobacco, whiskey, nails, glass,
castings, mill gearing, etc., etc.
After Dr. Foote purchased the reserved lot east of
Judge Prendergast, Allen built a single saw mill, and
built what is now known as the lower or Piousville
dam, and a house near by, in which he lived for seve-

398 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
ral years. A mill as then located has been continued
up to the present time, and is now owned by John T.
Wilson. Many years, ago he sold this mill, and purchased
what was then known as the Merrills farm on the south
side of the outlet, and on which he afterwards resided
up to the time of his death. He laid out several streets
and sold a number of village lots on land which was
not then in, but was contiguous to the village. This
entire farm is now cut up into village lots, and a large
portion covered with residences. The first house built
on the Merrill purchase was Mr. Allen's home. It was
a long, one-story house, south of what is now Allen
street, and east of a small creek which runs through
the land. He afterwards built a large wooden man
sion on ground now occupied by the large brick resi
dence owned by Mr. Kimball. This he afterwards sold
to a Dr. Wellington, a Spiritualist, for a school; it soon
after became a Water and Electric cure establishment,
and finally burned up. To General Allen is due the
credit, more than to any other man, of building up the
town on the south side of the outlet. In 1843 he
bought twelve acres owned by Dr. Laban Hazeltine,
between Allen, Warren and Mechanic street, cut it up
into village lots, and speedily had it covered with resi
dences. Although there was at this time a number of
scattered residences on the south side of the outlet, and
especially on Quaker and on Allen streets, it is from
the period when these lands were cut up into village
lots that active building on the south side commenced.
From about that time the building up of the town in
all directions has become rapid. It was not a decade
previous to that time, when the general opinion was
that the south side would be but little used for residen-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 399
ces, but the result forced a change in opinion. A de
cade after that time, if any business man in Jamestown
should have expressed the opinion, that the fringe of
swamp on both sides of the outlet from the steamboat
landing to Piousville would be covered with immense
factories and fine residences he would have been con
sidered a fit, candidate for a Lunatic Asylum. But all
of this and more has already transpired. We have a
large swamp territory still remaining; we hope no one
will propose sending us to Tinkertown, because we now
express the opinion that fifty years from now, a person
visiting Jamestown would not have the least suspicion
that there was ever an acre of swamp land between
Prendergast Park at the foot of the lake and Falconer.
Horace Allen was one of our noted military men.
In 1820 he was made a Captain of Infantry in the 162d
Reg., and his commission was signed by De Witt Clin
ton. In 1823 he became the Colonel of that regiment,
and his commission was again signed by De Witt
Clinton. In 1826 he was appointed General of the
43d Brigade, and his commission bore the signature
of Governor Joseph C. Yates. In 1829 he became Maj.
General of the 26th Division of N. Y. State Infantry,
his commission coming from Gov. E. T. Troup. In
1832 he received his discharge, which was signed by
Adjt. Gen. John A. Dix. General Allen was once, per
haps twice, Supervisor of the town. He was for several
years a worthy member of the Congregational church;
when the church was divided in 1834 he went with the
Presbyterian portion, and was an active and prominent
member of that church as long as he lived. General.
Allen died at his residence in Jamestown October 3,
1863, aged 73 years; his wife Fannie (Fenton) Allen,
survived him, and died in January, 1873, at the age of

400 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
81. There were born to Horace and Fannie (Fenton)
Allen three sons. Dana H. Allen died a few years ago
at his residence in Jamestown. Dwight, the second
son, if we remember correctly, emigrated to California.
Albert, the youngest, emigrated to the west several
years ago, and is now a merchant in the city of Du
buque, Iowa. The family have now all disappeared
from our midst. General Horace Allen was among
the most important of our early settlers.
Jesse Smith was among the earliest comers to
the hamlet at the rapids in 1814. He was one of the
first sawyers in the mills, and in company with Capt.
Dix built the first building erected here. Not long after
his coming he married Emily, the eldest daughter of
Capt. Dix, by whom he had six children. The eldest
of these was Gilbert Dolloff Smith, spoken of in Chap.
X. His eldest daughter became the wife of Geo. W.
Parker, the second principal of Jamestown Academy.
Parker read law in S. A. Brown's office, and not
long after removed to New York, where he still resides
if living ; we believe his wife died several years ago.
Clement, the second son, is a merchant in Riceville,
Pa. The younger children we do not justly remem
ber. One of the daughters married Mr. Winsor. Jesse
Smith moved from Jamestown to Riceville and then
to Panama many years ago. There is no one of the
early settlers we more thoroughly remember than Jesse
Smith, but our material on hand from which to write
the history of him and his family is strangely meager,
and it is now too late to gather it from members of his
family yet living. All we can say is this: Jesse Smith
as long as we knew him was a hard-working man, and
a temperance man, when it was not easy to be such.
Many years ago, long before he went to Riceville, he

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 401
removed to Panama. He may have resided at Rice
ville a short time, if so he again returned to Panama.
Smith and his wife both died at Panama at an ad
vanced age, but we are not able to give the dates of
their death.
Phineas Palmiter, Sent. and Jr. — Phineas Pal
miter so frequently spoken of in this volume was
Phineas Palmiter, Jr. The elder Phineas Palmiter was
a Revolutionary soldier and came in with his brother-
in-law, Cyrus Fish, in 1814. He took up land on the
east side of the road opposite to where Whitman Pal
mer has so long resided. Phineas Palmiter, Jr., came
in after his father, but during the same year. The
half block, bounded by Third street on the north,
Spring street on the west, and Second street on the
south, was first taken up by Nicholas Dolloff, and he
built, a plank house near the spring, which was prom
inent in early days, and gave name to the adjoining
street. This property afterwards became Palmiter's
homestead. Jason, the eldest son of Phineas Palmi
ter, Jr., still lives at the corner of Spring and Second
streets, on the ground once occupied by C. R. Harvey's
blacksmith shop. Phineas Palmiter, Jr., had four
children, who lived to adult, age. Amanda, Sevila,
Jason and Jane. Jane became the wife of Wm. Lan
don, who died about forty years ago; Sevila became the
wife of Stephen H. Crissey. Both died many years
ago. Amanda was the wife of R. D. Warner, and had
a large family of children. Several years ago the
family emigrated to Missouri, where those now living
still reside. Amanda died during the past year ; she
was the first girl born in Jamestown. Several years
ago Phineas Palmiter, Jr., during a visit to his son-in-
law Warner, who was keeping a hotel in Pittsfield, Pa.,

402 the early history of
was thrown from a buggy and so injured that he soon
after died. Phineas Palmiter, Sen., died at least fifty
years ago. Abraham Staples, who died at a great age
two or three years ago at Dexterville, was a brother-in-
law of Phineas, Jr., they having married sisters by the
name of Morgan. Staples was a carpenter and one of
Ellicott's early settlers. CYRUS FISH
With a large family, came into the country in
1814 with Phineas Palmiter, Sen. and Stephen Wilcox
and their families. Fish was originally from Stoning-
ton, Ct. He enlisted when he was eighteen and served
through the Revolutionary war. He married Bridget
Jones in Groton, Ct.; she was ten years old when the
battle of Lexington was fought, and went into the field
and caught her father's horse while he prepared his
gun and accoutrements to go to this first battle of the
Revolution. They afterwards removed to Hill bar
racks (now Albany) and afterwards to Unadilla Forks.
Wilcox took up the farm on which Wm. Root now re
sides, and Fish settled on the lower side of the road be
tween Root's and Henry Baker's. (The road formerly
made a bend to the south around the hill.) Near
Fish's house was one of the early grave yards of the
country — whether its location has been preserved, we
are not informed. Fish during the war took a severe
cold, which affected his lungs and from which he never
recovered. He died and was buried on his wilderness
farm in 1817; his wife died in 1820 and was also buried
there. They had a large family of children, all now
dead we believe excepting Mrs. Henry Baker. His
eldest son, Cyrus, built a mill on a small stream empty
ing into the Cassadaga, known years ago as the Clove
run, and there set up the first shingle machine in the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 403
country. Many years ago he emigrated to Iowa, and
there died in 1871. His only son was a victim of the
war of the Rebellion, two of his daughters returned to
Ellicott ; Maria became the second wife of the late
Daniel Williams of Ashville, and Susan, the second
wife of Dr. G. W. Hazeltine, of Jamestown. Sheldon,
who studied law in the office of Joseph Waite, died in
Wisconsin ; and Artemas, the youngest son, in James
town. Grace became the wife of Elijah Akins, and
Harriet became the wife of Jesse Landon, who was the
son of Reuben Landon, who built the first bridge across
the outlet at the rapids in 1814. Jesse and Harriet
(Fish) Landon had a large family. William died in
Jamestown several years ago. Harvey died in Iowa.
Lawrence, a member of Co. B, was killed in the war of
the Rebellion ; Cyrus resides in Chicago, Charles is
a banker in Plainview, Minnesota, and A. J. Landon is
one of Jamestown's manufacturers. Maria Fish be
came the second wife of the late Henry Baker in 1828,
and is the mother of his children, and is still living.
Lucy, the youngest daughter of Cyrus Fish, Sen., died
at the house of Henry Baker several years ago.
MILTON SHERWIN
An important early settler, came to the rapids in
1815, making the journey from Saratoga county with
an ox team, in company with Oliver Higley and
family, making the trip in a little more than a month,
which was good time for those days. Mr. Sherwin first
settled in what is now the town of Busti, on lands
which afterwards belonged to Gideon Gifford and now
to Walter, a son of the late Gideon Gifford. There was
but one farm taken up and an improvement upon it
at that time, between him and the rapids, and that was
Deacon Wm. Deland's, afterwards known as the Solo-

404 THE EARLY history of
mon Butler farm, and is owned now, we are informed,
by William Broadhead. Mr. Sherwin married Flora,
daughter of Samuel Griffith and grand daughter of
Jeremiah Griffith, in 1822. He became a resident of
Jamestown in 1828, but had done much work here
previous to that time. He became a member of the
Congregational church at its organization in 1816. He
was one of Jamestown's early builders and mill wrights.
He is still living, next to Wm. H. Fenton,, the father
of the town. ABRAHAM WINSOR
Was one of a Rhode Island family numbering
twenty children. He married Sophia Bigelow in 1802,
and came west into Madison Co., N. Y. to reside. He
removed from there with his family in 1810, and came
to Chautauqua, his first location being at Sinclair's- —
now Sinclairville. He was a Lieutenant in the war of
1812. I have not been able to obtain the precise date
of his removal from Sinclairville to Jamestown, but I
do remember attending a house warming in a. building?
erected by him, and in which now Mrs. Ezra Wood re
sides. His own family was half the size of his father's
and we A'ell remember when as men or boys they were
all of them residents of Jamestown.
t SAMUEL B. WINSOR,
A son of Abraham Winsor, was born in 1805 and
has always remained a resident of Jamestown since
his father's settlement here. To-day, seemingly he is
as smart and active as forty years ago and can put up
a log house as quickly and as well — taking the one on
Marvin Park as a sample. The number of buildings
erected by him in this town if counted up would be
something amazing. His trade was that of a carpen
ter but, emphatically he was a builder. Sam has been

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 405
one of Jamestown's military men, although he has
never smelt powder where they burned it in quantity)
and were careless in the use of their guns. In 1824 he
¦enlisted in "Tom Harvey's" Green Rifles 162 Reg. 43d
Brigade, N. Y. State militia. A year later he was
honored with a Corporal's warrant in that crack com
pany and two years later received a Captain's commis
sion in the best company ever formed in Chautauqua
'County previous to the war. In 1829 he had reached
the height of his military ambition and -was raised to
the command of the old 162d, the proudest looking
regiment, either fighting or non-fighting, that James
town has ever beheld. The Colonel has been a useful
man in Southern Chautauqua from boyhood to old
age. When called hence, although the then resident
minister of the Methodist church of which he has so
long been an adorning member will preach his funeral
sermon, nevertheless a military funeral should be
awarded. In 1831 he married Anna Sears, daughter
-of William Sears, one of the earliest settlers of what is
now known as Kiantone. In a conversation with Mr.
Winsor a few days ago he related the following anec
dote illustrating the generosity of Judge Prendergast
and the way he assisted in every good cause in the
early days. He said, "I have been a member of the
Jamestown Methodist Episcopal church for over 56
years. When we were building the old church we
had hard work to pull through with all the help we
could get' — our members were poor and not able to give
much. In 1832 I took the job of finishing and seating
the church at a much less figure than it was worth, but
I thought that by hard work I could accomplish it.
I went to Judge Prendergast and told him just how it
was. He said to me, 'Sam, you go up,(where Pine street

406 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
now joins Main street), cut your logs and draw them to
the mill.' I did so. The lumber was sawed, and I accom
plished the work I had agreed to do. We raised some
money which I concluded I would go and pay to the
Judge on the lumber. He brought out the bill and it
was a large one, as I expected. He inquired particu
larly about our church — how we were getting along,
how much I had lost by the job, &e. He took the bill
and receipted it in full, remarking, ' Sam, you are a
young man, that will help to give you a start.' I
never think of that transaction without feeling that
there is a very soft place in my heart for Judge Pren
dergast, and I could mention many other cases show
ing the nobleness and kindness of that man. He did
good even to his enemies; he was a father and a
brother to all of us." AUGUSTUS MOON
Was the first settler between the rapids and Walk-
up's mill on the Cassadaga six miles above. He served
during the war, and in 1814 came from Canandaigua
with a friend named Dr. Jaffrey Thomas. They came
in the middle of winter. The snow was deep and it was
difficult to keep the Indian trails they were obliged
to travel. The day after his arrival at the rapids he
retraced his steps one and one-half miles to a low,
gloomy valley, dark with the large pines and hem
locks with which it was crowded and in which the
howl of the wolf seldom ceased. The locality was then
noted for being the wildest and most gloomy and as
containing more wild, dangerous animals than any
other in the country. But it struck the fancy of Moon
and a few days later he had in his pocket an article
for a mile square containing several hundred acres.
The rich farms of Deacon Blanchard and of his son

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 407
Flint and surrounding farms are a part of that pur
chase. Moon who was a stout, hardy and withal go-
ahead man, went immediately to work and built a log
house. Finding on a portion of his purchase a suffic
ient number of maple trees to make it an object, he
tapped about 50 of them and made a quantity of sugar
which he boxed up and placed under the floor of his
house. After this commencement he went east for his
wife returning as soon as the journey could be made.
He found his house all right, but the sugar gone, the
Indians had used it up. Mr. Moon was soon joined by
three of his brothers, Gideon, Jonathan and Samuel,
to whom he sold each a portion of his land. For
many years the locality was known as the Moon
neighborhood. Jeffrey T. Moon, our noted policeman,
is a son of Augustus Moon.
AMOS FERGUSON,
A special friend of Moon's, settled in an early day
on the farm which has since been occupied by his son
Amos, the poet. Frequently they would meet at the
old Allen tavern in Jamestown and flip the copper for
farms. Gust would say, "Ame, you have got a good
farm and I have got a good farm, both paid for — I will .
flip a copper with you to see which shall have both."
"Done, Gust, flip away." The one beat would say,
" Weill guess it was a fair flip, but will treat and back
down." This operation would be kept up until the
landlord informed them that they had as heavy a
load as their horses could draw home; they were placed
in their wagons and their faithful horses would go di
rectly home, with great intelligence, avoiding stumps
and keeping in the road without staggering.
THE STRUNIvS,
For a correct understanding of those early set-

408 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
tiers in the north part of the town, the Strunks,
it becomes necessary that we enter more fully into
their history than we should otherwise do, for the
space we intended to occupy is already used up.
About the year 1750 a brother and sister, named Henry
or Hendrick, and Katherine Strunk landed in the city
of New York. They probably came from Lippe Det-
mold in the north of Germany, as there are families
still residing there of that name. They were poor,
and as was then customary, their labor was sold for a
series of years to pay their passage to this country.
Henry was sold for five and Katherine for three years.
Henry, after regaining his freedom, married in Albany
and settled eight miles east of Troy, where he suffered
all the ravages and privations, induced by the British
soldiery during the Revolutionary war. Notwith
standing the changes and vicissitudes of an eventful
life, he raised a large family, became moderately
wealthy and lived to a ripe old age, leaving ten
children, the last of whom was born in the year 1775.
Of these the 4th, Elsie, the 7th Jacob, and the 8th
John, emigrated to the town of Ellicott and settled as
hereinafter stated.
Elsie Strunk: married Jonas Simmons, a native
of Berlin, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., a descendant of one of
the earliest settlers of that county. We have to record
of Jonas that, he was a Tory during the Revolution,
and was with Burgo37ne's army in 1777. When it was
seen that a retreat was the only resource for the Brit
ish forces, Simmons was one of a party sent to clear the
roads blockaded by limber felled by the Federal forces
to prevent Burgoyne's retreat. This party, instead of
clearing the roads made quick steps for the wilds of
Canada. After the war Simmons returned to Rensse-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 409
laer County, and married Elsie Strunk in 1785. Tor
ies were not held in high esteem in that locality in
those days and Jonas in 1809, came to the wilds of
Chautauqua in search of a more congenial home. He
made claim to the farm now owned by Gilbert Strunk
at Fluvanna, returned to Rensselaer County, and dur
ing the following year emigrated with his family to
his new home. He was accompanied by John
Strunk, his wife's brother, and Benjamin Lee, whose
sister was Strunk's wife. Simmons had 15 children, 13 of
whom came with him. John Strunk had six children,
four of whom came with him to Ellicott. Twenty
•children probably formed the largest train of emigrant
school timber that ever moved into the county. John
Strunk located on the farm now owned and occupied
by Dwight Strunk, the grandson of his brother Jacob.
Benjamin Lee afterwards married Katharine, a
daughter of Jacob Strunk, and located a farm, north
of the one taken up by Jonas Simmons. Jonas was
-one of our greatest hunters in those early days; he
was a noted marksman, delighted in the chase and
spent much of his time in hunting down the wild ani
mals of the much wilder country. Jonas Simmons's
large family furnished wives to some of the best of our
early settlers, and from whom have descended some
of the most prominent and most worthy of our citizens.
Elizabeth, the eldest daughter, married John M. Pierce
in 1804, and came to Chautauqua with her father in
1810, bringing her husband and one child with her,
who in 1842 became the second wife of Henry Strunk,
her aunt, Anna Simmons, being his first wife. Elsie
Simmons became the wife of Samuel Griffith, who died
in the year 1876 at the age of 84, his wife surviving.
Sally A. Simmons, born in 1S02, married Joseph

410 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Cook, who first resided at Fluvanna, afterwards at Dex
terville. They had six children. Mr. Cook met with
an accident and had his right arm amputated; many
will remember him as "one-armed Cook;" his wife
survived him several years, dying in 1878 at the age
of 76. Abagail Simmons married Holder Gifford for a
first husband, by whom she had two children; after
wards she was married to John Camp by whom she
had three children. She died at the age of 70 in 1874.
Anise Simmons married James Ploss of Ellery, by
whom she had eleven children. She died several
years ago. Almira Simmons, the youngest of the
daughters, became the wife of Henry, the son of John
Strunk. John Strunk had six children; he died at the
age of 80 in the year 1856. He was a genial, intelli
gent man, full of anecdotes and fond of companion
ship and the bottle. He was in the habit, of coming to
Jamestown about twice a month. On these occasions
he would imbibe liberally of the juice of the rye, and
then entertain those fond of good stories m Solomon
Jones's bar room as long as prudent, and when quite
mellow would have his half-gallon jug of Fenton cfe
Whittemore's make filled with Monongahela and start
for home. This jug furnished the daily stimulant, un
til the next visit. His first wife, Mary Lee, concluded
that the best way to reclaim him would be to doctor
the jug, as her best efforts at argument and persuasion
were not productive of the desired results. Uncle
John was a good talker, and would have some apt
story at command which would completely upset her
best efforts at argument. Under these circumstances
she called Dr. Laban Hazeltine in consultation. They
concluded that three grains of tartar emetic thorough-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 411
ly dissolved and added to the jug when full, would be
a good thing for the jug. The remedy was tried with
excellent results. When the jug came home she
would have a powder well dissolved in waiting, which
she added to its contents and then the jug was well
shaken. The next morning uncle John would imbibe
his usual dose and drool and spit and declare he be
lieved he was going to be sick; would take a second
dose as a remedy, and was sick unto vomiting. At
first he was alarmed and would send for the doctor,
who knowing the cause, would tell him be was afraid
that whiskey was destroying tbe coats of his stomach
and he had better stop using it. Finally he came to
the conclusion that the doctor was right, that the coats
of his stomach had been injured; and he would cease
drinking for several weeks, then hoping that the lin
ing of his stomach had recuperated he would come to
town and get the jug refilled j but the watchful wife
was prepared, he would have another turn of drooling,
sickness and vomiting and finally was fully convinced
that whiskey did not agree with his jnjured stomach
under any circumstances and gave up its use for along
time. After his second marriage he considered it a
' duty to celebrate the occasion. There was no one to
doctor the jug, the coats of his stomach to his great
jo}r were healed; whiskey did agree with him, and
never disagreed afterwards as long as he lived.
Jacob Strunk and elder brother of John Strunk
had ten children. He inherited the old homestead in
Rensselaer county and was in tolerable circumstances,
but disliking the tenure by which his land was held,
and having so large a family to provide for, he con
cluded to remove to the then El Dorado of the west.
In October, 1816, with his large family he started for

412 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the land of promise. He made a favorable trip, with
out adventure, and immediately settled on lot 53, town
2, range 11, where he lived the remainder of his life in
comfortable circumstances. He died in the year 1836,
after a twenty years' residence in his new home.
Wm. H. Strunk, his son, who had resided with
him, and who later became one of Ellicott's rich men,
succeeded his father on the farm, to which he added
acre after acre and farm after farm, until he was one
of the largest, if not the largest land owner in the
town. In 1834 he was married to Jane A. Van Vleck
by whom he had ten children. He was foremost in im
proving the breeds of stock, especially of swine and
sheep. He was charitable to the poor, and gave lib
erally for religious purposes.
Henry Strunk, the eldest son of Jacob Strunk,
came into the county with his father in 1816. Being
strong, vigorous, full of energy and ambition, he did
not remain under the parental roof, but struck out for
himself. His energy conquered all difficulties, and he
became one of our wealthy, solid citizens. He pur
chased the farm of his father-in-law, Jonas Simmons,
on which he resided over fifty years, rendering it one
of the most desirable and beautiful farms in the coun
try. In 1871, being in broken health, he sold his farm
to his son Gilbert, and removed to Fluvanna, where he
died in 1877, in the 83d year of his age. Few men were
more widely known in Chautauqua, and none more
generally respected. He had gained an enviable rep
utation for reliability in all his dealings, and for his
enterprise and laudable ambition in improving his
farm and his stock. He was a leader among the thrifty
farmers of Chautauqua. His maxim was "thorough
ness in whatever you undertake." He was always

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 413
abreast and frequently in advance of the times in all
improvements in the use of modern methods. He
wanted the best of everything and he had them.
Walter, the eldest son of Henry Strunk, married
Polly, a daughter of Jacob Peterson. He has for many
years been one of Ellerv's substantial farmers. Elmira
Strunk in 1843 married Ira Young, who during his life
was a prominent farmer and stock raiser in Busti.
Mr. Young died in 1879. His wife survives him. Gil
bert, Strunk married Cornelia A. Burtisinl859; is now
living on the old homestead, one of the rich, go-ahead
farmers of Ellicott. George W. and Elias D. many
years ago emigrated to the west, where they still
reside. The youngest son, Marshall P. Strunk, is a
lawyer in Jamestown.
Polly, a sister of Henry Strunk, married Rev. Ab
ner Barlow in 1723. In 1835 they removed to Wis
consin. Polly faithfully shared with her husband the
trials and privations of a missionary life in the west
She died in 1876, leaving a family of eleven children.
Byron A., a son of Abner Barlow, has been for several
years a resident of Jamestown, an active and successful
lawyer. Whatever may be our occupations or conditions
in life — day laborer, mechanic, farmer, merchant, or
dispensers of the professions, we cannot do better than
to adopt the motto of Henry Strunk, " Whatever you
do, do thoroughly." JUDSON SOUTHLAND
Came into the county in the spring of 1818, taught
school in Mayville during the summer, returned on
horse back to Grafton, Mass., married Rhoda Forbush
in May, 1819, and then returned to Chautauqua. He
drove a three-horse team and had a tedious journey.

414 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
In 1820 he built a plank house on what is now known
as English hill; in 1825 he came to Jamestown, and
kept the Allen tavern for a year, and in the meantime
built a long, one-story house on the corner of Pine and
Fourth street, where F. A. Fuller's residence now
stands. He was for many years Deputy Sheriff of the
eounty, and finally- one term Sheriff commencing Jan. 1,
1838. In 1841 he purchased the farm east of the Uriah
Bently farm in Busti, now known as the Southland farm,
where he resided up to the time of his death. South
land had a large family of children. I think there are
but two of the sons living at the present time. Silas,
thr eldest and the hero of Smith's school, lives on tbe
homestead, Edward in Toledo, O., and the two daugh
ters in Iowa. URIAH BENTLEY
It is said, came into the county but a short time
after James Prendergast took his celebrated tramp
after the horses, coining down from Mayville to Miles
landing in the Miles canoe. He finally settled on lot
9, range 12, tp. 2. He built a log house, and in the
fall of 1809 he returned to Rensselaer Co., and the next
year with his family came back to his new home. As
near as we can remember Mr. Bentle)' died about forty
years ago. He was a man of energy, and as the old
saying was, full of days work. He cleared up a fine
farm, on which his son Gustavus now resides. He had
a large family of children, of which Gustavus is the
only one now living. He spent, nearly all his days,
and raised his large family in the log house under the
hill. A year or so before his death he erected a fine
brick mansion in which his son now resides. We be-
believeit was the first brick residence erected in the coun
try — at least we remember no other. This exhausts our

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 415
memorandums relating to Uriah Bentley excepting
the account of the meeting at Frank's already given.
Among early settlers he was a prominent and impor
tant man. JOSHUA WOODWARD
Came into the country in 1816, and settled on lot
52, now in the town of Poland. He had five sons, all
of whom, we believe, are now dead. A grandson of
Mr. Woodward now occupies the old homestead.
AARON FORBES
Settled in the town of Ellicott in 1814 on lot 57,
now in the town of Poland. He had four sons, all now
dead except Levi, who lives on the old homestead
taken up by his father 73 years ago.
SAMUEL HALLIDAY
As long ago as we can remember, lived a neighbor
of Forbes. He died many years ago leaving several
sons, one of whom now has the honor of being the
present efficient President of the Chautauqua County
Agricultural Society. His mother, we think, was a
daughter of Ezra Smith, another early settler in that
neighborhood. Smith's mother lived to be ovrer 100
years old. RUSSELL D. SHAW
Came to Jamestown in the year 1828. He had
been a druggist in Albany, and was burned out. Soon
after he came to Jamestown he set up a drug store in a
story and a half building which stood just north of
Fenner's brick store on the east side of Main street ; a
store in which so many, first and last, commenced mer
chandizing, and which burned up several years ago.
A year or so later his brother, Warner D., came to
town, purchased his store and Russell D. moved to Flu
vanna. Afterwards he returned to Jamestown and en-

416 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
gaged in hotel keeping and other pursuits. He had a
large family of children, many of them now dead.
Thos. A. Shaw of our city was, I think, his eldest son.
Nelson Griffith married the eldest daughter. Another
daughter was the wife of Capt. Darwin Willard, killed
at the battle of Williamsburg, now the wife of John
Vanderburgh. A third daughter married Alfred Dun
ham. WABNER D. SHAW,
After running the drug store for two or three years
bought the old Solomon Jones tavern and ran it for
several years as Shaw's hotel. His wife was the
daughter of Benjamin Runyan. They had, I think,
five children. His eldest, son, AVilliam, is a noted hotel
man, the eldest daughter became the wife of E. P. Up-
ham, and the second of B. B. Partridge. Mr. Shaw
afterwards bought the Allen house, which was de
stroyed by fire in the great disaster of 1861. He after
wards erected on the same ground a larger building, of
poor brick and illy calculated for a hotel. It is now
the property of F. E. Gifford, who has remodeled it
into stores and offices. We understand Mr. Shaw is
still living with his youngest son in Michigan. He
has been one of Jamestown's most prominent citizens.
OLIVER SHEARMAN
Came to Ellicott in 1828 and bought the Amos
Bird farm, upon which his son, Gideon Shearman, now
lives. Mr. Shearman's wife died before be came into
tbe country, but he had a large family of grown up
children. He was an excellent farmer, a man of great,
natural abilities, and as a mathematician excelled by
few. JOSEPH GARFIELD, SEN.,
Was a brother of Deacon Samuel Garfield, the in-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. . 417
ventor of the patent scythe snath mentioned in Chapter
VI; they were born in Worcester Co., Mass. The Gar-
fields, through many generations, were defenders of
the country down to our lamented president Gen. Gar
field, who sprang from the same family stock. Elia-
kim Garfield, the father, who was a soldier of the Rev
olution, removed with his family from Massachusetts
to Vermont soon after the war; Joseph was born in 1780,
and was but a boy at the time of the removal. In 1803
he married Lydia Stearns of Stratton, Vt. He served
as Captain during the war of 1812. One pleasant day
in May, 1815, Samuel Garfield, who came in the year
previous, was agreeably surprised to see his brother
Joseph enter his log house in the wilderness ; he had
walked the whole distance from Vermont to Busti. In
those early days, however, when three-quarters of the
whole state was yet a wilderness, and civilization and
its accompanying good roads was confined to the
neighborhood of the Hudson river, walking to a man
inured to labor was the easiest and most expeditious
mode of traveling then in vogue. He spent the sum
mer in viewing the country, and early in the fall pur
chased a farm on the Conewango about two miles
above what is now the village of Russellsburg, and
which for many years past has been known as the Sloan
farm. In November he returned to Vermont, this
time on horseback. The next spring he returned with
his family and commenced his battle with the wilder
ness. Three years afterwards he sold this Pennsylvania
farm, and in 1820 bought the farm two miles south
from Jamestown, upon which he resided up to the day
of his death. Garfield was among the foremost of our
"early farmers ; his farm was among the first in the
country in appearance, eliciting the remark of the

418 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
passer by, " a farmer lives there." Joseph and Lydia
(Stearns) Garfield had seven children, all now dead ex
cept the eldest son, Eliakim. Hannah, the eldest
daughter, became the wife of Richard Hiller. Samuel
was the second son. Anna became the wife of Joseph
Bacon, and Lydia the wife of Martin Grout. Joseph
was the youngest son ; Sally Ann, the youngest
daughter, died many years ago when about twenty
years of age. ELIAKIM GARFIELD.
The eldest son of Joseph Garfield, was born in Ver
mont, and came into the country when a boy with his
father in 1816. He was one of the rugged, tough, ac
tive, stout young men of Ellicott sixty years ago. He
is now an old man, but when a young man, there was
no other in the country wbo could and who did, the
herculean labor performed by Eliakim Garfield. In
1829 he bought the beautiful farm on which he now
resides, with his earnings as sawyer in the mills, and
in rafting and running the lumber to market, In 1830
he married Perscilla, daughter of Aaron Root. In 1833
he was elected Captain of the celebrated " Harvey Ri
fles," which was public honor enough for him ; we are
not aware that he has been guilty of holding any other
office, unless it may have been path master. He has
been noted as a raiser and owner of fine cattle and
horses, and for many years has been a prominent pre
mium taker at our Agricultural fairs. For several years
he has been a prominent member of the Methodist
Episcopal church of Jamestown. To Eliakim and
Perscilla (Root) Garfield were born six children, all
now living. ELISHA ALLEN
Came to the rapids in 1815, and bought the tavern

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 419
then building by Dix and Smith, and other property,
and in the spring of 1816 returned to Vermont. In
the spring of 1812 he had married Juliette Holbrook in
Wardsboro. In September of 1813 his eldest son, Au
gustus F. Allen, was born in Wardsboro, and precisely
a year afterwards his son Dascum was born. In the
summer of 1817 he returned to Jamestown with his
family, where he remained up to the time of his death
in 1830. Adeline, his third child, was born in Decem
ber, 1817, and died in December 1851. Prudence
Olivia was born in 1821, and died in 1854. Abner H.
was born in 1823 and died in 1848.
AUGUSTUS F. ALLEN,
From earliest manhood, was one of Jamestown's
most energetic business men. He was a man of great
financial ability, and from 1830 up to the time of his
death stood in the first rank, and during a large por
tion of that time at the head of that rank in the town
of Ellicott. He was in every, and the best sense of the
term, a self-made man. No man during that time did
more — unless it be his brother Dascum — in building
up Jamestown and its interests than he. He was for
several years the Supervisor of the town; in 1867 he
was elected a member of the Constitutional Conven
tion of that year, and in 1874 was elected to Congress.
But his health became impaired during the long po
litical struggle of that year, and he did not live to take
his seat. He had two children who arrived at matu
rity, a son and a daughter. The son died several years
ago ; the daughter is still living. His wife died about
two years ago. DASCUM ALLEN
Was a born lumberman ; what he did not know
about that business was not worth knowing. He

420 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
was everywhere known from Jamestown to Cincinnati
as the big-hearted lumberman. If any man had
been unfortunate and needed assistance, no matter
whether friend or foe, he had but to go to "Dasc Allen"
and his necessities were relieved. He was frequently
imposed upon by the designing, and lost a good for
tune by endorsing the notes of those who never ex
pected to pay. His greatest fault was that he loved too
well his greatest enemy. He died April 7th, 1872. His
wife, Susan Darling Allen, died April 7, 1886. They
left three children, Horace F., Florence, the wife of
Charles W. Grant, and Frank.
SOLOMON JONES,
The fifth son of Solomon Jones, Sen., is still living
and has been a resident of Jamestown from earliest
childhood. Fifty years ago Robert Falconer and John
K. Cowing bought of the Dexters the Dexterville mills
and lands, and some years afterwards Solomon Jones
and A. F. Allen purchased Cowing's interest in the
same, and soon after became sole owners of the prop
erty. After the purchase was made Solomon Jones
removed to Dexterville and took the management of
the property, and finally purchased his partner's inter
est, and for years has owned the entire property. For
a few years past he appears to have retired from very
active employment, but he can generally be seen occu
pying a cozy corner of the Chautauqua Co. National
Bank, of which he has been for many years a director.
In 1848 he married Elizabeth Cowing, a daughter of
the late Capt. Calvin Cowing. To them was born one
son. Frank was an unusually bright, young man, but
he was born with phthisical tendencies and his health
was always delicate, as such persons are apt to be. He
received all the advantages of a finished education.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 421
He spent several years in Europe, part of the time in
Heidelburg University and part in travel for the ben
efit of his health ; but the destroyer had marked his
victim, and he died about two years after his return,
Nov. 13th, 1873. Elizabeth Cowing died in less than
two years after her marriage to Mr. Jones, of consump
tion. Solomon Jones went to Dexterville a young
man. The short period of his married life was there
spent, as well as the long period of his widower life,
since the death of his wife. Although not a misan
thrope or averse to the society of his friends, he has
lived a life of quiet retiracy, attending to his own af
fairs, which have fully occupied his attention without
awakening in him the least desire to meddle with the
affairs of others. Affable in manners, pleasant in con
versation, interested in public affairs, a laborer for the
well being of his native town, generous in advancing
its interests, charitable to the poor, we can say little
more of Solomon Jones, Jr., than that he is and al
ways has been, "the quiet, unassuming, retiring and
unostentatious man of Jamestown."

OUR EARLY ENGLISH SETTLERS.
There were very few English in Jamestown until
the building of the Alpaca factories. Of these genuine
cousins, we now boast a large number, and our only
regret is that we cannot count four of them where we
have to content ourselves with one.
Over fifty years ago there came to our village four
men — healthy and hardy looking ; dressed in drab
fustian and corduroy jackets and small clothes, blue
knit caps, long stockings reaching above the knee,
and their feet encased in high, heavy laced brogans,
with soles nearly an inch thick and full of hob nails.

422 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
They were working men, and when they pretended to
work, work it was. They went up on what is now
known as English hill, and bought land. How much
they paid down on the land we know not; but they
could not have been in debt long, for they were full of
days work, and everybody employed them. Every
body wanted to see them work, for they seemed to like
it, made them happy, and appeared to do them good.
It was not long before they had converted a large por
tion of the low, wet, swampy land in the country into
nice, dry, plough land. These men are all gone now,
but they lived to become prominent, and well to do
citizens in the town of their adoption. They raised
fair families of children — how many now living we are
not, informed. Several of them, when the country
called, enlisted and went to her defence in the war of
the Rebellion, and they did not all return. The names
of these four men were :
Simon Bootey, John Fuller, John Wilson. 1st,
John Wilson, 2d.
With a few exceptions, the writer has for several
years past had but slight acquaintance with the child
ren of these men, although he used to " doctor" them
when young. To say the least, he hopes none of them
have turned out worse than have a couple of sons of
Simon Bootey and one of John Wilson, 2d, with whom
the writer is well acquainted.
John Bootey, the eldest son of Simon, commenced
well in that good old trade of blacksmithing. Now,
we believe, he is following the profession of making
harness. Edward R. Bootey, a younger brother, has not

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 423
done quite as well; although he commenced as a fight
ing soldier in the fighting old 9th New York Cavalry.
He was fortunate in getting back home, when so many
of that gallant old regiment have never returned from
the country's defence. They did good work at Win
chester when Sheridan was twenty miles away, and
when he had taken that noted ride, and was back to
lead them, the war cry was, " Get out of this Early,
Phil is coming," and he did get out with the old 9th
close to his heels. When Ed. returned from the wars
he was not in very good health. Instead of employing
a doctor as he should, and being remembered by his
patriotic friends on Decoration day, he was induced to
take large doses of the law, on which he thrived, and
ere long regained his health. It is said he ranks high
among the lawyers of the county, and has served two
terms as District Attorney. He has, we think, com
menced to decline ; he is now one of our City Alder
men. John T. Wilson, was a son of the Englishman,
John Wilson, 2d. He has always been a Democrat, a
thing very scarce and of little repute in Chautauqua
county. Furthermore he is one of Jamestown's fore
most business men. John was a spindling, rather
sickly looking boy, but he has gained m health and
good looks almost as rapidly as he has in wealth and
business standing in the community. We now believe
he will outlive any Englishman of the same age, to be
found in the Pearl City. John T. Wilson is one of
Jamestown's foremost business men.
If our new batch of English citizens, with far su
perior advantages, will, according to their numbers,
in fifty years turn out as many first class American
citizens — men and women — as have Simon Bootey,

424 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
John Fuller and the Wilsons, the Pearl City will be
the proudest city of its size in the Empire state.

SWEDES.
Jamestown to-day boasts of a population of several
thousand Swedes. We have no better citizens than
our Scandinavian population. A prominent one of
them said to us a few days ago, " Please not speak of
us as Swedes. There are a few Swedes among us, late
comers, who have not yet obtained their naturalization
papers, but as soon as they do they will claim, as I do
now, that they are Yankees and have ceased to be
Swedes. We love our country, the United States, and
you well know that many of us have fought for it, and
what is better, will fight for it whenever the country
calls." It is nearly, if not quite fifty years ago that
the first Swede man and family settled at the foot of
English hill. That man was
Samuel Johnson. — He was a tanner by trade and
worked for R. W. Arnold. We named a child of Sam
uel Johnson after our own baby daughter, Katie, who
has gone. Katie Johnson, we are informed, became
the wife of Capt. Conrad Hult.
Soon after Johnson settled in Jamestown other
families came, and in a few years our Swede population
could be counted by the hundred. Since that time
they have become numerous, and are counted by the
thousand. As citizens they are not excelled by any
others. 
CARROLL.
From its earliest settlement that part of the town
of Ellicott now known as Carroll had a composite
class of inhabitants. Previous to the emigration to this

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 425
country from Vermont and the eastern part of this
state, there were a few small settlements along the Al
legheny river and French Creek, especially in Craw
ford and Venango Counties. The route of these early
settlers, who were mostly from Central and Eastern
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, was by the Sinemahon-
ing and the portage across to the Allegheny at Olean
or above, and then down the Allegheny in boats built
for that purpose. This was the principal route taken by
the first settlers between Warren and Franklin, and in
most instances they found their way up the various
streams emptying into the Allegheny river. In this
way we trace their course up the Conewango into the
Beech woods (Farmington) and to Sugar Grove, before
Southern Chautauqua was settled.
Carroll was set off from the town of Ellicott in
1825, and was named in honor of Charles Carroll, one
of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The
town of Kiantone was taken from the town of Carroll
in 1853, and received its name from a creek running
through the south part of the town, known with the
Indians as the Kiantone.
Boyles and Walton took articles for lands in this
portion of the town of Ellicott in 1809 ; but the first
settler we have any especial knowledge of, was
GEORGE W. FENTON,
the father of the Governor. In 1807 he took up lands
and built a log house near the junction of the Outlet
with the Cassadaga, at what for many years has been
known as Plumbs Mills. He had for neighbors James
Wilson and James Culbertson, who had settled on the
Outlet a short distance above him the year previous.
In 1809 he sold his lands at the Cassadaga junction,
and in the spring of 1810 removed to lot 52 on the

426 THE EARLY history of
east side of the Conewango, about a mile below the
present village of Frewsburg. George W. Fenton was
born in New Hampshire in 1773 ; his father soon after
with his family removed to the State of New York.
George when of age, left his paternal home in 1804,
and wandered west through the wilderness as far as
Pittsburgh. He there joined the river boatmen, en
gaged in trade with the settlers and Indians along the
Allegheny river and continued in that business until
1806. In the year of 1806-7 he taught the first school
in Warren, Pa. In Warren he married Elsie Owen,
who was born in Lunenburgh in 1790. Soon after his
marriage he took up land on the outlet of Chautauqua
Lake and built a log house as stated above.
Mr. Fenton continued to reside on his Conewango
farm up to the time of his death. In his youth he had
received a good education and was during his whole
life one of Carroll's most prominent and most intelli
gent citizens. He died March 3d, 1860. His widow
survived him fifteen years and died February 26, 1875.
They had a family of five children : Roswell O., who
married Leonora Akins ; George W., Jr., who married
Metta Howard; William H. H, who married Catha
rine Edmunds; John F., who married Maria Wood
ward. His youngest son Avas Reuben E. Fenton, the
late governor of the State of New York, of whom we
speak elsewhere. JOHN prew,
the founder of Frewsburg, came in 1812. Hugh Frew,
his father, settled near by in the adjoining town of
Farmington, Pa., as early as the year 1800. Soon af
ter John Frew had settled on the Conewango he was
followed by his brother, James, and soon after they
built a saw mill and afterwards a grist mill on what is

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 427
known as Frew's Run. The family soon after left
their farm on the hill (Farmington) and moved down
into the valley (Frewsburg) where Hugh Frew, the
father, died in 1831.
John Frew assisted Edward Work to erect his saw
mill on the outlet in 1808, and the first lumber cut in
the mill was by and for John Frew. This lumber
was plank for eight flat boats which Frew built at
Work's, took to Mayville, and there loaded with salt,
which he run down the Lake, Outlet, Conewango and
Allegheny to Pittsburgh. It was after this that the
same John Frew brought over from Dunkirk one and
a half bushels of salt on his back for the settlers who
were in perishing need of it. It was this same John
Frew who in the spring of 1813 killed the last deer
known to have been killed at the great deer lick in the
four corners of Main and Third streets in what is now
the city of Jamestown. In 1816 he was elected Sup
ervisor of the town of Ellicott, an office he continued
to hold up to 1822.
We have stated that Hugh Frew settled in the
Beech woods (Farmington) in the year 1800. His sons
John and James came into the country with him, and
also a dozen or more settlers who first settled in the
Beech woods, or in Sugar Grove near by, and which
at that time was but a part of the tract of land known
by that name.
Robert Miles, a Frewsburg man, tbe builder of
Miles's road to Chautauqua Lake in 1804, (and the
father of the late Robert Miles of Warren and of Fred
dy Miles of Sugar Grove) and several others had come
in during the last years of the last century, 1796 to
1798. Among these was the father of Benjamin Ross,
who built Ross' Mills on the Cassadaga in 1816.

428 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
When the Frews, Russells and company arrived at
what is now Warren in 1800, there was but one build
ing there and that was the Holland Land Company's
store. Of course there must have been settlers in the
vicinity or a store would be unnecessary. The extent
of our information is, that Daniel Jackson had a small
mill for grinding grain, the bolt of which was turned
by hand on Winters's Run. Of course there was or
had been a man by the name of Winters there — and
others, or a mill would not be needed. Among those
who came in with the Frews was
John Russell and a number of others. James and
David Brown and a man by the name of Bar, who it
is believed, settled in or near Sugar Grove. These set
tlers were mostly from the settlements on the Sine-
mahoning in Pennsylvania, except the Browns and
Bar, who were fresh from the bogs of the Emerald Isle.
But they were all under the leadership of Russell, who
was an ingenious mechanic, and had built a boat
which could in a short time be put together or taken
in pieces at will. In this boat Russell and his party
conveyed their goods up the Sinemahoning to Drift
wood, where they placed their goods and their boat on
wagons and followed the Indian trail through the
wilderness to Canoe Place on the Allegheny river.
Here they again put their boat together and floated
down the Alleghenjr to Warren. This party came
very near returning to their old home and giving up
the idea of a life in the wilderness before the}' reached
Driftwood. They had several wagons, yokes of cattle,
^and a number of cows, which the Frews and others un
dertook to pilot through the thickets to that place. In
this they came near failing. Much of their way they
had to cut a road for their wagons and to make fre-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 429
quent long detours on account of deep impassible
gulchs, with which the entire country was filled. In
this portion of their route they did not average one
mile a day. They were about returning when Rus
sell, weary of waiting for them at Driftwood, took the
back track in search of them. Finding them he dis
missed the principal mutineer from the party, who re
turned to the settlement alone, and encouraged the
rest of the party to proceed. John Frew was accus
tomed to say those few days were the most discourag
ing of his whole life. John Russell took up lands on
the Pennsylvania side of the state line and there re-
resided up to the time of his death in 1818. His son,
Thomas Russell, moved to the town of Ellicott and
built a mill on the Cassadaga in the year 1816, and
there resided for many years. He had a large family
of children, Angeline Parsons is still living, how many
more we do not know. He was born in Ireland in
1783, and died in Jamestown in 1865.
JOHN OWEN
Settled on lot 41 on the east side of the Conewan
go in 1808. He came with his family in 1805 to War
ren and there resided two years previous to his re
moval to Ellicott. He was originally from Connecti
cut, and had been a soldier not only in the Revolu
tionary but in the Old French War. He was a man
of infinite humor, and passed through many adven
tures, many of them most thrilling, and was always
well pleased to relate them to those who desired to
hear them. In early days he kept a tavern at what is
now Fentonville, and in the spring of the year, during
the rafting season, his house would overflow with rafts
men. He would not be able to accommodate half of
them with beds, the rest were under the necessity of

430 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
sleeping on the bar room floor. Although tired and
weary, after a hard day's work at this laborious occu
pation, the raftsmen would quarrel among themselves
for the privilege of laying on the floor in order to hear
Owen relate his wonderful stories, and in the morning
would declare themselves thoroughly rested and re
freshed, and that Owen's stories would soften the hard
est plank on the Conewango. John Owen lived to be
107 years old, and during the last days of his life was
accustomed to declare he never had a sick day in his
life. John Owen died in Carroll in 1843 of old age.
Ira Owen was a son of John Owen ; he was fond
of hunting, and was noted for his deadly aim. He was
a member of Capt, Forbes' Company at the battle of Black
Rock, at which many of the enemy it was said, fell
victims to his deliberate and deadly aim. Ira could
not with his father, boast that he never was sick. He
was severely and dangerously sick once and was cured
by Dr. Smith of Busti. We believe he emigrated to
the west ; his brother,
Ruben Owen, continued to live on the old home
stead after his father's death ; he died several years
ago. JOHN MYERS
Settled on the Conewango about, a mile from
Frewsburg in 1814. He kept a tavern, and his place
is known up to the present time as Myers'. He had a
large family of both sons and daughters. Many of
the descendants are still living in the town of Car
roll. There were several other early settlers in that part
of the town of Ellicott now included in the town of
Carroll, a few of whom we remember by name but
of whom we knew but little personally, and have

the town of ellicott. 431
obtained no important items of history. Among
these are Josiah Wheeler, Robert Cowen, Rufus Green,
Isaac Eames, Eli Eames and a few others.

KIANTONE.
In that portion of the town now known as Kian
tone, we have a large number of important early set
tlers. Among these we have, first
JOSEPH akins,
The pioneer settler of this part of the town of Elli
cott. He came from Rensselaer Co., and in 1807
squatted on lands on the Stillwater now owned by the
heirs of Howard Russell. At that time the survey of
these lands was not complete and were not in market.
Akins was filled with the idea of building up a town,
and passed over the heavy pine forests, and swamp
lands of the outlet, to the dry and hard timbered lands
of the Stillwater. The next year or the year after he
laid out his town and induced Laban Case to build a
hut ofa tavern, and that very necessary thing in a new
town, a blacksmith shop. We are not aware he ever
succeeded in selling any village lots — in fact he had
none to sell, far he had no title to the land he had
occupied, and after procuring the usual Article could
not give a deed. In '1813 a great effort was made to
build up a town at Akins, in opposition to Prendergast
at the rapids, but failed, and in 1814 the idea was en
tirely abandoned. BENJAMIN JONES
Came in 1820, and first lived ~on a portion of
the farm of the late A. T. Prendergast. He afterwards
came in possession of the farm taken up by Solomon
Jones in 1810, upon which he continued to reside up

432 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
to the time of his death, a few years ago. He was an
eccentric man, although a man of great moral worth
and ability. Many are the anecdotes told of Uncle Ben
Jones. He had five children, the youngest, Henry, a
man of much worth, is full o^ remembrances of the
good old early times, and during Fair days will gen
erally be found busily engaged in arranging a display
of relics of the days of the fathers. Cynthia, the
daughter, became the wife of
Seth Cheney, whom we speak of in this connec
tion because of an anniversary celebration held at his
house on the evening of December 29, 1886. Although
an impromptu affair, nearly all the old people of the
county were there excepting ourself, and had a right
down, old fashioned, jolly time. From the newspaper
account of this affair we gather that Seth Cheney mar-
, ried Cynthia Jones, Jan. 8th, 1832, and that they have
had three children, sons. At this jolly affair they had
a variety of excellent music, Mr. Cheney, although 77
years old, playing the violin with his old-time spirit
and energy. Mr. Cheney is one of the solid men of
Kiantone, and the large stone house in which he has
lived so many years is the land mark of the locality.
Seth was the youngest son of
EBENEZER CHENEY,
Who came into the country in 1812 with a large
family, all of whom we believe remained and became
identified with the country. He had eight children-
three sons and five daughters, who lived to adult age,
and all identified with the growth and history of the
country. Nelson E. Cheney was the eldest of this family.
He came into the country with his father, and is nov,
we believe the earliest and the oldest of the earliest set-

the town of ellicott. 433
tiers living. He was in daily attendance at our agri
cultural fair (September, 1886,) on Marvin Park, and
no one appeared to be more interested in the busy
scene around him than Nelson E. Cheney ; and few
were more active in conveying themselves from one
part of the park to another than he. But few would
believe that if his life should be spared five years
longer, he could celebrate the centennial of an earthly
existence. Mr. Cheney has raised a large family, but
how many or where located we are not informed.
One of his sons was an officer in the fighting 9th New
York Cavalry, and has represented our county in the
Assembly of the State, and should again; but so long
as tricks of chicane will go further than true patriot
ism in securing a nomination in a district where a
nomination is equivalent to an election, we think he
will appear to the best advantage "holding the plow;"
that is honest employment, to say the least. Two
other sons, we believe, are physicians. Ebenezer
Cheney's second son Levi we have already spoken of
as a physician, and also of Seth, the youngest.
JAMES HALL
Was one of the six brothers who at an early day
emigrated from Windham County, Vt., and became
residents of this country when a wilderness. William
and Elisha. became residents of Jamestown, Samuel of
Busti, and Josiah and Orris of Warren, Pa. This fam
ily has proved, we think, the most important of all,
that at an early date left the green hills of Vermont
for tbe wilds of Chautauqua.
William Hall, Sen., the father of the Halls who em
igrated to Ellicott, was the son of Elisha and Eliza
beth (Young) Hall, and was born in Hopkinton, Mass.,
in 1753. In 1781 he married Abagail Pease, and

434 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
immediately emigrated to Wardsboro, Vt. To Wil
liam Hall, Sen., and Abagail (Pease) Hall were
born twelve children, seven sons and five daugh
ters. Six of the sons and two of the daughters
found their future homes in this western wilderness.
The following are the names of the children and the
years in which they were born. Samuel, 1782; Lydia,
1784; Lydia, 1785- Lewis. 1788; James, 1790; Mary,
1792; William, 1793; Josiah, 1795; Abagail, 1797;
Elisha, 1799; Irene, 1801; Orris, 1804.
James was the first of the sons to emigrate to the
wilderness of Chautauqua in the spring of 1812. He
took up lands in that part of the town of Ellicott now
known as Kiantone, about a mile west, from Kiantone
village, and there resided up to the day of his death in
1846. He built a log house near where stands the
farm house which for so many years has been known
as the James Hall homestead. He immediately
cleared and put into crops ten acres. In the fall of
1813 the corn and the wheat he had raised upon his
small clearing he threshed and husked and stored in
the loft of his log house, and the vegetables belaid
away in a hole dug in the ground under the floor.
Soon after on a warm afternoon, without a coat and
barefooted, he walked a mile through the woods to as
sist a neighbor to put up a log house. His wife took her
baby in her arms and walked a half mile or more
through the woods to visit her sister, Mrs. William
Sears, leaving the house alone, (hi her return to pre
pare supper, when she reached the little clearing, she
discovered that the roof of the house was on fire. Lay
ing her babe down upon the leaves she ran towards the
house to save what she could. When she arrived at
the log fence in front of the house, two men well

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 435
known, stood in the door and with threats bade her
leave. She hastened to the woods for her baby and as
quickly as possible returned to her sister's, there to
await the return of the husband. There was no mis
taking the object of these ruffians. A few days pre
vious Ebenezer Cheney, the father-in-law of Mr. Hall,
had returned from Vermont, and it was well known he
was expected to bring a large sum of money with him.
They supposed the money was in this house — but for
tunately was in another- — not finding it they fired the
building to cover up the rumaging they had done in
the house. Mrs. Hall coming suddenly and unexpect
edly upon them before they had time to ¦, escape, they
were willing to commit a much greater crime if she
did not leave. The ruffians were not prosecuted or
molested. The country was a wilderness an d the two
villains were known to be desperate men, and it was
thought the safest way to let them alone, hoping
they would soon leave the country. A few of the
older inhabitants will remember the Kelleys. The
location o^ the log house became Mr. Hall's garden,
and to this day it is seldom that you can take up a
handful of dirt therein without finding kernels of
charred wheat as perfect as on the day it was
threshed. A new log house was soonafinished in
which Mr. Hall resided until the autumn*ol|1819,when
they moved into the frame house erected a few rods
from the log one, and in which Mr. A. J. Phillips now
resides. At the organization of the town of Ellicott in
1813, James Hall was elected constable and collector.
From that time on he served the towntin various ca
pacities up to 1823, when he was elected Supervisor
and continued to serve as such until^Carroll was set off

436 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
from Ellicott, after which he was elected Supervisor
of Carroll until he refused to serve longer. In 1833 he
was elected Member of Assembly. There, could be no
greater evidence of his unbounded popularity than
this, not only in his o vn town, but in the county. The
known Whig majority was about 2,000 ; nevertheless,
James Hall, a notorious Democrat, was elected by
1700. Politicians had plenty of time then (as they
have had since) to think of their crooked ways after
that election. James Hall for many years was a prom
inent and worthy member of the Congregational
church, and was a liberal giver to all religious and
benevolent objects. His first wife was Polly, the
second daughter of Ebenezer Cheney. To them were
born three children, viz : Abagail, who became the
wife of Benjamin Morgan, previously spoken of as a
/ chairmaker; Lewis, who was born in 1815, married a
Miss Davis of St. Louis, and is a prominent citizen of
Jamestown. His wife died but a short time ago, great
ly esteemed and beloved in Jamestown. Elial mar
ried a daughter of Samuel Barrett; he has for many
years been a lawyer in New York city. After the
death of Polly, James Hall in 1829 married Abagail,
another daughter of Ebenezer Cheney. There were
no children by this marriage, His third wife was
Maria, the youngest daughter of Ebenezer Cheney, to
whom he was married in 1830. To James and Maria
(Cheney) Hall were born three children, viz: Erie,
who married Jennie, the eldest daughter of the Hon.
R. P. Marvin. He is a prominent member of the firm
owning the Jamestown Worsted Mills in Jamestown.
Mary became the wife of Capt. Tuckerman of the
Burdan Sharp Shooters, who did great service in the
war of the Rebellion, James, who went a mere boy,

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 437
a common soldier to the defence of his country,
fell at Malvern Hill ; his body returned to mother
earth on Virginia soil. If ever a noble, generous, self-
sacrificing, patriotic set of men stepped to the front
ready and willing to lay down their lives for their
country, those men went from Chautauqua county in
the war of 1861. The post of Sons of Veterans in
Jamestown is named after young James Hall. May
the example of his bravery and his patriotism inspire
each of them to like noble deeds, should the country
call and demand the sacrifice. In peace may they
emulate the virtues, and in war, the heroism of
JAMES HALL, THE YOUNG PATRIOT.

Anna Cheney became the wife of Dr. E.
T. Foote in 1818. They had a large family
of children, but the last of the family removed
from Jamestown many years ago, excepting Mary
Ann, the only daughter, who married S. C. Crosby.
Mrs. Crosby and her daughter Florence continue
to reside in Jamestown. Anna (Cheney) Foote was
a prominent and active member of the Methodist
church. That church will hold her in affectionate re
membrance, because of her noble Christian character,
and courageous efforts for their upbuilding and pros
perity when the church was poor and its friends few.
Ruby, the eldest daughter of EbenezerCheney became
the wife of
William Sears, who was born in Wardsboro, Vt.,
in 1787, and emigrated to Chautauqua Co. in the fall
of 1810, a short time after Solomon Jones. In the fol
lowing spring he purchased Lot 11 on which the vil
lage of Kiantone is built. He resided on this farm for
many years, and up to the time of his death. His widow

438 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
afterwards married Charles Arnold of Dewittville.
Soon after Mr. Sears had made his location he built a
tavern which he afterwards sold, and built another
which is still standing, and was for many years the
principal hotel of the place. This location, as long
ago as we can remember, was known as Sears', after
wards as Searsburg, then as Carroll, and after the divis
ion of the town as Kiantone. William and Rhoda
(Cheney) Sears had two sons and two daughters that
we remember, — there may have been others, if so we
are not informed. The eldest son, Nathan L., lived in
Jamestown several years, and at one time kept a Drug
and Book store. He emigrated to the west several
years ago. At this present writing, January 13th.
1887, our city papers announce the death of Nathan
L. Sears, at his home in Gibson city, 111. He was born
in the town of Ellicott (Kiantone) June 16th, 1812.
If not the first, he must have been among the first
born white children in Southern Chautauqua. His
first wife was Deborah, daughter of Samuel Hall.
She died in Jamestown about forty-three years ago.
A younger son, Clinton, at one time attended "The
Academy " in Jamestown, went to Yale College, and
afterwards, we are informed, became an eminent
preacher in Cincinnati. Anna, the eldest daughter,
became the wife of S. B. Winsor and is still living.
The youngest daughter married D. T. Brown and lives
in Milwaukee. A Congregational church was organ
ized at Sears' in 1815 by Father Spencer; the land on
which the present Congregational church in Kiantone
stands was the gift of Ruby Cheney Sears.
Ebenezer Davis came from Wardsboro, Vt.,
in 1812, and took up land near the Stillwater. His
wife was Lydia, a sister of James Hall. They had

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 439
a large family of children, but we have not been
able to obtain their names. The Davis's were
noted for their musical talent, One surely and
we believe two of Ebenezer Davis' sons became
Baptist ministers. Emri Davis, a brother of Ebenezer
came in at the same time and became a prominent man,
in Busti. His son, now a resident of Sugar Grove, Pa.,
promised us a sketch of his father's life, a promise he
has failed to keep. We now can only say, that Emri
Davis, Sen., was for many years one of the prominent
men of Busti. He died several years ago. He had,
we believe, several children, how many, we are not in
formed. SAMUEL HALL
Was the eldest son of William Hall, Sen., of
Wardsboro, Vt. Samuel Hall married Susannah, the
second daughter of Samuel and Deborah (Chapin)
Davis, in Wardsboro, and emigrated with a family of
five children to Ellicott in 1814. The names of these
children were Samuel D., Elona, Edson, Deborah C,
and John A., the last not yet six months old. After
their removal to this county, there was born to them
Chapin and James Monroe Hall. Samuel Hall took
up a farm on the Stillwater on what is now the divid
ing line between Busti and Kiantone, and upon which
he continued to reside up to the time of his death in
1859. Deborah Hall became the wife of Nathan L., a
son of William Sears. She died in Jamestown in 1836,
her husband being a Druggist and Bookseller there at
the time of her death. Two, at least of the sons of
Samuel Hall have been very important men in the
history of the country. John Adams Hall is spoken
of in other pages of this volume.
Chapin Hall was born in the wilderness in 1816 —

440 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
in the wilderness which in after life he was so active
in subduing and from which he derived his great
wealth. Chapin married Susan Bostwick, the daugh
ter of one of the early settlers. To them was born a
daughter. She became the wife of Charles Wetmore,
of Warren, the civil engineer — a son of the late Judge
Lansing Wetmore, and brother of the present Judge
Wetmore of Warren. To Charles and Rose (Hall)
Wetmore were born two sons and a daughter, the
latter dying in childhood. A few years later Charles
Wetmore was accidentally killed. After many years
of widowhood the daughter is now the wife of Mr.
Alba M. Kent,
Chapin Hall was a man of great activity and
bodily endurance ; his mind, was a mathematical
one, always filled with figures, and finance and
ideas of great wealth, to the attainment of which
he bent all his best energies. Early in life, and for
many years his home was mostly at mills and on
fleets of lumber on the Allegheny and Ohio rivers.
Warren, Pa., claims him, we are informed, as a resi
dent of that place, and Louisville, Ky., ranked him
among her prominent citizens. The claims of War
ren must be allowed, for it was from the Congressional
district of which it is a part that he was elected to Con
gress, nevertheless he was born in Ellicott, received his
education in her log school houses, and ashorttime be
fore his death purchased of his brother the old home
stead on which he was born and upon which his son-in-
law now exhibitsthe choicest herd of cattle in Western
New York — and he departed this life in Ellicott, at the
residence of his brother, John A. Hall, Sept. 12, 1879.
His remains are interred in Lake View cemetery.
Susannah, the wife of Samuel Hall, who lived and

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 441
suffered for several years with paralysis, died July 25,
1858. Samuel Hall died in October, 1859.
Jasper Marsh was among the earliest of the set
tlers in this part of the town, coming in in 1811. He took
up a farm adjoining Joseph Akin on the Stillwater. He
was a Revolutionary soldier, and was present at the sur
render of Burgoyne. He was a mechanic as well as a
farmer, and he supplied the early settlers many useful
implements — spinning wheels, large and small, reels,
swifts, chairs, hay rakes, pitchforks, and many other
useful and necessary articles, in an early day came
from Jasper Marsh's little shop on the Stillwater. We
have not been able to obtain any record of his family.
He had several sons, all, I think, remained in the
country. Capt. A. J. Marsh of Washington is a grand
son of Joseph Marsh. EZBAI KIDDER
Was a descendent of the early Pilgrim stock ;
his forefather, James Kidder, from England landed
at Salem Harbor in 1650; The forefathers of the
Kidders, the Jones's, the Halls, the Hazeltines, the
Davis's, and others whose descendants emigrated first
to Vermont and afterwards to Chautauqua Co., set
tled early in the last century .on or near the Charles
river, in Mass. Ezbai Kidder was born at Webster,
Mass.. in 1787; his father the same year emigrated to
Wardsboro, Vt. Ezbai came to Ellicott in 1813, and
after thoroughly' viewing the country returned. He
returned in 1816, and at first was employed splitting
rails and laying up a fence for Dr. Laban Hazeltine.
He soon made a purchase of land in what is now the
northeast corner of Kiantone. He married Louisa
Shearman, a sister of Deacon Loring Shearman, whom
he had known in Wardsboro, and who came into the

442 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
country with her brothers in 1814. They had one son
and three daughters. The daughters married and
raised families but now are all dead, except one, Mrs.
Harlow Mitchell, of Busti. Louisa Shearman Kidder
died in 1867. Ezbai Kidder died in 1880, at the ad
vanced age of 92.
Samuel Kidder, who inherited the large property
left by his father, now lives in the old homestead. He
was born in 1825. Married Eleanor, eldest daughter of
Joel Partridge in 1854. Both, as were their parents
before them, are members of the Congregational
church of Jamestown. They have had a family often
children, eight of whom are now living. The Kidders
have occupied that corner of Kiantone for two-thirds
of a century, and the prospect is they will continue to
occupy for a century longer at leas\

POLAND.
Was set off from the town of Ellicott in 1832, and
comprises township 2, Range 10, according to the Hol
land Company's survey. In 1804 and 5, Thomas
Kennedy commenced a settlement at what is now
Kennedy, and there erected the first saw mill in South
ern Chautauqua. Although in the heart of a dense,
unbroken forest, the timbers for this mill were cut,
hewed and framed in the neighborhood of Franklin,
Pa., and then floated up the Allegheny river to War
ren and from thence up the Conewango to the place
of their destination. Dr. Kennedy found his method
of building a mill a very expensive one, and the labor
herculean. Having reached Warren with the timbers,
he there placed them on keel boats, for the remainder
of the journey. The timbers having arrived, Dr. Ken-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 443
nedy could not find men enough in the whole sur
rounding country to erect the frame, and spent many
days between Warren and Franklin in picking up men
for that purpose. The method for disposing of the
first lumber cut at this mill was quite as extraordinary
as of building the mill itself. The boards were rafted
at the mills and run to Pittsburg in the usual manner.
At Pittsburg they were drawn and stuck up for a year
to season. Flat boats, in the meantime, were built at
the mill, run to Pittsburg, the boards loaded into them
and run to New Orleans. This was before the day of
steamboats; the Paragon, that wonder of the world,
which could be propelled by hot water at the
rate of four miles an hour had not at that time
been built by Robert Fulton in New York harbor.
The hands who run the boats, returned by sea to Phil
adelphia, and from there ivalked home. In those days
there was no way of coming up the Mississippi river
except, in row boats, through a wilderness country filled
with savages, at that time at war with all white men,
and constantly on the watch for scalps. The Atlantic
ocean was hy far the safest as well as the most expedi
tious route. Dr. Kennedy died in Meadville in 1813.
In 1831 the Kennedyville property was sold to
Richard P. Marvin and his elder brother, Erastus Mar
vin, of Dryden, Tompkins Co., N. Y. Erastus Marvin
moved from Dryden to Kennedyville to take charge of
the property. Their father, with a second wife and
family of children, sold his large farm in Dryden and
moved into this county the next spring, stopping tem
porarily at Kennedy until he should find and purchase
a suitable farm. During the summer of that year
much sickness prevailed at Kennedyville. Erastus
Marvin had the misfortune to break his collar bone,

444 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
and before he recovered from this injury was pros
trated by fever and died. The father, deeply
affected by the loss of his son and the endemic condi
tion there prevailing, after a short illness also died,
and two or three weeks after the widow died. Richard
was deeply affected by these losses, and not having in
tended to take the management of the property he
disposed of it and continued the practice of his profes
sion in Jamestown, his health being greatly impaired
for a year or two. Some years afterwards he removed
the remains of his relatives from Kennedy to the cem
etery in Jamestown, and after the establishment of
Lake View he had their graves again removed, and
they now rest in a beautifnl lot, on which is erected a
beautiful monument— Sarcophagus form — with the
name simply "Marvin" upon it, with appropriate head
stones — all of the finest and most durable granite.
Robert Falconer and Guy C. Irvine succeeded the
Marvins in the ownership of the property, and soon
after Robert Falconer became sole proprietor, and he
was succeeded by his youngest son, William T. Fal
coner, now dead. ROBERT FALCONER.
Descended from a wealthy and ancient family in
Scotland, who could never forget that they were
"lairds" in the days of Monteith, Wallace, and Mc-
Dugh, and bravely fought with Bruce at Bannock-
burn. Yet Robert was thoroughly a republican in
opinion and practice. He graduated at old Aberdeen
in 1808, and soon after emigrated to America, not only
to increase his wealth but to enjoy its free republican
institutions, to which he was a convert, For several
years he was engaged in the purchase and sale of cot
ton in New York and Charleston, S. C. He sent large

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 445
invoices of cotton to Glasgow and to other parts of
Scotland. In 1816 a brother in Scotland, who never
was in America, desired to join him in the purchase of
lands, with the intention of making a Scotch settle
ment; for which the brother at home was to select and
send over an extra class of emigrants. In accordance
with this arrangement Mr. Falconer came to James
town in 1817, and spent the summer in examining the
country hereabouts, making his home with Dr. Haz
eltine. He was an excellent surveyor, and many of
our early roads were surveyed by him. During this
first visit he would make long trips into the wild
erness, always on foot, and frequently was absent for a
week, greatly to the alarm and annoyance of his
friends. His only companions on these excursions
were his compass, Jacob staff, and a heavy hatchet.
His favorite resort was the wilderness along the Still
water and the Brokenstraw beyond Sugar Grove, Pa.
Finally he selected lands near Sugar Grove for his
future home. That section was then almost an un
broken wilderness, and he had passed through it in al
most every possible direction, running lines and ascer
taining the area of certain tracts. Formerly it used to
be said that a thousand trees in the forest bore the
blaze of Falconer's hatchet. Dr. Hazeltine was accus
tomed to tell the following story about his friend,
sometimes to his great annoyance:
He returned one pleasant day enveloped in an old
camlet cloak, which had been patched with cloth of
other kinds and colors. Under this could be detected
the tattered remains of coat and pantaloons. He was
cross and taciturn — did not wish to be questioned, and
passed quickly to his room. He afterward gave the
following account of an encounter with a bear : "In

446 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the woods a couple of miles from Sugar Grove, I came
across a nice, active cub; he did not run away, neither
did he seem to be afraid. I stood admiring him when
an old bear came slashing through the underbrush.
When she came near, although I had not meddled
with the young bear, I saw she was determined to
wrestle with me. She would sit up and show her
teeth, then come nearer, and sit up and again show
her teeth. I made up my mind that she was near
enough to be agreeable, and that when she sat up
again I would prod her with the Jacob staff. Well,
she came and stood up, and I made a lunge at her.
The old she divil pulled that Jacob staff out of my
hand in the winking of an eye; in doing so she pulled
me forward on to my face. In a moment I was aware
that the divil ofa brute was unfastening my clothes
where there were no buttons. I wished 'old clute' had
her and her pretty little divil of a cub likewise. I as
sure you that I was grieved that the great she brute
should handle my clothes in that manner, and pres
ently I felt a miserable smarting where I could not see
the mischief she had wrought, and I was mad. I got
hold of my hatchet and came to my knees promptly,
and dealt her a blow with all the strength at my com
mand. It was an unlucky blow for the beastie, for I
am quite sure its sharp edge came down through her
left eye, and the way the old divil whorled around and
grunted would have amused the best Heelander that
ever trod the Grampians.* I got up and seized my
compass and the staff which was near at hand and ran
with all my might, I did not look back to see if Mis
tress Bruin was coming until I was a good half mile
*A one-eyed bear was killed on the Brokenstraw about two years
after.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 447
from the place of encounter, and then I concluded
that it was best to estimate damages. I soon found, to
say the least, that I was not presentable, and that I
had suffered no severe personal injury, although I did
find a large patch of bare skin where I wished it was
not, and three deep scratches on my person. A large
and quite important portion of my trousers was en
tirely absent, and I went immediately to the nearest
habitation that I knew of. The only garment I could
procure that would cover the seat of greatest damage
was that old cloak, which I put on, heartily thanking
the lender of the same for his kindness. I laughed
much on my way home when I thought of the ridi
culous figure that old bear had transmographied me
into, and all the way back I busied my mind in trying
to remember what I had read of the mendicant orders
in the ages long agone. I concluded I was a worthy
brother in habit if not at heart, The garment was
patched with a sufficient number of colors, but too
long I concluded to make of me a Joseph; it had the
orthodox length, but too many colors to make me pass
well for a Scotch friar. Doctor, I prefer you say nothing
to my friends here about my tilt with the bear, and es
pecially about the spoiling of my clothing, for I am a
thorough Scotchman. I enjoy a good, hearty laugh
if not at my own expense; it is not agreeable to be
laughed at, you know."
Mr. Falconer returned to New York in the winter
of 1818 and came back with his family in 1819 and
settled in Sugar Grove, Pa. He was at that time con
sidered the most wealthy man in this section of the
country. He loaned considerable money and was
very active in laying out roads and in aiding in the
settlement of the country. In 1829 he removed to

448 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Warren, Pa., and soon after became interested in the
Lumberman's Bank, of which he was made the Pres
ident. Through the rascality of those who were sup
posed to be its friends and supporters the bank was
broken. Mr. Falconer in attempts to save it, lost
largely in wealth, and his health was permanently im
paired. He returned to Sugar Grove in 1840 a mental
ruin, where he died in 1853.
Col. Nathaniel Fenton was born in New England
in 1763. He joined the Revolutionary army when
but a boy, and was an important, bold, brave and
trusty scout before he was 18. Among Arnold's early
efforts in painting was the representation of Fenton
on horseback shooting a British officer who was pur
suing him, both at full speed. Col. Fenton after the
war settled in Otsego county. His wife was Rachel
Fletcher, who bore him five children. Ovilla, the
eldest daughter, married William Smith. They were
early settlers in the town of Ellery. Fannie became
the wife of Horace Allen, and they were among the
earliest settlers of Ellicott, Elsie became the wife of
Cyrus Coe, and they also became early settlers of that
part of Ellicott now included in the town of Po
land. Richard Fletcher Fenton, whose first wife
was the eldest daughter of William Tew and a sister
of Wm. H. Tew, were among the early settlers of
Jamestown. R. F. Fenton was an active business man
and intimately connected with the early history of the
country. He married for a second wife a sister of the
wife of the late Henry Barrett and afterwards of the
late Smith Seymourr. The second Mrs. Fenton died
a few years ago; her children reside in the old home
stead opposite the Union school, and which was built
by Mr. Fenton over 60 years ago.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT.- 449'
Fluvanna, — or Fluvia — the youngest child of Col-
Fenton, became the wife of Sumner Allen. They be
came residents on lot 58 in that part of Ellicott now in
cluded in the town of Poland. Allen was an important
man in that portion of the town, and for several years
he was the supervisor when set off as the town of Po
land. Fluvia Allen died over forty years ago. Sum
ner survived many years and married again, but died
several years ago. The eldest daughter of Sumner and
Fluvia Allen became the wife of Flint Blanchard and
the mother of our present Dr. Blanchard of James
town. A younger daughter (Delia) became the wife
of Thomas A. Shaw. The two sons of Sumner Allen
several years ago emigrated to the west.
Elias Tracy, Sen., was one of the earliest comers
in this part of the town. He settled on lot 49, and we
think died there many years ago. He was excessively
fond of hunting, so much so that he was frequently
called the old hunter, and we remember, when game
was beginning to thin out somewhat in this section, he
made a journey to Arkansaw, then in the Indian Ter
ritory, to follow his favorite amusement. He was a
man of a quick, fiery temper, undoubted integrity,, of a
kind and affectionate disposition, and eccentric in
dress and habits. " He did hate a mean, woman beat
ing, drunken, lazy, lous}^ man, was than rattlesnakes
like pi sin;' and such men would pisin a rattlesnake-
any day. Such men should always live, in Ireland."
The above sentence, with its hates and misplaced likes
will be understood by a few ; it is here recorded for
th em only. Many anecdotes were in early days told
of Tracyvand his mule, but they are not adapted to the
present day. Mr. Tracy was a man of sterling worth
and was highly respected. He had a large family. We

450 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
have the impression the sons are all dead. Col. Elias
Tracy, one of his sons, died at Falconer several years
ago. The wife of Wm. H. Fenton, Esq., was a daugh
ter of Elias Tracy, Sen., and is still living. Of the
3d and 4th generations there are many now living
within the boundaries of the old town o^ Ellicott.

We have doubtless omitted to mention a number
of the first settlers of the town of Ellicott who should
have been mentioned in a work purporting to be a his
tory of the town. We have not claimed to write a com
plete history — we do not believe there are historic
memorandums extant from which such a history could
be compiled. This volume is largely the writer's own
recollections, strengthened by memorandums made at
the time by himself or his father. Those happenings
before his remembrance and before he was born, have
been compiled from memorandums and history of oc
currences and events written by Dr. Hazeltine, and
found among his papers when they came into our hands
after his death.
We might have made this history more perfect
had we been able to get from home and visit certain
families with whom our acquaintance is slight, and
whom we seldom see. A few persons and families have
been quite out of our memory, and from time to time
during thepast six months we have picked them up and
placed them in their proper places. Some, possibly,
we have after all failed to bring to our remembrance — ¦
but not intentionally. A few persons, either by failing
to furnish us with the proper data, or by the plain,
outspoken request that we would not mention them by
act or by name in anything we might write, we have
tried to accommodate; in fact, there are but two per-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 451
sons who have made this request who would have been
mentioned had we been so inclined, and they are of
the smallest importance possible so far as the early his
tory of the town is concerned, their fathers coming in
as late as 1834. The types have made several errors
we have attempted to correct — probably many remain
which we have overlooked. We have been obliged to
be our own proof reader, and have not had sufficient
practice to be perfect.
Mr. Fred P. Hall took it upon himself to correct
the press on dates. He assures us that he has personally
compared the dates with the original copy and he be
lieves them to be correct,
At one time it was our intention to add to our His
tory a chapter on the early settlers of Busti, of which
but a small part ever belonged to the town of Ellicott.
With this in view we had collected considerable mat
ter, in addition to the facts previously in our posses
sion. When we came to put the facts we had collected
in order for publication, we found that we must aban
don the design. Our early history of the Franks alone,
and which is as interesting and more romantic than
romance itself, would require from fifty to a hundred
pages, and a tolerable history of Busti would require
nearly the number of pages found in this volume. We
exceedingly regret our inability to carry out our orig
inal intention, for in our own estimation the history of
Busti is fully equal in interest to Ellicott, but if it is
ever written it must be in a volume exclusively de
voted to it. We would be pleased to be authorized to
attempt tbe work.
As the conclusion of our work draws near, we have
carefully reviewed what we have written, and we con
fess to a feeling of satisfaction. Not a line has been

452 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
written under the impulse of ill feeling. If we had an
inclination so to do, we have had watchful guardians
over us who would have instantly suppressed such
expressions. So far as the facts of this book are taken
from memorandums written by our father years ago
and at the time of their occurrence, there is no one
who ever knew Laban Hazeltine who doubts their
truthfulness. So far as they depend on our own mem
ory we believe we have given a fair version of the occur
rences. In this we are supported by other eye wit
nesses still living.
Our object has been to show to those who come
after us what noble men our fathers were, the labor
they had to perform, the trials they had to endure.
There was little they did that was not praiseworthy,
and that little we have strove to drop out of sight.
And the few things that we mention in this volume as
not praiseworthy were not the acts of bad men, but
were the acts of the best and most praiseworthy of
Ellicott's early citizens. The worst, that can be said of
them is — they were mistaken.

CHAPTER XVI.

Chautauqua County Bank — Robert Newland, the
Jamestown Banker — The Museum Society and
Fourth of July, 1860 — William Broadhead —
Lake View Cemetery.

THE CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY BANK.
But one of Jamestown's banks dates back into the
times reviewed in these pages. The Chautauqua Co.
Bank received its charter in 1831, and belonged to
what was then known as the safety fund system,which
was peculiar to New York, and was considered the
safest system then in vogue. There was a great vari
ation in the value of bank bills up to the establish
ment of the National banking system.
The first break made upon Judge Prendergast's
yard, described in Chapter IV, was a strip on the
north side, the width of L. L. Mason's store and the
store below it, for Alvin Plumb's store and store house.
The object in selling was to hide from view the barn
yard of the Ballard tavern. To accomplish this Plumb
contracted to build a long store house reaching from
his store to what is now Mechanics alley. The Second
break was a strip on the south side of his lot next to

454 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Second street, to accommodate the new bank. It was
represented to him that the best and most appropriate
place for it was on the corner of Main and Second
streets. At the urgent request of Barrett, Baker and
Plumb, who supposed those who had the bank in charge
would place the building on the corner, he finally sold
for a nominal sum the strip of land on the south side of
his house to the bank. The north line of what is now
known as Sharpe's store was the north line of the lot
sold, and was within two feet of the windows on the
south side of James Prendergast's house, and which sup
plied it with the larger portion of its light. To reward
him for this generosity, those who had the manage
ment of the bank in charge at that, time, erected a
one-story building close to and shutting out the light
from these windows. At that time Judge Prendergast
made the first threat, that he would sell his property
and leave Jamestown ; a town he had done so much
for, and which had done so little for him. "He could
not see why it was, a few persons hated him so pro
foundly ; he had given them no cause, on the con
trary had assisted them when their undertakings were
laudable ; it must be they wished him dead, surely
they were willing to shut the light of heaven from his
humble house, and he considered that a broad hint
for him to die or leave." "Isold them those lots for
less than half their value, expecting they would erect
a good building on the corner ; instead, they have put
up a concern that is a disgrace to the town, and so
placed it as to shut out at least three-quarters of the
light from my house. At my favorite window, where
I do my writing and read my newspaper I cannot see
to either read or write on the brightest, day." " I will
sell my propertj7- here at a, sacrifice, and leave. I have

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 455
lived here long enough, the last sixteen years have
been years of turmoil and trouble for me."
The Judge never forgot the injury, and probably
from that time on -was firmly resolved to sell his prop
erty and leave Jamestown.
The first cashier of the bank was Arad Joy, a gen
tleman of intelligence and high standing. He had a
large family and when he came it was his intention
and expectation to make it his future home. During
his residence here he occupied the house on Third
street which for several years past was the residence
of Joel Hoyt, and was lately moved back to make room
for Peter Hoyt's fine row of residences. He also bought
of Judge Prendergast nine acres of land now known
as Fairmount, on which he expected to erect his
home. He became so disgusted with the management
and condition of things that in about six months he
resigned, and within a year of his coming left, shak
ing off the dust of the town from his shoes forever.
In the spring of 1832 Aaron D. Patchin of Albany
was induced to take the situation of cashier. He was
a man of energy and great force of character, and he
brought with him prompt business methods and
habits, and soon put the institution on that sound
financial basis and business condition which has ever
since attended it. After a residence of four years in
Jamestown, having received the appointment of
cashier of the State Bank at Albany, he removed to
that city and afterwards established the Patchin Bank
in Buffalo. His brother, Thaddeus W. Patchin of Troy
succeeded him as cashier of the Chautauqua Co. Bank.
Perhaps it is well to state that the year after Aaron D.
Patchin came to Jamestown (1833) it was decided to
enlarge their banking house and make a much needed

456 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
xesidence for the cashier. A substantial brick edifice
was erected on the corner of Main and Second streets,
built so as to include the old office, which was in use
¦during the whole time in which they were erecting
the new building. This substantial structure, one of
the landmarks, was totally destroyed in the great con
flagration of January, 1861.

ROBERT NEWLAND.

Robert Newland, of noble Scotch parentage — for
in addition to noble blood he has the hair and com
plexion of the ancient Caledonian — came from his
paternal home in Albany in 1834, to occupy the post
of teller in this bank, and he has been connected with
it ever since. For many years he was its cashier, and
for many years he has been and is now its President,
The Newlands appear to take easy and naturally to
banking, for one of this Scotch clan, Abraham New-
land, has for many years been the head ofa rich and
noted banking house in London.
In 1846 Robert Newland married Evelyn, the
youngest daughter of Dr. Patchin of Troy, and sister
of A. D. and T. W. Patchin, the previous cashiers of
the bank. They had two children; the eldest, a
son,died in infancy; the daughter is the wife of
Daniel H. Post, Robert, Newland is in every sense a
citizen of Jamestown. He is intimately connected with
all of its interests, and has always been active in all
undertakings to promote its welfare. He has forbid
our speaking of him in the laudatory manner we had

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 457
intended, (and we cannot speak otherwise and tell the
truth) which the citizens of Jamestown will expect,
but we yield to his wishes and pass him by with very
few words. He came here a young man, he now quiet
ly takes his seat with the aged. For nearly 53 years
he has been connected with the Chautauqua County
Bank. For that length of time he has quietly and
thoroughly, and with the greatest satisfaction to every
one interested, done the business alloted to him to do.
He has seldom been away from Jamestown, and then
for a short time. He is most thoroughly acquainted
with the town and the surrounding country, with all
of its wants and its needs. There is not a man in the
country, however lowly his occupation, with whom he
is not in sympathy, provided he attends to his busi
ness and is industrious. Temperate and industrious
himself, he believes it the duty of every man to be
temperate and industrious. He has always been plain
in his attire, unostentatious in his intercourse with bus
iness men, retiring in manner to seeming timidity, he
is nevertheless firm in his convictions and unswerv
ing from his sense of duty and of right. Envy, hatred,
malice and all uncharitableness never found a resting
place in his heart, There never has been any room
there for any but the noblest feelings, and the most
ennobling traits of human nature.
Robert Newland is not only noted in Jamestown
for his unswerving integrity, his laborious habits and
close attention to business — and as being on all occa
sions and circumstances, the business man's true
helper and friend — but above all, has always been one
of that noble few, noted for reaching out the helping
hand to the poor, the needy and the unfortunate. We
say this with diffidence, for he is most signally, one of

458 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
those men who believes in, and practices the doctrine,
"Let not your left hand know what your right hand
doeth," and he has warned us not to speak of his pri
vate affairs or in words of eulogy ; holding as he does,
firmly the opinion that " No man should be praised
for his integrity, for diligence in business, for doing
right, and helping those who need help ; if a man
does not these things he is a disgrace to society, and
if he does them he merely does what is the duty of
every man to do, and should not be praised therefor."
Knowing that this is his opinion, nevertheless, we are
determined to say, for it is true, no man has lived in
Jamestown for 53 years whose charities equal those of
Robert Newland, or who is so deeply beloved by every
class of its citizens. There is no laudation in our say
ing there is no man who excels him in the warmth of
his affections, in conscientiousness, in generosity, in
his devotion to truth, and to the highest interests of
the town of which for more than half a century he
has been a citizen. No man has evinced higher or
more correct powers of judgment, greater financial
ability, or more good traits of head and heart, which
every man loves and praises, even if he lacks the abil
ity, or that something more than integrity, to follow.
The memory of such men never perish from the
face of the earth ; their names may not be enrolled
on the scroll of the world's great and most noted
ones, although they are the nation's true, but more
humble advancers in enlightenment and Christianity.
They are the moulders and makers of the higher com
munities, which in their aggregate make the nations.
Their names will have a far more glorious and ever
lasting enrollment on the tablets of another world.
The lives and deeds of such men ameliorate the con-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 459
dition of man centuries after they have passed away,
and their names are forgotten on earth forever, but
they are remembered in that world in which good
deeds and noble lives are rewarded.

The Museum Society and the Fourth of July,
1860 — A Sketch for the Children
of the Present.
From the year 1855 to 1860 there existed in
Jamestown a society called the Museum Society, com
posed of Masters and Misses between the ages of ten
and fifteen, some twenty in number, and mostly child
ren from the primary department of Jamestown Acad-
eny. W"e will not write how this society originated,
merely remarking that it was a very successful under
taking, and useful to the children engaged in it.
Many of those bright, happy children as they
passed along the path of life, dropped by the wayside,
and marble slabs and columns in our cemeteries have
been reared to their memory — others have found homes
far distant from the town that gave them birth, and
the scenes of their youthful pleasures — a few only re
main as citizens of Jamestown, and at the present
moment we can bring to mind only three- — -Daniel H.
Post, Edward F. Dickinson, and Mary Fletcher.
Those who aided the children in the formation of
their society have all passed away from earth but one
— perhaps we should say two, for Eliza Kent, then a
teacher in Jamestown Academy, was interested in the
children's welfare, and occasionally met with them and
aided in their exercises.
When it was fully understood that we would com-

460 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
pile this volume, there came to us from all parts of
the country, " Remember the Museum Society in your
history;" and now as we are drawing it to a close,
from all directions come letters, as if by conspiracy,
saying, " You must not forget the Museum Society."
Among them is a lengthy communication from
Dwight Dickinson, Surgeon in the United States
Navy, which we have determined to give in this con
nection. We send it to the press as we received it. If
it affects the remaining members of the Museum So
ciety as it has us, it will prove far superior to anything
we could write upon the subject, and our space will
not admit of more. Surgeon Dickinson is attached to
the U. S. ship Portsmouth, and is now on duty, we
believe, in the West Indies.
One of the most pleasant — one of the saddest —
one of the sweetest- — one of the most bitter excursions
a human being advanced in life can make, is to go
back with his memory and review these scenes of the
past, which now seem all of life that has been worth
the living. We cannot believe that these are our re
flections only; are they not common to the human
race ? As we approach the bourne from which there
is no return, — when life as it were has been lived, and
as we wait for the great last change which closes this
drama of being, are not these sweet, sad memories given
us to loose our hold on this world of sunshine and
flowers, in which we have quaffed the sweetest
draughts, but find in the dregs, bitterness. Are not
these, preparations for the near at hand rest, and per
chance life, — in the which all of these sweet joys which
memory pictures, shall be repeated, and enjoyed, not
for a time, but forever.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 461
SURGEON DWIGHT DICKINSON'S LETTER.
U. S. S. Portsmouth.
My Dear Doctor : — I am sure that tbe articles
on the early history of Ellicott, written b}' yourself,
which have appeared from time 1o time in the James
town Journal, have been read with great interest, not
only by the present residents of the town, but by all
those whom fortune has driven from their native
place. It is pleasant to think that the sites of old build
ings and the deeds of our fathers, the pioneers, are be
ing suitably recorded, and I hope these records will
appear again in a less perishable form than in the col
umns of the daily newspaper.
Permit me to request that a chapter be devoted to
some of those old settlers who took great interest in the
youth of the town, in their education and in their
sports. Among such you must take a foremost place.
I remember well the dialogues you used to write for us
children to speak in the Jamestown Academy; the
class in botany that you organized; the lectures on
physiology, and the instruction in chemistry; and that
during the latter, your eldest son received evidence of
an experiment which he bears to this day.*
In promoting our sports you were active and ener
getic. Your residence and grounds occupied the whole
square between Third and Fourth, Washington and
Lafayette streets. The large, two-story building had
an extension of sheds and barns stretching at right
angles to Washington street. In one of the rooms in
* The accident referred to is this: In illustrating the pressure
of the atmosphere we took a wine glass, lit a piece of paper dipped
In alcohol, and clapped it on my son Cnarles' left cheek. The boy
dodged and brought the burning paper on the cheek. The result
was a scar which is slightly visible to he present day.

462 THE EARLY history of
this extension, a society of children, none over fifteen
years of age, met weekly, after the early closing of
school on Friday afternoons. The idea of the society
was derived, I think, from the series of Rollo books
published by Abbot, and the particular one called Rol-
lo's Museum. You freely gave us the use of the room, and the
large lawn adjoining for a play ground. Your kind
and gentle wife, Mrs. Eliza Hazeltine, always had cakes
and cookies ready for the appetite that attends
children's play, for games were indulged in, after the
regular exercises of the society.
Our society had regular officers, president, vice-
president, secretary, constitution and by-laws, which
you helped us to frame. At every meeting an original
composition was read by some member previously des
ignated by the president, No one could escape, though
some of the girls begged for a reprieve. Weekly, also,
each member was required to bring some mineral,
wood, shell, some article of curiosity, in short, which
was carefully preserved and exhibited in our room.
Somewhere there must be several boxes of those child
ish relics now.
The height of our importance was reached, how
ever, July 4, 1860, when, as man}- of the older resi
dents had gone to Randolph to assist in the ceremo
nies attendant on the completion of the Atlantic ct
Great Western Railway to that town, we were permit
ted to take entire charge of Jamestown's celebration of
the National holiday.
Never were boys and girls prouder or more exalt
ed, and we scarcely realized that our keen enjoyment
was almost entirely the result of your wife's and your

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 463
own untiring labors. Nearing middle age as we are
now, that fact stands out prominently to us.
We assembled in the old Academy grounds, corner
of Fourth and Spring — many in costume, the girls
wearing crowns to designate the states, Kittie Hazel
tine being Goddess of Liberty, while Will Fuller was ar-
raj'ed as Brother Jonathan; " Old 76 " represented by
Charlie Hazeltine. Promptly at 1 p. m. we marched
under guidance of Robert Hazeltine, as Marshal, and
George Harrington, Assistant Marshal. We were pre
ceded by the Lowry Light Guards, a military organ
ization of the town, many of whom were soon to make
undying names for themselves, under command of
the heroic Captain, James M. Brown.
From the Academy we proceeded to your grounds
and there, under the shade of the lofty trees, we ar
ranged ourselves on a platform erected by the boys,
and decorated with flags. The parents and friends,
with a large audience, gathered around, while an order
of exercise was faithfully carried out. The president,
Ed. C. Burns, introduced the Reverend T. H. Rouse,
wiio made a prayer. Then the Declaration of Inde
pendence was read, after which an oration was deliv
ered by Charles Hazeltine, and Will Pier made a patri
otic speech. My part consisted in reciting a poem,
something about Uncle Sam, who had never a wife,
but daughters thirty-three. The number is now in
creased to thirty-eight, I believe.
A long arbor capable of seating nearly a hundred
and fifty had been constructed by your direction, and
after the regular order of speeches, etc. was over, we
boys each selected a young lady and inarched to the
table. I was honored by the hand of Miss Kittie Ha
zeltine. The bountiful repast had been purchased by

464 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
yourself and mainly cooked under your wife's superin
tendence, and we children were waited on by the older
young ladies of the town, tastefully dressed in national
colors. I can recall Miss Eliza Kent, Miss Mary Mar
vin, and Miss Florence Allen among the number.
No dinner could be complete without toasts, and
the regular ones were from your pen. Let me give
them, as printed in the Democrat of that time :
To the memory of the boy who could not tell a
lie — George Washington.
To the memory of the laziest boy, and the greatest
orator of the Revolution — Patrick Henry.
Young America — That's ourselves. The present
and future governors of the United States, Canada,
Mexico, Cuba, Africa and Japan.
Our Parents — Fossils — rendered obscure by the
luxuriant growth of Young American moss which sur
rounds them.
The 4th of July- — May it continue to be celebrated
by American Boys and Girls, as long as a Chinaman
remains in the world to make fire-crackers, and until
that time shall come when turpentine will not blaze,
nor gunpowder make a noise.
Brother Jonathan — Known all over the world and
everywhere else as the Governor of America from 1776
to 1860. If any inquire as to his genius, his muscle
or courage, we have the pleasure of referring them to
Mr. John Bull for further information.
The following were volunteer toasts :
By Master Willie Pier— The Lowry Light Guards
— They shall be Captains and Colonels when we are
in the Cabinet.
How quickly thereafter the first portion of this
toast proved true !

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 465
By Master Pickney Marvin — Dr. and Mrs. Hazel
tine — The friends of Young America. May the day
soon come when we shall be able to return their many
acts of kindness, and their self-sacrificing devotedness
to our happiness.
By Master Fred Hawley — The Museum Society —
Composed of priceless gems and peai Is,
Of manly boys and lovely girls.
With modest pride we claim to be
Fair types of Young America.
By Master Charlie Hazeltine — Our Country. May
it ever extend from ocean to ocean, and reach from
the ice bound north to the orange groves of the south.
By Master Robert, Hazeltine — Our Commissary
Committee — Our elder sisters. We love them, and we
think our elder brothers do too.
By Master Eddy Dickinson — The Banner of the
Republic, —
May our path of duty be straight as its bars,
And shine forth in beauty as bright as its stars.
Our appetites, not small by any means, having
been fully satisfied, the Lowry Light Guards and
friends who had waited upon us sat down. These
again were succeeded by poor boys and girls who had
not been expected. Such was your kindness and hos
pitality. The afternoon was spent in games, and in the
evening a fine display of fireworks (your own munifi
cent gift) under the management of Mr. Westcott, was
given. Such, in brief, are the recollections ofa happy day
of childhood. Many of the participants have passed
away, but all those living still feel indebted to you,
my dear Doctor, for this and many other pleasures.

466 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Hoping that your life may be long spared, I re
main, your sincere friend, Dwight Dickinson,
Surgeon U. S. N.
That pleasant occasion was 26 years ago — and
Time within that short period has completely changed
everything here. The town, its inhabitants, the pur
suits, everything is completely and most thor
oughly changed. True, a few of those inhab
itants of 26 years ago still walk our streets,
but even they must be included in this great
change — they are not the same men and women in
appearance, in pursuits, in desires, in thoughts
or in feelings — and those children of the Mu
seum Society, more of them are with the
dead than with the living. We cannot, give
a list of those children, those living or of those
dead, but we at this moment have painfully in mind
one of the queens of that day, and the May Day queen
in the pageant held on our grounds the previous Ma}'
Day. So beautiful, so full of robust life and health,
the chief bjooming, fascinating little minx of them
all- — the pride of the Museum Society, beloved by all
who knew her, none ever nearer the soul of parents,
of brothers, sisters and friends. The beautiful earthly
casket which contained that bright soul, lies not far
distant from another beautiful earthly casket in which
once lived our own beloved little Kitty; the lovely be
ing we have sketched above was Belle Marvin.
And where are those who labored so hard on that
Independence day and for a week previous — we
should have written for years previous, that these
children might be good and happy? Gone, all gone.
Thus if is, our most pleasing retrospections are ruin-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 467
gled with feelings of deepest sorrow. Grief and bitter
ness cloud and mar our most happy retrospect.

WILLIAM BROADHEAD.

When speaking of our early blacksmiths and
other tradesmen of early days we were at a loss whether
to rank this great man of business with the past or
the present, He is to-day with his sons, Sheldon and
Almet Broadhead, owner of the most, extensive manu
facturing establishment of our city, if not of Western
New York; nevertheless, he was one of Jamestown's
early day workers and must not be omitted, because he
and his sons, (born in Jamestown) are owners and op
erators of an establishment built but a few years ago.
We heard the ring of the anvil, struck by William
Broadhead's hammer as it resounded through our
humble streets, forty-five years ago. He pounded
iron in Gen. Harvey's old shop, and at the same time
the anvil music played by Lyman Crane might, be
heard coining from another old shop three square's
away. We shall not pass by such men by any man
ner of means.
William Broadhead was born at Thornton Heights
in England in 1819, and Victoria, Queen of England,
was born at Kensington Gardens the same year. To
this coincidence we are inclined to attribute a por
tion of Mr. Broadhead's royal good fortune. His father
was one of those sturdy specimens of the Yorkshire coun
try who could not have been of the Barebones school

468 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
of Nonconformists, for after the day's work over the an
vil was completed, he was accustomed to call his
children around him and lecture them upon the value
of good conduct, and impressed on their minds that no
one could succeed in any undertaking without indus
try and strict integrity. William Broadhead in his
youthful days labored at the loom, and learned the
art of weaving; afterwards he worked with his father
at the anvil. Having attained his majority, he con
cluded to leave " Old England's shores," and in the
" new world " seek the fortune he so much desired.
In 1842 we find him pounding iron in the shop of
Safford Eddy (the Harvey shop) in Jamestown. He
found plenty to do, for he was a master of his trade,
and one of those broad shouldered, thick muscled
specimens, indigenous to the English highlands, to
whom the heavy work of the smith would prove more
a pastime than a labor. He was diligent in his busi
ness, and appeared to accumulate this world's wealth,
while his neighbors engaged in the same business, and
equally laborious, found it difficult to realize more
than was sufficient for a livelihood, and some not that.
His associates seemed to think that William Broad
head must be a penurious sort of man, who gave noth
ing in charity and lived on what would starve a Yan
kee. They soon learned, however, that he was far the
most charitable -of their ilk in town, and that, he dined
at a table supplied with the best our markets offered.
It was certain, that in a remarkably short time he had
accumulated a fair little sum, while they remained
quite as'poor as when Broadhead first came to town.
One looking into the matter more closely, found that
what he and his companions spent for whiskey (and
they were temperate men) and other expenditures for

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 469
themselves and families, and which ministered neither
to their standing in society, or to their good, if saved,
would put into their pockets a considerable amount of
money; but this did not explain the whole difference,
and judging from transactions, with which he had
become acquainted, he was forced to the conclusion
that there was a financial ability in their English
competitor which he and his associates did not pos
sess. Whenever he purchased a piece of property as
an investment, if he did not absolutely lose, he seldom
made anything, whilst Broadhead always appeared to
be lucky — always gained something, and not unfre-
quently doubled his money.
With means thus accumulated by diligent work,
and by good judgment in buying and selling property
he after a few, years bought an interest in what was
then termed a Scythe Snath factory (see Chapter VI).
This industry was founded on the inventions of Sam
uel Garfield, and the first factory was operated by
him, and was at that time the most profitable business
in Jamestown. Under Mr. Broadhead's management
the business was more than doubled in the amount of
goods manufactured, the expenses lessened and the
profits increased. Twice his factory was a total loss to
him and his company by fire, and after several years
of hard but profitable labor he went out of the busi
ness little richer than when he entered it. But he had
established a standing with financial and monied
men which was the key of his future success. He had
gained for himself a name for strict integrity, great
financial ability, and undivided attention to business.
This of itself was a fortune, and he had the ability to
avail himself of it, when the time arrived and the
proper opportunity presented. For years afterwards

470 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
he confined himself to diligent labor and to operations
within his means.
Finally, his two sons having arrived at the age
of manhood, and showing a turn and ability for mer
chandising, he established a clothing store and took
the sons as partners. This establishment under the
management of the sons, grew into the ' largest estab
lishment of the kind in Jamestown or in this section
of the country.
In 1872 Mr. Broadhead, accompanied by his wife
and daughter, made a visit to his old home and many
remaining friends in England ; and to that visit our
present large, intelligent, and rapidly increasing Eng
lish population is to be attributed. Being a weaver in
his boyhood days, it was but natural that he should
visit the old and many new factories in the neighbor
hood of his old home, in which cloths of all kinds were
manufactured. During his visit to these factories, the
idea came into his mind that an establishment for the
manufacture of alpaca and other dress goods would be
a good thing for him to introduce into Jamestown.
After a thorough examination he concluded that an
Alpaca mill would be a profitable thing for Jamestown
as well as for Wm. Broadhead, and what would be
profitable to both must be accomplished. He returned
home with his mind filled with this grand enterprise.
His first move was to purchase the land on which the
Hall Alpaca mill now stands. Under his leadership.
buildings were speedily erected, and the manufactur
ing company of Hall, Broadhead & Turner formed.
Machinery was purchased in Bradford, England, and
Mr. Turner, one of the company, Appleyard and oth
ers, thoroughly schooled in all branches of the busi
ness, with a host of operatives emigrated, and took up

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 471
residence in Jamestown, and soon the new enter
prise was in successful operation. After a couple of
years Mr. Broadhead withdrew from this company, and
not long after, at the urgent request and counsel of
Mr. Appleyard, a man of education and thoroughly
conversant with all branches of the business, he pur
chased the site on which once stood Hazeltine & Fal
coner's Woolen Factory, and thereon erected a building
to accommodate fifty looms and the other necessary
machinery for the manufacture of worsted goods. The
company building and operating this second factory
is now, and has been from the commencement — Wil
liam Broadhead and his two sons, Sheldon and Almet
Broadhead. They have enlarged and continued to en
large their borders, until the Worsted mills of Wm.
Broadhead & Sons cover an acreage we dare not esti
mate, the last enormous building being six stories (or
more) in height. The first great addition was in 1878,
accommodating 272 looms and other necessary ma
chines. New buildings were added in 1880-82, and
the last enormous buildings were erected the past sea
son. Now 550 looms and all other machinery required
are in full operation and more soon to be added. The
two sons, who have been thoroughly bred to the busi
ness, are responsible for the right conduct of this es
tablishment. William has too'much building to at
tend to to be occupied with such business. He is now
finishing up a large brick building, containing three
large stores- — what else we are not informed — which
spans the outlet, Where and what he is to build the
coming season has not transpired. Such is a history
in brief of Jamestown's
VILLAGE BLACKSMITH.

472 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
THE EARLY BURIALS AT THE RAPIDS— THE
FIRST BURYING GROUNDS— CEMETERIES.

We stated in a former chapter that there were no
deaths in Jamestown until the fall of 1815. The first
person to die here was a relative of Judge Prendergast
named Elisha Wing; he died at the Judge's house in
November, 1815. Capt. Forbes and two or three oth
ers were requested to select a suitable place for the
burial. The hills to the west of the village, and be
tween the swamp and the present steamboat landing,
had been denuded of a large portion of the pine, and
a few acres, in various portions cleared and used as
potato patches, etc. At that time a spot somewhere in
this locality must be selected, for all others were in
the forest. No permanent location for burial purposes
could be made. On the top of the highest hill was a
clearing of about two acres, and this was the place se
lected for Wing's interment. The location was where
now is the crossing of Clinton and Fourth streets, and
here Wing was buried. The second death was nearly
two years afterwards, when a Mrs. Simmons hung her
self with a skein of yarn, and was also buried here.
The third person to die at the rapids was Austin Nel
son, the Schoolmaster, a relative of the Cheneys, who
died of fever at our father's house,and as no selection for
burying ground had been made, was buried here, late
in December, 1820. The fourth adult burial was a
young man by the name of Jones who died a few days
after Nelson of the same fever, and soon after a young
man name Willard Blanchar died of the fever, and
was the fifth and last adult buried at this locality; and
these were all the adult deaths in Jamestown between
its first settlement in 1811 and 1S23, a period of twelve

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 473
years. During that time eight infant children were
also buried there.
In 1823 new ground was selected, above Fifth street
and between Cherry and Washington streets. The
writer well remembers the first burial in that ground,
or what was so intended. It was a child of Aaron
Taylor, who lived in the log house at the Still. The
ground selected was in a thicket of second-growth
pines, extending from Main street to the boatlanding,
and south to the swamp, that is to Fourth street-
Many of the hard wood trees were also standing and a
few pines. This interment was made precisely where
Hoyt's house stands on the southwest corner of Fifth
and Cherry street. It was soon after ascertained that
the burial was not on the ground intended, but the
grave there remained until C. N. Butler built the house
in which Mr. Hoyt now resides.
The year previous to Judge Prendergast deeding
this lot for burial purposes to the Congregational
church, Sam'l A. Brown had strongly opposed its being
located on the other side of the outlet; for this reason,
this field was for a time called Sammy Brown's grave
yard. In 1844 this burial place was becoming crowded,
and the village bought the next square north, includ
ing the street, of Henry Baker, and added it as an ad
dition to the square which had been given by Judge
Prendergast, In 1858 the grounds were again becom
ing crowded, when the writer prepared and published
in the village papers a series of articles, with the inten
tion of showing that the burying ground was contam
inating our springs— that the grounds then in use
would be insufficient after two or three years — that in
truth no desirable locations at that time for burials
remained, and urged the immediate selection and pur-

474 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
chase of grounds for a cemetery. In July of that
year a meeting of the citizens was held at Shaw's Ho
tel at which the trustees of the village voted the sum
of $1,500 for a cemetery. , It was then urged that this
would not purchase a sufficient amount of ground.
The writer, who was Chairman of that meeting, had
previously had several conversations with Milton Ford
and Zalmon Hollister who owned the north portions
of the present cemetery, and had obtained their terms.
In order to purchase both pieces- — the Ford and the
Hollister — a Cemetery Association was formed accord
ing to statute. By joint vote of the Trustees of the
Village and the Association, Warner D. Shaw and S.
S. Cady were made a committe to meet the owners of
of the land and purchase the same as advantageously
as possible. A few days afterwards the land was pur
chased, officers were appointed, and the writer as Sec
retary and Superintendent went immediately to work,
clearing up the then exceedingly rough and uninvit
ing piece of ground, and laying out the land into a
cemetery. After getting thoroughly to work, Warner
D, Shaw and ourself made up our minds to bu}r the
ten acres adjoining on the south owned by Mr. Daw-
ley, and add the same to the association portion of the
cemetery, thus giving a street on three sides of it.
Prominent citizens approved and promised their sup
port and the means to make the purchase. A. F. Al
len, Henry Baker and Wm. H. Lowry promised that
they would together contribute $500 towards the Daw-
ley purchase. E. T. Foote of New Haven promised
$50, Warner D. Shaw and G. W. Hazeltine $50 each,
A. T. Prendergast gave us $50 as a donation. Not one
cent promised by Allen, Baker, Lowry and Foote was
ever paid. With the exception of $150 paid by Shaw,

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 475
Hazeltine and Prendergast, the Dawley purchase was
paid for out of the sale of lots.

On October 5, 1859, Lake View Cemetery was ded
icated with appropriate ceremonies, a large assembly
of citizens being present.*
Our object in mentioning Burials in this volume
is this. We believe Lake View Cemetery the most
tastefully laid out cemetery of its size we have ever
seen. We worked faithfully over it for several years.
The plan of that cemetery with all of its beauties and
all of its faults is our own and no one's else We are
proud of it, and if justice is done the credit will be to
our small account of good deeds accomplished here.
We claim it as our due and as our right, and here pub
lish and record our claim. Justitia mrtutem regina.

*Those desiring further information we refer to a small volume-
of 100 pages preparfd by us, and ent.tled Lake View Cemetery, pub
lished in 1860. By referring to the Secretary's report of the proceed
ings of the first Cemetery meeting it will be seen that the motion to
call the grounds Lake View Cemetery was made by G. W. Hazeltine.
In the volume above mentioned, the credit, if any, is given to an
other. "When the manuscript was in the hands of the printer, a per
son, not present at the meeting, ordered the change. Why, was not
stated.

CHAPTER XVII.

Semi-Centennial of the Chautauqua County Ag
ricultural Society — Dedication of the Log
House on Marvin Park.

On the 1st of September, 1886, the semi-centennial
meeting of the Chautauqua County Agricultural So
ciety was held on Marvin Park, and a log house erect
ed by the old citizens of Jamestown and vicinity, as
a memorial to their fathers — the pioneer settlers of
Chautauqua County, was dedicated by appropriate ser
vices. So many interesting happenings, all at the same
time, and all connected with or having reference to
the first settlement of the county, should not be passed
by with no reference to them in, this volume. The
event awakened in us many early recollections ; some
recorded at the time, others we now place on record.
At an early day the largest and most densely in
habited of all the swamps bordering on the outlet was
called the " Big Fly," and extended on both sides of
the stream from the lake to the rapids, and with a few

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 477
short breaks to the Conewango. It was filled with all
kinds of wild beasts, habitats of the country. They
doubtless considered it a secure and pleasant locality
in which to live. It was covered by a heavy growth
of large trees, was the especial home of wild animals ;
and prominently of the bear and the wild cat (lynx).
The most blood-curdling stories of "painters" (panthers)
used to be told in those early days. Many had fre
quently seen them, or imagined they had seen them.
They were of enormous size — as large as a dozen ordi
nary panthers ought to be. Some had frequently
heard them crying like a child — trying, they said, to
coax children down into the Fly, and if any should
thoughtlessly be induced to go the painters would de
vour them. During the early settlement of tbe coun
try a few panthers were killed in this neighborhood,
two we remember in the Fly, and two on Moon brook;
we also remember that old hunters,those who came in as
hunters, and not as settlers, used to say the}' expected
to find man}' panthers here, but were dissappointed,
that there were very few of them in this wilderness.
Doubtless these nursery tales about painters were in
vented and told to their children by early settlers to
keep them from wandering too far from home and
into dangerous places, for bears were plenty, and we
believe far more dangerous than the panther. They
were continually snooping about the clearings, and
made it an especial business to examine every farm
er's pig pen and tip over his beehives. The few pan
thers kept aloof from human habitations and concealed
themselves in deep recesses of the forest ; nevertheless
we could write a chapter of thrilling adventures that
occurred in or near the " Big Fly," in early days, but
space forbids. We have already been admonished

478 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
that a sufficient number of pages have been given up
to bear stories.
Twenty-five or thirty years ago Judge Marvin
purchased a large tract in this swamp which is now
included within the boundaries of our city. Ever
since he made the purchase of this almost valueless
land as then considered, which it was necessary to
fence to keep cows out of instead of keeping them in,
the Judge has been yearlj' detected busily engaged in
farming thereon, and finally there were whisperings
among his neighbors that they feared the Judge was
becoming a little daft. We would not dare to esti
mate the miles of ditches he caused to be built in that
swamp — many of them costly and covered up, under-
drains we believe they are called. Year after year it
has been observed that the cows could feed nearer and
near the outlet, and that tlie Judge's potato patches
were in close pursuit of the cows. The Judge finally
bought some large hills, very sniall mountains, in the
neighborhood, and for many years, during the sum
mer time a score, or more of men might be seen scoop
ing away at these bills, and a line of wagons convey
ing the gravel to tlie swamp. In the meantime the
Judge was growing older, and the wisperings of his
friends about, daftness became audible and unmistak
able. The hills slowly hul surely disappeared, and in
useless localities valuable building lots commenced to
appear. Miles of thoroughly built, high, close board
rence were built, enclosing about one hundred acres of
this swamp. The purest and best of spring water was
brought by underground p p-s from the surrounding
hills, and is now Mowing n and out of appropriate
troughs in all parts of the. ground, which litis been by
the ditches and gravel remli nil as dry and firm as any

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 479
of the surrounding hill lands. Permanent,
well roofed sheds covering a mile or more
in extent, for cattle and horses, to which another
mile is to be added in the near future, have been built.
One of the finest tracks for the speeding of horses and
the exhibition of cattle is now building ; a hamlet of
substantial, fine-appearing buildings — we can give but
few names — Floral Hall, Dairy Hall, Mechanic's Hall,
Machinery Hall, Dining Hall, Offices, etc., etc. etc. —
have already been built, and to cap all a substantial
log house was erected last summer (1886) to which a log
school house and other buildings of logs, patterned
after the log buildings of the early days, are to be
added, Col. Winsor, the projector informs us, if re
quired for certain purposes. These magnificent
grounds, this wonderful erection,is the Tamarac swamp
of forty years ago, the great or " Big Fly" when James
town was the Rapids, and to-day Marvin Park, a crea
tion of which we are, and well may be proud. Mrs.
Grundy is most profoundly silent, not even the faint
est whisper is heard — the Judge is not daft.
During the summer of 1886 a log house was
erected by Col. S. B. Winsor, aided by the old citizens
of Jamestown and the neighboring country, in com
memoration of the early settlers of Chautauqua County.
On September 1st it was dedicated. The ladies of the
town prepared a dinner in honor of Judge Marvin and
the Old Settlersjo which all of that class on the grounds
were invited. Dr. G. W. Hazeltine had been requested
to make a dedicatory address, to be followed by Judge
Marvin, who was to remember the founder of James
town, and thank the Ladies for the sumptuous dinner
they were expected to prepare, and in which no one

480 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
was disappointed. The whole affair passed off in a
manner agreeable to all concerned.
The occasion was the Semi-Centennial Anniver
sary of the Chautauqua County Agricultural Society,
and as we have stated the log house was erected as a
memorial of the early settlers of the county. A pam
phlet giving an account of the erection of the log
house and containing an accurate picture of it, the
dinner, by whom gotten up, and the names of the old
people who partook, and the dedicatory speeches given
in full, of which a thousand copies were printed and
circulated, especially among young people, asking
them to preserve the pamphlet, and to be present at
the Centennial Fair to be. held on Marvin Park in
1936. Doubtless a few children who were present last
September will be present on that occasion — then old
people — with that little pamphlet, on Marvin Park in
1936. How encouraging the thought that we, although
not there to see, will be remembered even for fifty-
years. But we have some misgivings. Will they not
wander about enquiring, Who was Judge R. P. Marvin?
Who was  but we stop, but such is fame.
We give the following extracts from the speeches
on that occasion :
FROM DR. HAZELTINE'S ADDRESS.
* ¦* * * *
Engaged as I have been for some months past in
writing up the history of the town of Ellicott and the
more prominent of its earl}' settlers ; of fathers and
mothers who lived in houses built of logs, of which the
one before us is an excellent pattern, I have been led
to reflect upon the immense labor they performed, and
when I consider the hardships and privations they
endured, and the care they took to establish within

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 481
their borders the church, the school house, and the
printing press, that you might live in elegant ease on
farms of unsurpassed beauty, enjoying all these Christ
ian privileges, all of these educational advantages, all
of these great sources of enlightenment, of power, of
wealth, and of happiness; when I reflect upon all this,
they become in my imagination, the most noble,
praiseworthy people of which any country can boast.
* # * -x- *
A few days ago I was permitted to view a rude
picture of a small log cabin and its surroundings, set
in a small notch in the forest. The young friend who
exhibited it to me, said it was taken by her grand
mother in the winter of 1815, and remarked that her
grandfather came into the country from Vermont in
the spring of 1814, and drove a team for some neigh
bors who were emigrating to Chautauqua ; that soon
after his arrival he bought the article for 200 acres of
land, and set to work and slashed and partly cleared a
couple of acres, and built a small log cabin. "He hired
the span of horses he drove into the country for three ,
months, and when the time expired one of the owner's
sons came six miles through the woods and helped
him three days to get his cabin up,thentook the horses
home. After sowing some mustard and other seeds,
and planting a bitter-sweet to be trained over the door
and window, and planting a few seeds,and flower bulbs
as Mary had directed him to do, he started for Ver
mont, walking nearly the whole distance, catching an
occasional ride for a few miles. A short time after his
arrival home his father gave him a yoke of oxen he
had himself broke, and which he preferred to a span
of horses, and a new wagon with a good canvas cover,
and a small box of tools, but little else, as he did not

482 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
think it best to draw a heavy load on so long a jour
ney. On the 24th of September Mary's things were put
into the wagon and everything prepared for the jour
ney. At 5 o'clock the next morning John and Mary
(these were the names of my grandfather and grand
mother) were married. The bountiful wedding break
fast was eaten, mingled with many tears, although
nearly all the young folks present, afterwards found
their homes where they lived and died, in Chautau
qua. After breakfast was over, John's brother and
Mary's brother lifted her up and placed her in her seat
in the wagon. Mary's father said a short prayer and
kissed her good bye, and then went to John who was
leaning on the ox yoke and said, 'John, take good care
of yourself and Mary. You have my blessing. May
you be prospered and have God's blessing. It is now
time to start. Good bye.' John spoke to the oxen,
they moved out of the yard, and the long wedding
journey had commenced. We were given the whole
history of their long journey of over six hundred miles
to their home in the wilderness; that Mary, near
Utica bought two cows with calves old enough to stand
the journey, which she herself drove over 250 miles to
the new home." My informant added," Grandmother
did not have to drive much after the first, few davs,
they followed, and seemed troubled if the wagon for a
moment got, out of their sight." I might give you an
account of their whole journey, and of their first year
and more at their new home. Suffice it to say they
had hard labor and many trials to endure, but they
were prospered and conquered all difficulties. We
will add the comment of my young friend : "Yes, I
am descended from early settlers of this count}-, but I

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 483
do not wish to be any nearer to the first settlement of
a country than I am now. It would not suit me to be
married at 5 o'clock in the morning, get into a wagon
full of furniture, and ride after an ox team for six
weeks; live in a little log shanty with the wolves
howling all about, and live on johnny cake and pork
and deer's meet for five long years before I saw any of
my old friends. I wouldn't, do it for the best John in
Chautauqua County, even if I loved him as much as
my grandmother loved my dear old grandfather. At
least, I now think I would not. I cannot positively
say what might happen, but I am perfectly safe now in
saying, I would not."
This, my friends, is but a fair sample of our
fathers and mothers ; the picture is under drawn, not
over drawn. * * « * -x-
Duly considering these great labors and privations
of the early settlers, you, their descendants, should
have engaged the most silver-toned eloquent voice in
this whole country to speak to you to-day, and to ded
icate this log house to their memory. It is an humble
edifice, but in such they lived and died. If each of
those logs were gold from the mines of California — if
the roof thereof was silver from the deep bowels of the
Rocky mountains- — if its floors were covered with the
soft carpets of Wilton — or with rugs from Persian
looms — they would not half as well speak your affec
tionate remembrance, and the deep love you have, and
which I trust your children will have to the latest gen
eration, for your fathers and your mothers, who wrest
ed the beautiful farms on which you live from a howl
ing wilderness, and left them — with the cattle on a
thousand hills — to you a legacy.

484 THE EARLY HISTORY OF

The hardy Saxon who had planted himself on the
Atlantic border of this continent, claimed under na
ture's universal charter, the whole country to the Pa
cific coast as fast as be could send his sons to take
possession. These settlements grew and their popu
lation rapidly increased. The ancient oak and pine
fell before the stroke of the axe. We see them even
before the settlement of this county passing over the
Alleghany Mountains at the south of us, and up the
chain of the Great Lakes to the north of us, making
roads, building bridges, subduing the forests, and es
tablishing themselves on the border of the Lakes and
on both sides of the Ohio even to the Mississippi. The
wilderness is everywhere changed as if by magic into
a civilized country, smiling with plenty. Such are
the wonder working effects of industry, and our own
county emerges from its wilderness state but slightly
in advance of the planting of all the arts of industry
and civilization over the whole continent, from ocean
to ocean. *****
I desire, my friends, that you should fully realize
how rapidly this county has grown up. Within the
memory of living men, it has been reclaimed from a
wilderness^whose only inhabitants were Indians and
wild beasts. During that time, it has passed its in
fancy, the log cabin period, as well as that, of its early
manhood, your^own boyhood days, in which the last
land office payments were made, the stumps pulled,
fences made,fand good frame barns built and the first
frame houses of the more forehanded erected, and to
this has succeeded the period in which your own
beautiful farms and palatial dwellings begin to appear.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 485
*****
The hamlet of the Rapids has passed away.
Jamestown, the village of your fathers, to which you
were accustomed to come on horseback to mill, has
spread out into the Pearl City, immense factories have
supplanted the saw mills, and a hundred steam whis
tles summon thousands of busy operatives to their
daily labors, instead of Aunt Nancy Prendergast's
tin horn summoning the Judge and Alexander to din
ner. *****
It is only a little more than 70 years ago that the
town of Ellicott was set off from the town of Pomfret,
then including the present towns of Carroll, Poland,
Kiantone and a part of Busti. Where Jamestown now
stands there was not a single inhabitant, not a tree
had been cut or a log cabin erected. The location was
known in the north part of the county as the Rapids.
The wild deer then lapped the brackish water of which
he is so fond at the crossings of your principal streets.
Seventy years ago there were less than 150 inhabitants
in the whole town of Ellicott, as then organized, but
those settlers had come to stay, to live here and to die
here. Nine of those hardy pioneers of seven decades
ago, came together at my father's house, up to that
time the usual meeting place, and named their home,
the hamlet by the rapids,Jamestown,in honor of James
Prendergast, the noble, generous hearted founder of
this locality. The nine in their surroundings saw the
promise of a future village, and more than one in
fevered dreams had seen the spires and pinnacles of a
future city, towering heavenward on yonder hills.
Those few years only intervene between us and
our present environments, and the days when

486 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Through the deep wilderness where scarce the sun
Can cast his darts, along the winding path
The pioneer is treading. In his grasp
Shines his keen axe, that wondrous instrument
That like the fabled talisman, transforms
Deserts to fields and cities. He has left
The home in which his early years were passed,
And led by hope, and full of restless strength,
Has plunged within the forest, there to plant
His destiny. Beside some rapid stream
He rears his log walled cabin. When the chains
Of winter fetter Nature, and no sound
Disturbs the echoes of the dreary woods.
Save when some stem cracks sharply with the frost;
Then merrily rings his axe, and tree on tree
Crashes to earth ; and when the long keen night
Mantles the wilderness in solemn gloom,
He sits beside his ruddy hearth, and hears
The fierce wolf snarling at the cabin door,
Or through the lowly casement sees his eye
Gleam like a coal of Are. [Alfred Street.

Where we now stand was called the Fly, and was
the chosen home of the bear, the panther, and the lynx.
And what is it to-day! Marvin Park ; a proud name
which it will continue to wear as long as the city of
Jamestown continues to stand on yonder hills. Yet
in its infancy, Chautauqua is proud of it, and the name
it bears. Chautauqua county has as much reason to be
proud as any other county of the Empire state. Proud
of her early settlers and their beautiful daughters, the
women of to-day; — proud of her judges, and of her
learned men; — proud of her daily and weekly
newspapers; — proud of her schools ; — proud of her
manufactories; — proud of her working classes, in
whom there is taint of neither socialism or anar
chy; — proud of her farmers and mechanics; and proud
of yonder beautiful lake, which, God grant, may
forever bind her together, one county, one people.
Cursed be the man or set of men, who ever attempt to

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 487
divide Chautauqua county; to cut in twain old Jadau-
quah, the medicine waters of the ancient Senecas. Bet
ter for them that mill stones be fastened around their
accursed necks, and they cast into the "bottomless hole"
opposite to Long Point; — court house or no court house,
Chautauqua county first; — court house afterwards.
We are proud of Chautauqua lake, with the greatest
and most unique Educational Institution at one end
and the Pearl City and Marvin Park at the other, and
surrounded on all sides by the most beautiful land
scapes in the world. We have a right to be proud, and
who shall chide us for being proud.
5fr * # -3(f '}£
Where can you find a more beautiful and service
able piece of ground anywhere than will be this Mar
vin Park when completed? And we trust Judge Mar
vin and his son, Robert Marvin, will not fold their
harids until they have completed it according to their
original designs. Jamestown is proud of its environ
ments. And this county from Dunkirk on the north
to the "boot jack" on the south,is proud of Jamestown, a
few long-haired or bald-headed politicians to the con
trary. The people of this county are proud of Chautau
qua and all her belongings. And I now say to the ven
erable Judge that although it will be long before this
county forgets his legal learning and his statesmanship,
nevertheless, when the marble marking his resting
place in Lake View Cemetery on yonder hill shall have
crumbled into ruins, and his achievements at the bar,
on the bench, and in the counsels of the nation are
forever forgotten, Marvin Park will remain in name as
in reality, a blessing and a joy to this people, and a
monument unto himself forever.
Half a century ago the south part of this county

488 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
had not ceased to be a wilderness, and save the few
who lived near the saw mills where boards were
cheaper than logs, the inhabitants lived in log houses,
houses like unto this you have here erected. Our fath
ers wore coarse clothes made from cloth, wove by our
mothers on looms in log houses like this; our mothers!
the best, the handsomest, smartest, most energetic wo
men that ever lived.
Within that period we have developed from a
small village into a small city, and that development
has been healthy, strong and vigorous. What is to be
the future development ? Without claiming to be a
prophet, we answer, in the future, as in the past, our
course is to be onward, right onward, until you cele
brate on Marvin Park, by the side of this log house,
the centennial as you do to day the semi-centennial
of the organization of the Chautauqua County Agri
cultural Society, and hereon hold a Fair of the coun
ty's products. You cannot prevent this onward move
ment if you would; you are bound to pass through an
other fifty years of advancement and prosperity. On
ward, right onward, is to be your course. Let others,
less fortunate in their location, with less backbone, and
less favored by nature, do all the growling. It is far
better to live three miles away from a small lake with
a crooked outlet, and by the side of a swamp like this,
with "Bob" Marvin to sow it with hills of gravel, and to
reap, such an abundant, and substantial harvest of Park
and Fairground, than by the biggest lake on the con-
nent. I say Fairground, for I most sincerely believe
that this society will here hold an annual fair until
yonder outlet shall forget its crookedness and become
straight.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 489
There are few here who have not seen a log cabin
before ; many of you have lived in one, and climbed
its perpendicular ladder to the spacious loft and there
slept as sweetly and soundly as in the most elegant
residence of which this county can boast. It was in
such buildings as this your stalwart fathers lived when
they reclaimed from the unbroken wilderness the
farms which are now your beautiful homes. You have
erected this log dwelling to their memory and to the
memory of your mothers, In no other way could you
as well have shown your love and affection for
them. And now we dedicate this house of logs as a
monument and memorial to the pioneer settlers of
Chautauqua County; and I charge those who from
time to time may be the officers of this association, or
who have the care of Marvin Park, to guard it and see
that it is kept sacred to the purposes for which it was
erected ; as a memento of the past, sacred to the mem
ory of the settlers of this great county, as it was and is
and always shall be — Chautauqua. Bounded on the
north by the possessions of our pleasant friend and
neighbor, Mrs. Victoria Albert-Coberg Canada, on the
cast by the remaining portion of the Empire State, on
the south and west by the farms of the heirs of Mr.
Penn, and by E. Pluvious Unum to the Gulf of Mexico
and the Pacific - Ocean- — Chautauqua County — the
Yankee center of all creation — and so may she remain,
one and undivided unto the end of time. We charge
you to furnish it with the spinning wheel, both great
and small, and with the loom, for it was with the aid
of these that your mothers manufactured the first cloth
that covered your poor bare backs. I charge you to
rightly arrange the roomy fire place, and erect the

490 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
chimney of sticks and untempered mortar, and make
fast therein the proper lug pole, or if you will, the pon
derous crane, well supplied with hooks and tramels.
For it was before a fire built of four-foot logs in such a
fire-place, your mothers baked their johnnycakes on
boards hewed from the ash and the maple. It was
from such lug poles that they suspended their pots
and kettles containing the venison and the bear's meat
and potatoes, and prepared the frugal daily meal ;
over which your fathers expressed their deep thanks,
and asked the blessings of Almighty God. We charge
you to keep the hearth thereof well swept and the cosy
benches in the jambs in good order. For it was in
those warm corners that many of you courted the
girls, then dressed in linsey-woolsey of their own man
ufacture, who have since proved so true and faithful
helpmeets through the best part of your lives. We
charge you to see that the windows thereof are kept
in good repair; when a glass is broken see that it is
immediately renewed; if that is not possible, a clean
piece of white paper must be substituted ; old hats and
bundles of rags must not at any time be allowed, for
they speak louder than words, of laziness and unthrift,
We charge you to see that the door thereof is in good
order; the hinges of wood well greased to prevent any
unpleasant, or from sleep awakening squeak; the latch
in good order, and the latch string hanging out; for
the log cabins and houses of your fathers were not
only their homes, but they were also the asylums of
the way worn and of the traveler lost in the wilder
ness. As charged, you are expected faithfully to per
form and to deliver this log house,with its fire placeats
chimney and its chimney corners, its lug pole in good

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 491
condition, its hooks and its tramels, and all utensils,
its wheels and its loom and other furniture, its win
dows and its door, with proper latch and hinges, to
your successors at the Centennial fair, to be held on
Marvin Park in 1936, fifty years from to-day, at which
time the young people here to day are invited to take
their places at the dinner table prepared for the old
settlers of Chautauqua County, and listen to the inter
esting address to be delivered on th%t occasion.

After Dr. Hazeltine had taken his seat, Judge
Richard P. Marvin arose and spoke substantially as fol
lows: What shall I say, not what should be said? The
mind takes in, in a moment of time, what may re
quire hours to utter in speech. I have thought of the
numerous families of the early settlers in Jamestown
and this part of the county, and the peculiar charac
teristics of these families are strongly marked ; and
the idea had occurred to attempt a description of them,
and there entered into my mind dozens of these fam
ilies. I am compelled to abandon any such attempt.
I will refer only to the founder of Jamestown — now the
city — whose Christian name, James, was given to the
village by its earliest inhabitants. The family con
sisted of James Prendergast, his wife, Nancy Thomp
son Prendergast, and an only son, Alexander, then a
small boy. Mr. Prendergast was at an early day, ap
pointed one of the county judges, and hence was
known in all parts of the county as Judge Prender
gast. It must suffice in my very brief remarks to say
that Mrs. Prendergast was universally beloved on ac
count of her own lovely character. No account was
ever kept, by her of her charities to those who for a

492 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
time, struggling with the difficulties of a new settle
ment, literally in the wilderness, needed temporary
aid and encouragement. She was a good, a noble wo
man, of Scotch ancestry. *
The life and character of the Judge has been of
ten sketched. When I say he was the right man in
the right place do I not say all that it may be neces
sary to say here. So saying implies that he used what
for those days were quite ample means, in erecting
mills, a necessity for a large extent of country, then
rapidly filling up by those brave, sturdy settlers, who
were to make Southern Chautauqua what she now is;
by assisting the building up of the village, rendering
aid and encouragement to all worthy enterprises. His
son grew up in the village here. After his father, in
1836, sold his Jamestown property, the family for a
time lived in Ripley, and then moved into the town
of Carrol], now Kiantone, some six miles south of
Jamestown. Here the Judge owned a large tract of
valuable farming land, largely improved at the time.
It was here that the son, Alexander, developed a taste
for farming, based upon a sound judgment. The
management of this large property was
left mainly to Alexander, and to him, I
think, more than any other man in the
county, for many years, we were indebted for the great
improvement in cattle, especially the Durhams or
Short Horns.He imported some of the best specimens
of this favorite breed oM' cattle, and as his herd in
creased, he sold, upon reasonable terms, the young full
bloods, and their descendants are to be found, more or
less pure, in all parts of the county, and they appear at
all our agricultural fairs as competitors for prizes. But,
my friends, say what I may of your indebtedness to

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 493
him for improved methods of farming and of improv
ing the breeds of cattle — these dwindle into nothing
ness when we contemplate Alexander T. Prendergast's
great nobleness of character. He stands in the front
rank of nobility viewed as a generous, charitable man,
As such he is far above my feeble praise. I should have
stated that Alexander, after his mother's death married
in Ripley, Miss Mary Norton, who became the female
head of the family; she is still living and present with
us this day, and all that it may be proper for me to say
here is that the union was a happy one. They had
two children, a boy and a girl. The girl, a beautiful
and promising one, was taken from them at the early
age of about ten. The boy, James, attained early man
hood. His character was noble and worthy of imita
tion by all young men. As he was the sole heir appa
rent of his father's large wealth, liberal advances were
made to him. He conceived the idea of erecting in
this village a monument to the memory of his grand
father and to the family, and he purchased the lots on
tbe corner of Main and Third streets and erected the
beautiful block known as the "Prendergast Block."
James served one term in the legislature of the state,
probably the youngest member in it. He died after a
short illness, at the age of 31 years. Naturally thought
ful, he had prepared the drafts of a will, by which he
gave the Prendergast Block for a Jamestown library.
This paper was found, after his death, unexecuted, and
here was at once exhibited a noble trait in the charac
ter of his father, Alexander, who was the heir of his
son, James. He declared instantly, that the intention
of James as manifested by the unexecuted paper should
be carried into full effect, An act of legislature was
procured incorporating the James Prendergast Library

494 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
Association, and Alexander Prendergast and his wife
executed a conveyance of this valuable property to
such corporation. Alexander Prendergast, who had
left his farm, (though still continuing its management)
and moved into Jamestown, died August 1, 1885.
Thus this Prendergast family is extinct. It has taken
more of my time to say what I have said of Judge
James Prendergast, and his family than I thought, but
if I said any thing how could I have said less.
#r -St ¦¥ %fc *¦
It is due to the enterprising and thrifty farmers
in this and adjoining towns, that I should notice
specially their act of love and reverence for their fath
ers and mothers, who, imbued with faith, hope and
charity, entered with the pledges of their love, into the
dense forest, built for them the house of logs, cut on the
spot from tall, straight trees, these farmers to whom
reference is here made, conceived a few weeks since,
the happy thought of placing in the Marvin Park a
memorial of those who felled the forests and commenced
the making of the beautiful farms which they now
occupy and enjoy, and upon which they have substi
tuted the brick or the framed house for the log house
of their fathers, in which some of them were nurtured,
and reared, and educated in the log school house, per
haps a mile from the hearthstone so dear to them, and
the entire family circle. To these men are we indebted
for the beautiful log house just dedicated, and to them
we make our acknowledgements and render our
thanks. With these enterprising farmers, to conceive
was to execute. Such is the spirit of the age: They
put their hands to the plow and look not back but to
¦see that the furrow is straight, As to the dedication
of this house, in this historical memorial, it will not be

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 495
expected of me to commit the folly of attempting to
add to the eloquent dedicatory address of my friend
Dr. Hazeltine. I can add nothing of interest to what
he has said so well. I will add, however, that he can
not surpass me in admiration of united Chautauqua,
three-fourths of whose territory situate in the valley of
the great Father of Waters and one-fourth in the val
ley of the St. Lawrence, through which magnificent
rivers, the springs found on all the farms, and the
rivulets and large streams find their way to the ocean
thousands of miles away; occupying the gateway be
tween the East and the West caused by the Alleghany
Mountains ; extending on the North, into the ad
joining county of Cattaraugus, and on the South,
into Georgia, the Alleghany and upper Ohio
rivers gently flowing along its western base, to
join the Mississippi in its southern course to the
sea ; hence the numerous railroads crossing the
county east and west, extending from the Atlantic to
the Pacific, and other roads north and south to the rich
ore and coal beds of the mountain and the petroleum
oil fields of Western Pennsylvania. All these are
beneficial to the farmer, and where may he look for a
more satisfactory home? May Chautauqua County
ever remain as she is with her present boundaries — no
division, no disintegration.
¥H * 3fc ¦Hfr ¦*
It occurs to me that the ladies, who have taken so
lively an interest in the dedicatory services, have, for
some time, been thinking, " Has the Judge forgotten
us?" Ladies, if you think so, you have done me un
intentional injustice. No, no, you have not for a
moment been forgotten, but you have been a trouble
to me all along my extended remarks. My mind has

496 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
been occupied in endeavoring to think out remarks
appropriate to the occasion. I have not been able to
satisfy myself, and am really, in your presence, not a
little embarrassed. I think I comprehend to some
extent your beautiful conceptions, if I have not mis
taken their design, you have carried them into exe
cution most elegantly, most artistically, you have fed
us most bountifully, and after the manner of the
fathers you have our thanks.
As to the guests; you have succeeded in bring
ing to your table many octogenarians, more a little
short of that age, and I am sure I can truthfully say,
not one of your guests left, or will leave the table with
any appetite for more, and I shall be safe in saying
that all of us have been delighted with the entertain
ment, and in behalf of all your guests I tender to you
our warm and earnest thanks, trusting and believing
that the interesting chapter of history to which you
have so web contributed will be known, read and
understood by your children and their children so
long as the monument built on these grounds, to com
memorate the virtues of your ancestors, shall remain
Repeating our thanks, I bid you farewell.

MEMORIALS.

REUBEN EATON FENTON
Was the youngest son of George W. and Elsie
(Owen) Fenton, the pioneer settlers on the banks of
the Conewango, in that part of the town of Ellicott
now known as Carroll. He was born in the town of
Ellicott July 4th, 1819, and he died in the town of
Ellicott August 25th, 1885.

It is not for us to write the biography of this emi
nent man ; or the history of the times in which he
lived. It is not for us to follow his footsteps through
the important places he filled, or to speak of the prom
inent parts he played in this great drama of life.
Other and far greater biographers and historians will
do all this. Reuben E. Fenton did not belong to the
town of Ellicott, or to Chautauqua county, or to the
state of New York — but to the United States and to the
world. The attempt to confine the labors of his life —
or the memory of them, to our small territory, would
be as insane and as futile as that of the imbecile, who,
with his pint cup, would remove the waters of the
beautiful Conewango because they rippled past the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 499
mansion in which he was born, — forgetful that they
would soon be claimed by the sparkling Alleghany,
and then the bright Ohio, and that ere long the
mighty Mississippi would bear them on her majestic
tide to the great ocean that washes every shore.
But we may be permitted to say that Ellicott was
the town in which he was born; that his boyhood days
were passed on the banks of that beautiful stream
which conveys the crystal waters of Chautauqua Lake
in the first part of their journey to the far distant Mex
ican gulf. That the neighboring school house of logs
is where he gained his first rudiments of knowledge,
and where he studied his Daboll, that sowed in his
young and fruitful mind those small seeds of mathe
matical knowledge which in after years grew into
that noble and wide extending tree, — spreading its
branches over the nations, and bearing so great a fruit
age of financial knowledge on which a world's com
merce and wealth are founded. It was the home of
his youth, and it was in Chautauqua's Academies and
Seminaries of learning that for the most part he gained
that rudimentary knowledge which laid in his expan
sive intellect, that broad foundation on which he reared
the superstructure of his future fame. It was here,
while quietly following the pursuits of his early life,
that the greatness which was inherent in him was dis
covered and clearly discerned by a few acute minds,
and in early manhood through their influence he was
sent to the Nation's Congress. The opportunity thus
presenting, Reuben E. Fenton's great mind expanded
and matured by its own native and inborn power. He
well knew the qualities of his own intellect and how
much of ability it could be made to yield by thorough
cultivation; he understood wherein his greatest power

500 THE EARLY HISTORY OF i
consisted, and he diligently used every means to culti
vate those faculties which he was aware could alone
secure him success. He read with the greatest ardor
all works on government, and especially the political
history of our own country and its advancement in the
science of government, and instituted rigid compari
sons between the genius of our own laws and those of
other countries.
It is seldom that a man is as self conscious as was
Reuben E. Fenton. He was aware that his powers were
equal to the heaviest of tasks ; he knew that he could
comprehend all that men had known. He felt con
scious that his powers of acquiring, and his industry,
were unsurpassed, and still more; — he felt that knowl
edge in his mind would not be a dead and useless
weight, but that a power was in him inherent, to mould
and transform, and to bequeath to the future high and
worthy thoughts and desires, on all subjects upon
which he should fix his mind.
For several terms he was re-elected to Congress
in succession, excepting one term, and very soon his
opinions came to have great weight, and although yet
young, he was looked upon as a leader, and was placed
on the most important of the congressional commit
tees. But, what to us was more important than all was
his conduct during the war. The ardent patriotism
he then evinced, belongs only to the highest order of
minds, for it is the teaching of all history, that true
patriotism manifests itself in the greatest strength in
the most gifted individuals. The love of country is a
sentiment so expansive in its nature, so wide in its
views, so benevolent in feeling, so far-reaching, ener
getic and powerful, that it is beyond the comprehen
sion of cold hearts and narrow minds. Patriotism is

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 501
the attribute of generous, benevolent and noble na
tures, and is the highest conferred on man by his Cre
ator. In it is centered the wealth of all past experi
ences, and keeping in advance of human actions, pene
trates the future. It is exhaustless in invention, and
connects causes with effects, and in past events learns
what the future should be. True love of country fills
its votaries with a hope which cheers and is ever sus
taining; it is fertile of expedients, firm amidst dangers*
and always sustains the weak and faint hearted. It
shows its greatest and most glorious power in caring
for those who have fought its battles ; not those only
who led the soldiery in the midst of the fight, but the
poor soldier himself, who, as he lies bleeding on the
field of strife, finds his best and life saving friend in
the true patriot. It is he who secures him good at
tendance when sick and wounded, soothes his nostal
gia, renews hope, and excites to deeds of future valor,
and thus builds up an army and a state that connot be
conquered. Reuben E. Fenton was one of the true, un
failing patriots of the war of the Rebellion, and as such
gained for himself that glorious appellation, not only
in his own state, but in all the Northern states, and
even among the stricken soldiers of the rebel south,
"FENTON, THE SOLDIER'S FRIEND."
Twice he was elected Governor of the Empire
State, a station he filled with honor and signal ability;
full of patriotic zeal he was signally the man the Em
pire state needed in her great emergency.
Reuben E. Fenton regarded the Republic with
more than filial love and affection, and he never for a
moment doubted that it would be rescued untarnished
from the peril which menaced it ; and, that placed on

502 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
a still more secure basis with slavery abolished, and
his country able to truly say that all men are free and
equal, it would shine with greatly increased lustre,
and would continue to hold aloft the beacon torch
which should finally be a light to enlighten the whole
world. He deemed it his duty to prosecute the war
with renewed vigor until the last musket should be
wrenched from the grasp of the last traitor to the Re
public. Patriotism and love of country were the all-
absorbing themes of his discourses in the old log school
house on the banks of the Conewango ; he constantly
kept them before his mind as constituting a bright
beacon, constantly advancing before him — constantly
attracting him by its brightness, and constantly allur
ing him onward. Now, when he had become the Gov
ernor of his native state, and during a period in which
the Republic was menaced with the greatest danger,
and its very existence threatened with destruction, he
felt that duty demanded that he dedicate to her ser
vice his best talents, and energies, and powers. The
state of New York was kept at the front in sending her
men and means to the country's defense. He proved
himself THE WAR GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
At the close of his term as Governor he was cho
sen to represent the state in the United States Senate.
Of all the manifestations of human ability and power,
Mr. Fenton regarded that of Statesman the highest to
which men could attain. To accomplish himself as
such he made all knowledge attainable subservient; —
not only history, political economy and science of gov
ernment yielded to his active mind their neccessary
treasures, but poetry, philosophy, and the classics of

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 503
ancient and modern literature were compelled to afford
all the aid they could to minister to his wants. A
friend one day approached him with the question ;
" Fenton, why do you devote so much time to these
deep, abstruse studies of law, government and political
economy ? You are only building a monument which
at your death will melt away and disappear like some
gorgeous cloud pile, which the wind and the sun scat
ters, never again to appear." "You remark truly, my
friend, that all of man's knowledge disappears, is
buried with him and is soon forgotten. As a matter
of ambition I consider all of this work but a vanity
and vexation of spirit — but it is not with an ambitious
spirit that I try to make myself conversant with this
matter, but that I may discharge my duty to the very
best of my ability to my constitutents and to the
country. Do you not find in duty well performed one
of the greatest sources of happiness ? I do, and when
I have discharged my duty to my satisfaction, the
winds may throw down the monument, as you are
pleased to call it, as soon as they choose — I care not."
Fenton was impelled to the deep studies of finance,
political economy, and science of government, not
only that he might more understandingly and more
thoroughly perform his duty to his constituents and to
the country, but likewise from a love inherent in his
nature for the work. The mechanism of his mind was
particularly adapted to such investigations ; and fur
thermore, he was smitten with the beauty of the ideal
he had formed in his own mind, of the duties required
ofa true statesman, and he was urged by an irresisti
ble desire to give that ideal expression in his own acts.
He labored for this as the painter labors to express the
glowing conceptions of his imagination upon the can-

504 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
vass, and for the mastery of his art. Reuben E. Fen
ton bound himself for life to this pursuit, and no
change of circumstances in himself, or in the affairs of
the country, no weariness, no increased weight of toil
and of labor, could induce him to abandon the ideal
which his mind had produced. He did not depend
upon his acquired knowledge, it was the creation
of his soul — it existed as an unfashioned image of
beauty in his mind, and he worked incessantly to give
that image with all of the attributes with which his
intellect had clothed it to the world. It was a perfect
ideal, an image of beauty, which had been born of his
own soul, had in embryo taken root in his own mind,
there developed, and had come forth enwrapped in his
own soul's deepest thoughts and desires; as truly so as
the best and most beautiful creations of Grecian art
which have survived the centuries, came forth to
astonish and enrapture a world-enwrapped in the soul
of Phidias. When we reflect upon the character of the man,
and the vast work he accomplished, his great traits
become more and more apparent, and his intellect
stands forth as one of superior order. The memory of
his good deeds — his remarkably studious and laborious
life — his devotion to the service of his country — his
labors in the cause of liberty and universal freedom —
his more than nobleness, after his retiracy to private
life- — his interest in the welfare of his childhood's
home — his sudden death- — when we reflect upon these,
Reuben E. Fenton stands forth in our presence with
an interest, a power, a nobleness, we cannot escape.
And the record of these virtues is the noblest legacy
the great and the good can bequeath to posterity.
They are the foundations of principles, which influ-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 505
¦ence the future, act through all time, and are never
forgotten. Their true power may not be rightly and
fully comprehended in the present, but they will become
more and more deeply felt in the future, and will be
come more and more efficient for good as the nation
advances in true knowledge and virtue. The good
such men do can never die; it endures with life-giving
and eternal power, and forms in the hearts of thous
ands a beautiful ideal, in which it lives forever.
His affections were deep and tender ; he was calm,
quiet and unassuming in demeanor, and faithful and
true to all the conditions of domestic and of public
life. His devotion to his family, his friends, and to
the country and to its welfare, shone more and more
brightly to the close of his life. There is nothing in
his character we more admire than the quiet, dignified
manner in which he withstood the injuries and insults
heaped upon him when his great and growing ad
vancement stood in the way of an ambitious, unscru
pulous and powerful contemporary and associate. The
calm philosophy, stern integrity, and love of virtue
with which he mantled himself, and nobly stood and
proudly fell, a martyr, midst the general corruption,
was an act of Roman virtue and patriotism, far exceed
ing and above our feeble praise. It is upon such men
that the true advancement and enlightenment of na
tions have always depended and must continue to de
pend. Their noble deeds are soon implanted in the
mind and imprinted on the heart of the child, and
from child to children, and handed down to children's
children — from generation to generation, until the
good flowing from the heart and mind of one man
have filled the whole earth. His devotion to the
country and to its welfare shone more and more

506 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
brightly to the close of his life. A public service com
mencing so early, at the very dawn of manhood, and
continuing so long — of equal brightness, so filled with
generous, patriotic and noble acts, is not recorded on
the pages of our country's history, superior to that of
Reuben E. Fenton. This is the verdict of to-day, and
it will continue to be the verdict when the history of
his acts and of his time is written.
The day that Gov. Fenton died we stepped into
the bank to see him on a matter of business. We were
met by our friend, Mr. Kent, with the jocose enquiry,
" If we were still living;" we replied that we were, and
intended to continue until he was disposed of, which
probably would not detain long. Mr. Fenton came
around from behind the cashier's counter, laughing,
and said, "You are both older men than I am, but you
should not be surprised if you both outlived me. I
have a difficulty here," putting his hand up to his left
breast — "that troubles me occasionally, and I feel it
now — I do not know what it is — but I sometimes im
agine the difficulty is at the heart, and I think it quite
probable I may die suddenly." We passed into his
private room, and were engaged with business perhaps
fifteen minutes! Another person, in the meantime
came in. We chatted for a short time; we never saw
the Governor in better humor or in better spirits. We
asked him in a jocose way, what had become of his
heart disease ? He replied, " Oh, it is there, Doctor. I
feel it, and it troubles me; but we must not always
brood over our ailments in the presence of friends."
We soon passed out and came home, and a few min
utes later one came running into our house with the
intelligence, "Governor Fenton is dead." He never
left the room in which we left him, alive.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 507
On the day of his burial the sun rose bright and
warm, after four days of cloud and cold and gloom.
It did seem as if nature had been weeping and mourn
ing his departure; and now when so many had gath
ered together from all parts of the state, and from
other states, to lay him away for his final rest — was
smiling through her tears, and bidding us to look be
yond the highest honors this world can give, to those
greater rewards in reserve for the well doer here. This
was the feeling at the time, and remarked by many,
as they were engaged in the last solemn rites to the
dead. It was a solemn day with all of us, the whole
town was dressed in the deep habiliments of mourn
ing, the factories and all places of business were closed,
all things wore an appearance of deep solemnity and
mourning, save the smiling heavens above.

Tuum, honos, nomenque, laudesque, semper, mane-
bunt. — Virgil.
" Your honors, your name and your praises shall
remain forever."

508 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
JOHN ADAMS HALL.
There has lived in our midst no man more deserv
ing of remembrance by those with whom he was asso
ciated in his native town, than the late John Adams
Hall. We say native town; — he was born in Wards
boro, Vt., December 27th, 1813, and was brought by
his parents to the wilderness of Ellicott the following
spring. His infancy was spent in an emigrant's home,
and his earliest recollections were of that humble home
in the wilderness. In a log school house in the forest
was implanted in his mind the germs of that knowl
edge, which taking root, expanded and grew into so
fair an educational tree, the fruits of which in afterlife
he has so often presented to us.
We approach the preparation of this memorial
with a singular timidity, for John was among the first
and most valued of our boyhood's associates, and that
early friendship is one of a few that has come with us,
under all the various circumstances of life, up to his
death. Those ties of friendship, wrought in boyhood's
days, have always refused to be broken. When he left
home at the age of fifteen, and went to Warren as
a clerk in his uncle's store, we made many a visit
thither to see John Hall, and when he, twenty years
later left the flourishing business he had there built
up, and, actuated by filial duty, returned to the home
of his childhood to assume the care of his aged and
declining parents, no one rejoiced over that return
more than ourself. And although for several years,
those early ties seemed to be loosened — for we only
occasionally met — yet when together, the bonds of that
early friendship assumed their former strength, and if
possible, bound us stronger than ever.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 509
Up to the age of fifteen John's days were spent on
his father's farm, and his education was that of the
winter's school, taught in a log school house a mile
distant from his father's home; the remainder of the year
he was engaged in work on the farm, consequently his
early school education was limited. Of a gentle and
rather timid nature, he united with a remarkable quick
ness of apprehension, a love of books. In a person thus
constituted such a love is equal to a liberal education,
and so it proved with Hall. His education was largely
gained by reading choice and well selected books, and
in him it proved the most valuable education that he
could have acquired. John A. Hall's character and
deportment from youth up, never failed to commend
itself, and to command the respect and approbation of
all who came in personal and daily contact with him.
We sincerely believe that his most controversial edi
torials, his most scathing articles on morals and on
temperance and conduct ; the sarcastic sentences in
his Paul Pry letters from Washington and elsewhere,
and his failure to support the candidature of certain
men for office, never made for him a pronounced en
emy — for they were written and prompted by the most
generous sentiments, with no ill feeling towards indi
viduals, but with a thorough hatred of vice and wrong
methods and wrong doing. His enemies, we may say,
dreaded the lash, but bore no ill will to bim who so
thoroughly and correctly applied it, and no man had
truer and more cordial friends and well-wishers in all
sections of the country than he. No one was ever in
jured by an unkind word or deed of his. Mild and
respectful in his intercourse with all whom he met —
tolerant, in his judgments — reasonable in his expecta
tions — easy to be pleased — patient and cheerful to wait

510 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
the appointed time for his success — content to forego
what was denied — he was not a person calculated to
make enemies, but on the contrary, to win the good
will and esteem of all. His enemies, if he had any,
were those political shysters who could not bend him
by either money or influence, to their nefarious pur
poses. He loved his party, to which he was always
true — but he loved truth and honesty -far more. A
rare serenity of mind endowed him richly with that
truest independence that can belong to man, and
which to him, every one who ever knew him accords.
Occupying a conspicuous and responsible station, in
which an agitator would have found abundance of
temptation and scope for turbulent activity and oppos
ing views, and which unavoidably, from the circum
stances of the times, invited harsh and determined
assault, he knew how to be inflexibly true to obligations
without losing his temper or even marring his good feel
ing. The candor of his mind was remarkable; he was
willing to give error a fair show, for he trusted in the
power of truth, and always believed that it would finally
prevail. Who is there that will say that John A. Hall
was unjust in an adverse statement, or ever knew him
to sharpen an argument with a taunt? As the editor
and conductor of a public journal he was signally the
right man in the right place. The essential and spon
taneous uprightness of his understanding, gently in
fluenced his mind to the open and willing reception of
all truth, and by a sort of insensible but irresistible
contagion, inspired in him a true love for it. He was
gentle, but of great firmness in counsel, and his action
was marked by a steady tranquility of spirit. A truer
man to stand courageously by what his cautious judg
ment had once approved as fit, and right, never lived.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 511
His great faith in the final success of truth, what
ever its source, over falsehood and error, was the day
star that guided and controlled all of his actions. It
was always his working principle, and he constantly
followed it in all the concerns of life. He never pa
raded his opinions when out of season, and never
thrust them obtrusively forward. He had all the
warmth and none of the blindness of enthusiasm ; he
was founded in strong convictions and deep feeling,
but guided by a sober judgment and a sterling com
mon sense. Always firm in his opinions, he was nev
ertheless timid, and more retiring and unassuming
than timid, and for this reason, we imagine, never took
that rank which his powers of mind and ability entitled
him; and we do know that his great generosity and
kindness of heart frequently prompted him to work
for the advancement of others to the injury of his
own preferment. It was hard for him to withstand
the entreaties of a friend when his own advancement
was the main impediment in the way of a friend's ac
complishment, of his desires. He never coveted office,
and always placed others wbo did above himself, half
believing that, they were better qualified to fulfill its
duties than himself. This was, we think, his weak
ness ; for he had abilities which would have placed
him among the foremost in our state legislature, and
would have shone in the halls of Congress. But the
preferment of friends, guided by a modest estimate of
his own powers, he could not master, and resulted in
placing persons of less ability in stations he should
have occupied. He never sought or asked for high
station for himself, and was never envious of the suc
cess of others.
John A. Hall's rule through life was to do well

512 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
everything he undertook; and he always hesitated at
placing himself in situations in which his powers
would be taxed in new and untried ways. For ourself we
unhesitatingly say : that as a fully rounded man — by
which we mean as a domestic man, as a son, as a hus
band and as a father — socially, as a neighbor, a citizen,
as a member of society and of the state,- — in morals,
religion, and politics, he was, and is, our beau ideal of
a perfect, "full-orbed" man. In all things he yielded
to his sense of what was just and right, and to the
greatest public good. One writing of him at the time
of his death speaks of him as the good man — as one
who never did another a wrong intentionally — that he
honored virtue and purity, and the trend of whose
nature was constantly upward — that all of the rela
tions of his life were most admirable — and that his ex
ample should be constantly held up as worthy of men
tion. He was correct and prudent in his business
habits, frank in utterance of opinions, and a supporter
of all reforms the purpose of which was to improve
the condition of society, or to meliorate the condition
of man. One of Mr. Hall's prominent and most shin
ing virtues was his forgiving spirit. Forgiveness was
never withheld from the person who had wronged
him and asked to be forgiven — and the forgiveness
accorded was full, hearty and without mental reserva
tions. On the contrary, if he had unintentionally in
jured any one he was not satisfied until he had most
fully asked forgiveness for the fault.
Dr. Townsend, in his funeral discourse, says: "He
never carried bitterness in his heart; and when he had
done wrong he was magnanimous enough to say, I
have done wrong; I desire your forgiveness. In his
religious beliefs Mr. Hall inclined to the sunny side of

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 513
Christianity, and believed from his youth that there
was an eternal hope for all mankind."
It was a beautiful thing that the wife and mother,
after so many years of faithful companionship, sur
rounded by all their children — save one who had gone
before — were permitted to be present at the passing
away of the husband and father. And among the
many floral tributes that clustered about the casket in
which he was laid, was one of most touching beauty
and expressiveness. At the head was a pillow of rare
white flowers with " FATHER " in purple immortelles
across the center. How sweet the thought of passing
to one's final rest in the midst of such a display of
filial affection.
What was written by Mr. Shankland of the
Jamestown Standard, at the time of his death, so ac
cords with our own views, and is so much better ex
pressed than we can do it ourself, that we transcribe
what he wrote here. It is a beautiful, truthful and
deserved tribute:
"The qualities of Mr. Hall were of a kind to read
ily inspire friendship, particularly so among those who
were anyway intimately associated with him. His
nature was in every sense kindly, and generous, and
it was easy for his sympathy to be aroused and to lean
out with warmth of expression towards those who were
depressed by misfortune or grief. It was one of his
strong characteristics that no rival jealousies ever
swayed him. He was pleased with the success of
others, and enjoyed their well doing. His feelings
were based on the golden maxim of doing and acting
' unto others as he would have them do unto him.
His heart was expansive and broad in all the kindly
emotions towards his fellow man, and his faith was

514 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
large in the uprightness and stability of humanity.
He believed that the good predominated largely over
the bad in mankind, and he never was disturbed by
imaginary fears, nor the croakings of others. His
temperament was of the sanguine order, and he was
easily moved to enthusiasm. This characteristic was
no more conspicuously displayed than in the warmth
of his friendship towards those of his chosen circle of
intimates and old acquaintances and neighbors, and
gave life and feeling to any cause that he espoused,
making him a genial and entertaining companion.
Mr. Hall was a man of strong and well guided emo
tion, which at times, perhaps, reflected qualities which
gave a force and strength to his action and opinions,
but he was sensitive and careful not to intrude by
unjust or ungenerous conduct on others. As a neigh
bor and citizen he was considerate and obliging, and
his genial, frank and modest demeanor inspired re
spect and commanded friendship. He was liberal and
generous in his views, intelligent and entertaining in
his conversation, and thoroughly democratic in the
simplicity of his habits and manner. These were
gifted qualities to make friends, which were aided by
the glowing warmth of his nature. In the family
circle he was the affectionate and kindly husband and
father, and in the community he was progressive, en
terprising and thoroughly loyal to its best interests."
The Dansville Advertiser says of him: " A man of
pure and noble nature, of quiet, simple habits and retir
ing nature, comparatively few knew the worth of the
man, and these he drew towards him as the magnet
draws the steel. To us his death seems like the death
of a member of our own family. He led an honorable,
useful and successful life, in the highest sense of those

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 515
terms ; honest, courageous, pure-hearted, he lived fo
the betterment of his kind."
The Elmira Advertiser speaks of him in these
words : " Western New York has met with an irrepar
able loss in the death of John Adams Hall, editor of
the Jamestown Journal. At the age of seventy-two
years this earnest-minded, upright and exemplary
man, this able, conscientious journalist, this model hus
band and father has gone to his rest and reward. His
name is honored wherever it is known, and the good
example of his life is emphasized to all who saw its
purity and strength, in the peace and resignation of his
Christian death."
From many different sources we might select
mentions of John A. Hall in similar language. As a
farmer, as a merchant, as a man of business, as a jour
nalist, and as a public servant, there is nothing to be
said of him but the highest praise. In this memoir it
has been our attempt not to speak of him as a man of
business, but as a private citizen and as a member of
society ; for truly it may be said, he adorned private
life. In March, 1835, John Adams Hall was married to
Emily Perry, who survives him.
To John A. and Emily (Perry) Hall were born
seven children, all now living but Henri, wbo died
after attaining adult age. The names of the children
were as follows : Marian, Ann Eliza, Edward L.,
Henri, John A., Irene A, Fred P.
On the evening of the 29th of January, 1880,
peacefully and without pain, John Adams Hall, in
the evening of a long life, surrounded by his family,
passed from earth and entered upon eternal rest. In
the full sense of the words he was the
MODEL CITIZEN AND TRUE FRIEND.

516 THE EARLY HISTORY OF

THOMAS W. HARVEY.
At the time we wrote our chapter AT, in which is
mentioned the early blacksmiths and other artisans of
the country, we were laboring under the erroneous im
pression that there was no one of the Harvey family
living. We were informed immediately afterward that
Hayward A. Harvey was not only living, but also a
man of importance in New York; that as an inventor
he had a reputation as world-wide as his father, the
General. That his residence was in Orange, N. J., and
that he was President of the Harvey Steel Works in
Wall Street, New York City. We sent him a few pages
of Chapter VI, which elicited a reply in which he
stated that he well remembered the persons, and many
of the transactions therein mentioned. That they had
served to bring back vividly to his memory happy
days of boyhood, when he was one of the Jamestown
boys and his father was the village blacksmith. He
also expressed his regret that we did not know more
of his father after he left Jamestown; spoke of his own
numerous inventions, and concluded by saying there

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 517
were errors, which would not effect the value of our
work, but which he thought it would be well to correct
if not too late. We wrote to him immediately that the
work was too far advanced to obtain from him the
necessary data and put them in shape for publication,
that within ten days, at the farthest, all would be in
type, but desired him to send the corrections he had
mentioned. The letter herewith published, received
last evening, was the reply.
What we here write can scarcely be called a me
morial, but we desire to add a few more words to what
we have already written of Thomas W. Harvey, and
must place it here, or exclude what we wish to add,
altogether. We desire to bring into our memory once
more — the General, Aunt Melinda, and their children,
as we remember them and so frequently saw them in
the long ago, in that old house, which was their home
for more than twenty years. That old house is most
indelibly painted on our memory. The General built
it himself, with the royal assistance of Royal Keyes.
Old Father Hart put up that monstrous stack of chim
ney in the center, with those two immense fire places,
the one looking north into the living room, and the other
south into the spare room; the unplaned clapboards
painted by the hand of time a dark brown, slightly
streaked in places with a lighter color; the windows,
of the then orthodox size and shape, with two sash to
each opening and each opening containing twenty-five
panes of 7x9 rainbow glass, not one more or less. We
well remember those two blocks on which was a piece
of plank for door step, the large heavy front door, a
compromise between a panel and a batten, and that
heavy fancy door handle of Harvey's own make — the
door opening against Hart's stack of chimney — turning

518 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
north we gained the living room — turning south we
entered the spare room — which was seldom used un
less some visitor occupied the spare bed surrounded by
curtains, which stood in one corner.
In those days door handles were of all possible
sizes and shapes for outside doors, and were manufac
tured for the most part by our own village black
smiths ; but to our liking some of the handsomest
were the work of the carpenter. Knobs of what we
now term porcelain were then unknown. We do re
member in primitive Jamestown one door knob, that
was a small brass affair, and but few knew how toman"
ipulate it — whether to twist, push or pull, and was a
great vexation to people in those days, when you en
tered a man's house by the command from within
"come in;" so much so that the owner was known as
"the man who lived in a house with a knob on the
door." We remember Gen. Harvey's house perfectly,
but we cannot realize, what is certainly true, that the
grade at the crossing of Pine and Third streets is now
twenty feet or more lower than it was then. At that
time the boys could slide down hill both ways on
Third street from Pine, which then was a. ridge, divid
ing the town into' an east, and west portion.
General Harvey took great pride in military mat
ters. He was a proud appearing officer, and always
perfectly dressed for the particular post he occupied.
Nevertheless, as a military officer we believe he was
fully equalled by his brother, Col. Charles R. Harvey.
It was our intention to add a chapter on our early
militia trainings, but found that our space would not
permit. It then was but a short time after the closing
of the war of 1812, and the military spirit ran high.
Thomas W. Harvey, soon after he came to Jamestown,

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 519
organized what was known as the Green Rifles, be
cause of the color of the dress- — which was a sort of
frock made of a coarse, soft kind of green flannel. The
frock reaching to the knee — with pants or leggins to
match, and these bordered with a short, thick, black
fringe — wide black belt with large silver clasp in front,
containing bullet pouch, tomahawk and scalping
knife — very large powder horns, attached by red cord,
which slung the horn on the right side — hard wool
hats with narrow brim, large brass plate in front and
tall, heavy red plumes. As some would now express
themselves, they did look "just splended," " too sweet
for anything." Flarvey took great pains in drilling and
disciplining this company of savages. We well re
member when the boys on training day morning
would watch near the house for Captain Harvey's ap
pearance, and when he came out would shout, " There
comes Captain Harvey." Before he had reached Pot
ter's Alley there would be a salute from a drum corps
down at Allen's tavern, and where you could not see a
green uniform one minute previous, you would see a
hundred savages, brandishing their tomahawks and
giving the characteristic whoop — and before the drum
corps could march three rods to their place on Third
street east of Main, every member of that company
would be in their proper places in line. It was a proud
company; they had a proud Captain, but neither the
Captain or the company were half as proud as those
early citizens of Jamestown who watched their move
ments. After Harvey left the company it began
slowly to lose in discipline, and when the old military
organization a dozen years later gave place to the new,
it was in the last agonies of dissolution.
And we remember that wonderful sham fight on

520 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
"General Muster Day," up among the logs and bushes
where Frank E. Gifford's residence now stands, and
where Capt. J. E. Budlong with his " Infantry," and
the "Floodwood," under Capt. Ellick Jones, whipped
the Indians and took Old Tecumseh (Capt. Harvey)
prisoner, and marched him back across the "flat" and
over the bridge and up Main street — the Green Rifles
following, whooping and yelling and firing their guns
and brandishing their tomahawks, as if they were de
termined to rescue their chief— and we were in hopes
they would — but that was not a part of the " sham."

To Thomas W. and Melinda (Hayward) Harvey,*
were born five children. There may have been others
who died in infancy — we are not informed — but these
the General lugged off with him when he removed to
New York.
1. Artemesia — who about the time of the re
moval became the wife of Rev. Amos P. Hawley, the
eldest son of Alpheus and Keziah (Berry) Hawley.
2. Vespasian. — Our old friend, Hayward, must
excuse us for here giving an anecdote of his father —
we have the opportunity, and as is usual with us, we
cannot forego the pleasure of resuscitating those inci
dents which it would, perhaps, be better to forget. Gen.
Harvey was among the earliest members of the Con
gregational church. At the time under review, good
old Father Spencer feared the General was using more
of the goods manufactured at our then flourishing
* See note on page 148.
Mrs. Thomas W. Harvey belonged to the Vermont family. She
was a sister of Mis..SolomOD Jones. Many yc ars afterwards Keziah
(Berry) Hawley hecame the second wife of Gen. Harvey.

the town of ellicott. 521
" still " than was for his welfare, and had cautioned
him on the subject. He feared that Brother Harvey,
if he had not then, would soon wander from the fold,
and as he was sent into the wilderness as a shepherd
to look after wandering sheep, he considered it was his
duty to caution him. He was afraid he was getting
more spiritual consolation from the corn field than
from the old Academy ; that the worm of the still was
¦drowning the still small voice, etc. Harvey's answers
were evasive, and not up to Father Spencer !s theology.
Spencer was quick witted, and was as noted for his
waggish and sharp reproofs as for his earnest, faithful
preaching, and as an old Revolutionary officer, was
more of a general than the General himself. In due
time Harvey and his wife presented their infant son
for baptism. Spencer asks, "What name do you give
this child ?" The answer was, " Vespasian." "Dissi
pation, Dissipation ?" " No, Vespasian," says the
General, with a little more voice, getting red in the
face. " Dissipation, I bap — " "No, no- — Vespasian, I
tell you," roars the General, in his deep, bass voice, a
streak of mad at the same time running through the
deep red of his face. The child was baptized Vespa
sian; Father Spencer all the time well knowing what
the name was. As soon as the services were closed,
Spencer quickly disappeared, mounted his horse, and
was not seen until his next quarterly visit. To cap
all, the sermon Spencer bad selected to be read on the
next Sunday morning, was on the great virtue and re-
wards of temperance, and Deacon Deland called upon
Gen. Harvey to read it," He came forward and read
the sermon, not knowing the subject. Tbe General at
that time was the favorite sermon, reader; his deep,
.strong, bass voice filled the old Academy, and every

522 THE EARLY history of
one was pleased when he was called upon to read.
Those who heard that sermon read were accustomed
to say that Harvey never read so well in his life ; it
seemed as if every word of it came direct from his
heart, and it reached the hearts of those who listened.
General Harvey never entered that Distillery after
wards but once, then officially as coroner.*
3. Hayward A., — the third child, was one of our
bright, active, mischief-loving boys of the early days
— when Jamestown was a boy's paradise. He must
have sadly missed the old haunts for years after leav
ing them. We have not seen him since the spring of
1842. He was then treading in his father's footsteps,
and now is the father of eighty important inventions
(patented) of his own, in this country, and twenty of
world-wide reputation, for which he has patents re
corded in Europe.
We received a few days ago the photograph of an
elderly, white whiskered, bald headed, quite good look
ing personage, sent as that of Hayward A. Harvey.
We know we are growing old — but to pass that old
man upon us as the true likeness to-day of the boy who
knew every crook and turn of Jamestown streets when
he was fifteen years old- — don't work with us — it is un
satisfactory, and we have laid it away to take its place
in our album of the early inhabitants ef Jamestown — -
to be deposited with the Historical Society for future
reference. In compiling this history of the early days of Elli
cott we have most assuredly learned this — that many
years ago, if not now, Jamestown was a great place
to be born in, if not to live in. The number of full-
* See page 230.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 528
sized, full brained, useful and eminent men that were
born and have gone forth from Jamestown and vicin-
tiy is something wonderful. They are witnesses for
what we have contended for all through this volume,
that Chautauqua county was peopled in a very differ
ent manner from what most new countries are. Our
contention, has been, that the first settlers of Chautau
qua, for the most part, were the best members of the
best families- — the descendants of the Pilgrims of New
England and the Dutch families who peopled the val
ley of the Hudson. They were the sons and daughters
who claim the nobility of having descended from the
first — the Pilgrim Fathers to the northern portion of
these United States.
4. Olive — Was but a child when her parents re
moved from Jamestown. In 1841 we were for several
months an inmate of General Harvey's house in New
York. Olive was then just blooming into womanhood.
The most beautiful, the most accomplished, the most
noble girl we ever knew; — but the destroyer had set
his seal; and a few years later she went home. '
5. Charlotte. — We feel positive this was the
name. A very young child when her parents left
Jamestown. We know nothing of her history.

Harvey Steel Company,
New York, Feb. 2, 1887.
Dr. G. W. Hazeltine, Dear Sir :— I thank you
for your pleasant mention of my father, the late Gen.
Thomas W. Harvey, who spent the early days of his
life in your town, and in which I was born. My early
recollections are of Jamestown, and you mention many

524 the early history of
occurrences in your book that come up as old memo
ries and old acquaintances in my mind. I most sin
cerely regret that you did not know more of his great
labors in later years. In addition to his machines for
making screws and pins, he invented a number of im
portant and now indispensable machines that are used
the world over. In truth there is no man who has
originated more useful machinery than he, and his
reputation has become world wide.
His electric Motors were not quite the failure you
represent; he lived to astonish New York by putting
in motion an amount of machinery requiring a heavy
steam engine to run it. He lived to demonstrate the
feasibility of Electricity as a motive power.
Mrs. Hawley became my father's second wife. She
died, as you state, from injuries received at Norwalk,
May 11th, 1853. My father married for his third wife
Miss Sarah L. Cowles, of Connecticut.
My father died June 5th, 1854. His widow is still
living. Very truly yours,
Hayward A. Harvey,
Harvey Steel Works, 52 Wall St.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 525

ALEXANDER THOMPSON PRENDERGAST.
Alexander Thompson Prendergast, the only child
of James and Agnes (Thompson) Prendergast, was born
in Pittstown, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., February 3d, 1809,
and died suddenly from apoplexy at his home in James
town, August 1st, 1885. His only son died before him.
He was the last of his family. With him the family of
James Prendergast, the founder of Jamestown, be
comes extinct. He was the worthy son ofa most noble
parentage. He was a man of rare intelligence, sound
judgment, unbounded generosity, and unswerving in
tegrity.

What is Goodness ? We may not be able to men
tion all of those attributes of the human soul which
enter in to the make up of the truly good man ; and
if we have ever been fortunate enough to know such
a man, our description must always fall far short of
our estimate of him. We can never paint, such a char
acter, and then looking at it say it is the true image of
the good man; there will be imperfections not seen in
the original. We do not urge that Alexander T.
Prendergast was perfect, without fault or blemish, but
we do know that goodness was his great, overwhelming
characteristic, which stood forth prominent and fore
most among his many noble traits and virtues ; — the
prominent features of his mind may after a time be
forgotten — but those of his heart will live forever. If
we should attempt to point out any weakness or blem
ish in his character, as exemplified by his life, it would
not militate against the perfectness of his goodness
and we shall not attempt to describe that of which the

526 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
world sees too little— to write a full description. Never
theless, he was in the highest, best sense of the words,
" a good man." He represented a class of men of whom
there are few, indeed, in this world, on whom all eulogy
is lost. A class, of whom the mere record of their good
and generous deeds is far superior to the highest eulogy
- — and of whom the record is impossible, for good deeds
were their constant, daily life. Of such men all writ
ten memorials are tame and unsatisfactory to those
who were witnesses of the noble lives they lived and
of the generous deeds they performed. After reading
the most carefully prepared memorial of Alexander T.
Prendergast, there will arise in the minds of those in
timately acquainted with him the feeling that full
justice has not been clone to his memory ; that there is
something that should have been said that has been
omitted; something that should have been written that
has not been; — forgetful that the good deeds of such
men fill their whole lives, and that a few short sen
tences cover the actions of the whole life. There is
nothing more difficult than to prepare a fitting remem
brance of the truly good man, of one who loved
his neighbor as himself, of one in whom there was no
guile; — of one in whose whole life there were no dark
streaks of envy, malice, or uncharitableness, or wrong
doing, to serve as a sombre back ground to the truthful
picture you may draw of a pure and useful life. The
contrasts of light and shade are wanting.
Alexander T. Prendergast was a man of superior
intellectual gifts and strong reasoning powers. His
reasoning was largely from cause to effect — this was a
mental characteristic of the family; — he was not apt in
dealing with comparisons, and his judgment was sel
dom at fault, only when he desired to do some great

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 527
good to some unworthy recipient of his charity. In
such cases he would compare the seemingly needy con
dition of the unworthy and in every way bad character
of the person seeking his aid, with his own superior
condition and ability to relieve, and thus be led to give
to persons the most debased and profligate.
He was brought up at the feet of his pure minded,
gifted mother. He received a plain but, thorough ed
ucation in everything useful, and was well prepared to
enter college. In addition he was well versed in the
political and economic history of the country. Brought
into the wilderness when a child, his whole education
was received at home, but his watchful father was
careful that he should be instructed by the most com
petent of teachers. Being an only child his parents
were willing to take sole charge of his moral and social
training, and to direct as to his mental culture, and
they discharged these duties with the utmost faithful
ness. He received a few months instruction as a child
from the Rev. Amasa West, who taught the first school
at the rapids; and he was for three terms a pupil in
the Prendergast Academy, two under Abner Hazeltine
and one under the Rev. Phillip Smith. For something
more than six years his education was in charge of Dr.
Laban Hazeltine, who was to him a most thorough
and pains-taking preceptor. He was thoroughly pre
pared, and expected to enter Union College in 1824
during the sixteenth year of his age. When the time
came for his leaving home, it was found that, the father,
the mother and the son, were mutually opposed to the
separation, and the idea of a college education was
abandoned. The mother declared the son should re
main and assist his father, and that the cotton factory
(1823) had just been converted into a grist mill and

528 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
they had no money with which to defray the expense,
and if they had she was of the opinion that another
year or two with Doctor Hazeltine was to be preferred
to four years in a college, when the danger of contract
ing bad habits was considered. During the next year
he pursued a course of reading in Mental Philosophy
and Physiology, reading thoroughly the works of
Locke, Reid and Dugald Stuart in Philosophy, and
Haller and Darwin on Physiology. It may be said
that his scholastic course closed with the burning of
the mills in 1827. An affectionate regard sprang up
between the teacher and his pupil, which was broken
only by death. Living at home as he did during the
whole period of his education, he was constantly under
the watchful supervision of his parents, who most
thoroughly supplemented his mental progress by the
moral and social inspiration of their own noble char
acters. They inspired in him those generous and
manly actions of which he gave subsequently so mem
orable an example. His father was a man of strong-
intellect, rigidly correct principles, — generous, but
always standing for the right. His mother was a
gifted, noble woman, with a highly cultivated mind
acting on an organization in which all the higher feel
ings predominated. It was under these favoring cir
cumstances that Alexander received his superior edu
cation. Alexander T. Prendergast not only inherited the
noble qualities of his parents, but in early life was
called upon under his father's training, to practice all
the generous qualities which should be, and were, his
by heritage. His father had always stood a self-con
stituted guardian betweed the pioneers and much of
the distress inevitable to the privations and hardships

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 529
of settling a new country. There were two memorable
instances, at least, in which he tided the early settlers
over periods of impending famine and financial dis
tress, and that, too, when his own possible financial
ruin was staring him in tbe face. The first lesson he
taught his son was "never to collect a debt from a poor
man, and to always help the needy'' That in all in
stances "it was better to give a m.an money instead of
collecting, a debt from him if needy." Another rule was
that "no man owed him when it was easier for him to
go without the money than for his poor neighbor to pay
it." No one can be found, or could be found, who
ever knew either the father or the son, to go contrary
to these their golden rules.
Soon after James Prendergast sold his prop
erty in Jamestown, in company with his son he
looked over a laige bundle of notes and obliga
tions, and separated them into two portions. One
of the piles represented over $10,000 — the other
far less. The Judge says "Alexander, here are
over $10,000 in notes, mostly collectible, but we can
get along without the money, and it will be hard for
most of these men to pay; I propose we burn them up„
we will enjoy it much more than the collecting of
them." "I think so too, father, and if you say so we
will see them blaze now." They were placed on the
fire, and in a moment were gone. An approving
smile on the father's face and the simple remark, "You
have made a good many men happy, Alexander," was
all that was said.
Alexander T. Prendergast was one of the most
affectionate of sons, one of the most noble of youthful
companions, and one of the truest of friends. It is
true he had but two or three youthful companions, and

530 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
they were somewhat older than himself. It should be
borne'in mind that there were not half a dozen of his
own age in the early days of Jamestown, and they were
not fit companions for a boy entertaining the high
ideas that he entertained. It used to be said of him
that his greatest enjoyment consisted in taking a stroll
through tbe woods, with or riding behind Dr. Hazel
tine on his old horse Charly when visiting his -pa
tients; that he preferred these excursions to going a
fishing, and that he never had shot a, gun in his life.
The boys younger, among whom we unhappily must
number ourself, gave him the nick name of "Charly's
Hitching Post," it being his custom to hold the horse
during the time the Docter was visiting his patient.
We can again vouch that boys have a terrible aversion
to nick names — for many the time have we seen Alex
ander leaving his persecutors without deigning a
reply, and going home, with the tears streaming down
his face. And we well remember a small boy, who,
seeing Alexander passing one day, screamed out
" Charly's Hitching Post" who was saved a flogging
by Alexander's prompt interference with the father,
and we are positive that that boy never applied that
nick name afterwards. We can now remember a
dozen poor children who, if living to day, would bless
the memory of Alexander T. Prendergast; — and one in
particular, who appeared before our father's house one
cold day, barefoot and with neither coat or jacket.
Alexander, who was passing, took the boy home with
him, and soon he was seen returning with shoes and
stockings on his feet, and with warm clothing.* A
* Such families are found in ail towns, both new and old. The
presence of two or three families of this kind, in the early days of
Jamestown, undoubtedly aided in originating the idea that James
town was settled by a rough set of inhabitant*. Families of this
tramp species are found everywhere.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 531
man named Scovill, with a half dozen or more ragged
children, had come to town — how no one knew — had
driven the the hogs out of the Blowers slab shanty,
(spoken of on pages 39 and 210) and taken possession.
That Alexander made one of those boys happy we had
the evidence of our own eyes. Aunt Nancy was busy
the next day with the remainder of the family, and
before night the Judge had them comfortably housed in
the rooms that had once been his own home on Cherry
street. We could relate a large number of similar
happenings, but this we beheld with our own eyes, and
had its origin as we have stated. In those early days,
any person who had Alexander for a friend was sure
not to suffer, for invariably he had Uncle James and
Aunt Nancy for backers. We ask the few old settlers,
and those of our own age still living, who were boys
and girls at the time of which we are speaking, how
many times, on some cold, dreary day, they have seen
Alexander looking into the habitations of the poor and
the needy ; how many of his orders on the mill for flour
and meal they have seen; and how many little pack
ets 6f tea (1-4 lb.) they have known of his leaving with
those too poor to buy so costly a luxury. His private
account at Prendergast's store at one time, for tea
alone, was nearly two hundred dollars, the price of tea
at that time being from two to three dollars per pound.
In after life, Alexander T. Prendergast was the
exemplar of the loving and faithful husband, of the
affectionate father, of the kind and helping neighbor,
of the good and patriotic citizen, of charity towards
every human being, and kindness towards all of God's
creatures. He was, during his whole life, a diligent laborer,
believing that it was every man's duty to earn his

532 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
daily bread by the sweat of his brow, and that idleness
was the fruitful parent of misery and wrong doing.-
From childhood he honored his father and his mother,
and loved his neighbor as himself. He fed the hungry,
clothed the naked, and housed the needy and unfor
tunate; he visited the sick and the decrepit and min
istered to their wants and necessities. He was pure in
heart, and in mind, never puffed up by the vanity of
riches or by the extent and value of his possessions.
He was always more ready to relieve the wants and dis
tress of the sick and needy, than to join in the joys and
pleasures of those who had been more fortunate in life.
In addition to all the other sterling, good traits
of character and good qualities, Alexander T. Pren
dergast was one of the most patriotic men of patriotic
Chautauqua county. He contributed his thousands to
the country's defense. He gave to every soldier from
Kiantone one hundred dollars as soon as enlisted.
Some curious anecdotes of greed in high places might
be told as happening during those stirring times of en
listments; suffice it to say, that a few unpatriotic —
although passing as patriots — were in those days to
be found even in Old Chautauqua. The country was
saved, and home wrongs should be forgotten and for
given by us as they were by Alexander T. Prendergast,
Goodness was the great, prominent, all-ruling-
characteristic bequeathed to Alexander T. Prender
gast. by his noble mother. He inherited his father's
superior intellect and his mother's great heart and
pure soul. Of his ancestry we have spoken in the first
chapter of this volume. The Prendergasts were a
peculiar family of men; — strong minds, sent forth in
stout bodies, well fitted to be the leaders and rulers of
men.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 533
Every word we have written of Alexander Thomp
son Prendergast is strictly true, as every fair minded,
honest man, who was intimately acquainted with him,
will testify. Our picture of this truly great and good
man is finished; — great because he was good.
Alexander T. Prendergast was one of those men
whose very existence was a blessing to bis race. The
lives of such men are not only a heritage to the com
munities in which they lived, but to the country at
large and to the world. Such men manifest the gran
deur of moral power, by showing in themselves the
highest moral advancement of the human race. They
have lingered on tbe extreme verge of moral power,
and have set up their monumental pillars and trophies
on the uttermost limit of human virtue and charity.
That heavenly virtue charity, seemingly so difficult to
follow,, to any great amelioration of the condition of
our fellow beings, was a virtue inherent in his soul—
and founded on his deep, abiding goodness.

In April, 1847, Alexander T. Prendergast was
married to Mary, the daughter of Thomas and Anna
((Patterson) Norton, of Westfield, representatives of two
of the old families of the cross roads. Mr. Norton was
the first cabinet maker, and afterwards started the first
grocery store in Westfield, but he was by nature a stu
dent and an artist, and had received a thorough scho
lastic education, and his leisure hours were spent in
tmore congenial pursuits. He was a great student,
especially in theology, and became a noted expounder
of the bible and its doctrines ; he had a natural bent
¦and inclination for scripture exegesis and for deep bib
lical studies. Mary inherited the literary and artistic
tastes of her father, and her passionate love for flowers

534 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
we never knew equalled, but by one, our own sainted
mother. Alexander's large but plainly furnished house
on the Kiantone was soon converted into bowers of
beauty and fragrant loveliness, and happiness reigned
in and over all.
To Alexander and Mary (Norton) Prendergast
were born two children. James was born June 18th,
1848, and died December 21st, 1879 ; of him we shall
speak hereafter.
Catherine (Kittie) Prendergast was born April
2d, 1854, and she died at Marquette, Michigan, August
2d, 1864. Kittie was a most exquisitely beautiful
child. She died when but little more than ten years
old, but her mind was so mature that she was no com
panion for children of that age. In intellectuality she
would grace any circle of more than twice those years.
She was a great reader of books, and of books of that
high intellectual standing that would fail to interest
children of her own age. A knowledge of high char
acter seemed to be intuitive with her, and she would
converse with remarkable earnestness, knowledge and
good taste on subjects that her elders were scarcely
acquainted with. She was of a cheerful, lively tem
perament, or, as Coleman E. Bishop expresses it, "She
was a ray of light and warmth in every heart upon
which she beamed." Shall we say that Kittie Pren
dergast was too beautiful, too bright, with ideas too
noble, too advanced, for a life on this earth? Oh, no ;
that would not be the true explanation, for a few thus
gifted have been permitted to live long, happy, useful
lives with us, and it would be a reflection upon the
goodness of the All-Father. But we are forced to
admit that such precocious minds too frequently come
to us in bodies too frail to stand the wear and tear of

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 535
a life here. Andyettthis was not the case with Kittie.
She had a good constitution and was filled with good
health, although of that delicate make up which is a
constituent of beauty of body and precocity of mind.
The natural laws are as unbending as any of thatgreat
code which the Almighty has given for our earthly
guidance. The other world which Kittie so highly
adorns will afford us good reasons for God's mysterious
providences, without our reflecting on His goodness to
us here below.
It is not often that parents are as devoted to the
welfare of their children as were Alexander and Mary
Prendergast, to theirs — but they are gone, and Alexan
der has followed. Mary only remains, a lonely watcher
among the tombstones.

Many were the hearts that ached when the words
were passed from mouth to mouth in our streets,
" Alexander Prendergast, is dead," many were the tears
of sincere grief, of deep sorrow then shed. We met a
man on one of our streets that day, one not noted for
his goodness, and but little respected by his neighbors,
weeping as if his heart would break. " Why do you
crv?" we asked. "My only friend is gone; Alexander
T." Prendergast is dead." "Was he your friend?"
"Yes, he was my friend; he was everybody's friend.
He gave everybody money, clothes and bread when
they needed. It is not because I shall get no more
assistance from him that I cry, but it is because I think
' how good he was.' If you ever write anything about
Alexander T. Prendergast say he was 'A good man.'"
The appearance of that miserable man, and the
earnestness with which he spoke, made an impression
upon us, which will always remain bright in our mem-

536 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
ory. We shall never forget it, and when we remember
the one we think of the other. There is a tender place
in our own heart for that miserable, degraded man,
and we feel that we would give a world to have him
say of us from the depths of his heart, as he then said
of Alexander T. Prendergast,
HE WAS A GOOD MAN.

JAMES PRENDERGAST, Jr.
James Prendergast was the only grandson of
James and Agnes (Thompson) Prendergast, and the
only son of Alexander and Mary (Norton) Prendergast.
He was born in Kiantone, Chautauqua County, N. Y.,
June 18th, 1848, and died in Buffalo, December 21st,
1879. Spirit ! thy labor is o'er !
TI13' term of probation is run,
Thy steps are now bound lor the untrodden shore
And the race of immortals begun.
Spirit ! look not on the strife
Or the pleasures of earth with regret —
Pause not on the threshhold of limitless life,
To mourn for the day that is set.
Spirit ! no fetters can bind,
No wicked have power to molest ;
There the weary, like the — the wretched, shall find
A haven — a mansion of re: t.
Spirit ! how bright is the road
For which thou art now on the wing !
Thy home is with him — thy Saviour and God
There — loud hallellujahs to sing. — Mozart's Kequiem.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 537
James Prendergast passed from life in the prime
-of manhood, breaking the last worldly ties that bound
his parents to earth. In his death the bright anticipa
tions of the citizens of Jamestown — of a city, founded
by the grandfather — carefully cherished by the father —
;and which had become the especial care of the son —
were quickly blasted. There are misfortunes which over
take towns as well as families, that we have no right
to attribute to the will of Heaven. James Prender-
.gast passed away from earth in the prime of his man
hood and in robust health. That he should lose his
life from a surgical operation for a trivial ailment, from
which a fatal termination should be no more looked
for than from the pulling of a tooth, is a sad reflection
upon surgical ability. One of those unaccountable
accidents so frequently taking place, robbed us of one
•of our most prominent and most important citizens.
We bow reluctantly to the fiat of fate, for with him a
inoble family has ceased to exist; — a line, bearing Na
ture's stamp of nobility has disappeared, and forever.
Earthly ties have been forever broken — earthly hopes
forever destroyed. But Shakspeare speaks truly when
he says, "The grave's the pulpit of departed man,
From it he speaks" —
The great fountain of human character lies beyond
tbe limits of mortal life, where human passions cannot
invade. It is there that the spirits of all ages, after
their sun is set, are gathered into one firmament, to
shed their unquenchable light upon us. It is in the
great assembly of those who have gone, that great and
gifted souls — the philosopher, the lover of his country
and his kind — complete their benefactions to man
kind, by becoming imperishable exemplars of goodness

538 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
and of virtue. Therefore, we grieve not at the depar
ture of the young or of the eminently wise and good.
They cease to walk with us the weary days of earthly
life— but all they desired to accomplish they leave with
us, a rich inheritance, and their good works go on —
although they have been permitted to enter into rest a
few short years before us.
His sudden and unexpected death came upon us
mournfully and sadly, but it is not for these reasons
we so deeply deplore his loss, but because of what he
was, in and of himself. Most strictly true was that sen
tence in the Rev. Mr. Burford's discourse, at his fune
ral, which reads in these words. " The solemn re
quiem bell had scarce ceased to toll for a Nestor* of
good men, ere another dirge arose, unexpectedly, from
the stricken hearts of old and young, rich and poor, in
this county and city- — when the lightning flashed upon
us the sad intelligence of the death of JAMES PREN
DERGAST— the knightly gentleman, the faithful
friend, the affectionate and obedient son, the enterpris
ing citizen, the honest and charitable landlord of large
property, the very center of a cultured coterie of friends
and admirers, here and elsewhere ; the attached mem
ber of literary societies, the honored and faithful Leg
islator in the Assembly of his State and rising luminary
of his profession. Seldom or never (certainly not in
one so young) has such a sharp and heavy blow been
received to society in this region, as that experienced
at the sad news of his demise." The bright and manly
qualities which brought forth this tribute, plainly in
dicate that the head was filled with knowledge of a
high grade, and the heart with generous and honora
ble charities and affections; — that he possessed not only
* Hon. Abner Hazeltine.

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 530
the highest and choicest, fruits of intellectual training
and culture, but that the best and most ennobling sen
timents of which the heart is capable, were among his
richest and most lofty possessions. Errors and fail
ures, excepting those inseparable from human nature,
were not among his attributes ; and it is certainly true,
that whatever of fault might be perceived in his char
acter, were largely the exaggeration of his virtues; —
an excessive anxiety that everything he did should be
perfect. It may be said, there were times in the great
multiplicity of business, building and public affairs, he
undertook too much, more than his powers of endur
ance would well bear, yet he accomplished them, and
perfectly, the injury, if any, being to his own over
taxed powers. The idea of thoroughness and perfec
tion, went with him in all the duties of life ; as much
in the choice of a piece of furniture, m the hanging of
a picture, the direction of a party of pleasure, in the
reading ofa book and in everything he undertook, up
to affairs of vital importance ; each and all, the trivial
as well as the important, must be as thoroughly and
perfectly done as he was capable of accomplishing.
His rule was, every thing must be the best, of its kind.
His father once said to us, since James' death, "I have
often thought of a conversation I had with him when
he was eleven or twelve years old. It made an im
pression on my mind that caused me to remember it .;
he was home from school at the time. He said to me
' Father, I have been making for myself a rule to be
guided by all through life. It is this: — ' Whatever I
do, to do it as perfectly as I possibly can, however
trifling the thing to be done may be.' My rule, father,
differs from that of many others in this — I include the
little things, those that are usually considered of

540 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
trifling importance or none at all. I think I have seen
that the division line made by men between the im
portant and the unimportant varies almost as much as
do the countenances of men ; and some include in their
list of trifles, things of the highest importance, if they
expect to succeed and be honest and respected. I feel
quite sure that if I perforin little duties as thoroughly
and as well as it is possible for me to do, it will aid me
to do well things of more importance. Among the
boys at the school I notice' quite a number who do not
get their lessons well, and they are generally consid
ered the bad boys, and I can safely say they are the
poor scholars. Now, if they shirk and cheat them
selves while acquiring their education, and get rusti
cated, wont it learn them to shirk their duty and cheat
others when they come 1o be men? I do not expect to
be perfect, but I want to be as perfect as I can. Mother
says my rule is a good one, and that if I do one thing-
well it will learn me to do other things well, and finally
all things well. I do believe she is right, and I intend
constantly to use my best efforts to do whatever I un
dertake well and as perfect as I possibly can." "I read
an article in a newspaper not long ago on high aims.
It said that if we aim at the sun we shall shoot higher
and further than if we aimed at some1 lower object.
Now, father, 1 am. going to aim at the stin — if I do know
I cannot hit it, I can try, and I shall accomplish all I
expect by shooting higher and farther than I other
wise would do." Mr. Prendergast remarked, "I do be
lieve that Jimmy's rule was a good one — that he did
aim at the sun ; certainly he did try to do to perfec
tion all he undertook."
He was distinguished when a mere youth — in the
morning of his life, by rare attainments and unblem-

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 541
ished integrity. He kept his fine natural powersfin
vigorous action by the motives of a generous ambition,
which never fails to address itself to the young and
susceptible in all seminaries of learning, and happy
are those who make the James Prendergasts of -their
schools their models in mental cultivation and moral
worth. It is a well ascertained fact that the great
mass of mankind form their character on those of
others, and are determined followers in their 1 racks.
If the exemplar chosen is from among the moral, the
intellectual and the studious, the extent of their influ
ence for good, even in school life, can scarcely be esti
mated. Thousands of eminent men are made, and
others who should have been eminent, lost, even in
our primary schools; and the real teachers of each have
been fellow students — teaching by example. Good as
well as bad example is contagious; example, especially
among the young, is as diffusive as the vibration of
sound in the atmosphere. It is impossible to calcu
late the influence of example, it enlarges the sphere of
human impulses, and it kindles in many bosoms aspi
rations after excellence by the exhibition of excellence
in their companions.
The influence of association and example is uni
versal, and is active either for good or evil, even from the
cradle to the grave. That James Prendergast, during
the days of his school life, by his bright and studi
ous example, planted in the minds of his especial associ
ates, not only enlightened principles and virtuous
habits, but those fruit trees of mental and intellectual
knowledge and culture, which will in those not early
called away, yield a noble fruitage, to bless the mem
ory of him who, by his virtuous example, planted the
seed, we do not doubt. For it was he who awakened their

542 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
perceptions, keenly to the value of thorough mental
cultivation. It was he, who in their rambles through
the meadows and the forest, first awakened in their
hearts a true love of nature. It was he who lectured
them on the glory of the grass, and the splendor in the
flowers — on the majestic beauty of the forests and the
whispering voices of their leaves — of the beauty and
music of nature in all her work; for of James Prendergast
it may be truly said that he could exclaim with Akinside
"With what attractive charms this goodly frame
Of nature touches the consenting hearts
Of mortal man. For him the spring
Distills her dews, and from the silken gem
Its lucid leaves unfolds ; tor him the hand
Of Autumn tinges every fertile branch
With blooming gold, and blushes like the morn.
Each passing hour sheds tribute from her wings :
And still new beauties meet his lonely walk,
And loves unfelt attract him. Not a breeze
Flies o'er the meadow, not a cloud imbibes
The setting sun's effulgence, not h strain
From all the ter ants of the warbling shade
Ascends, but whence his bosom can partake
Fresh pleasures unreproved "
James Prendergast's only aim was to seek the
noblest purposes of his existence; and his labor was to
prepare himself to do perfectly whatever duty called
him to do. He appears to never wander for a
moment from the path he had chosen, nor to have
been disturbed by any sickly doubts of the worthi
ness of the objects he was pursuing. His views of life
and the part he was to take in it were cheerful and
rational, and his mind was filled with perpetual sun
shine. His conversations bear testimony to this healthy
and happy state of feeling. They were full of the in
spiration of fresh and generous hopes and of proper
and modest confidence in his own powers, the bright

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 543
belongings of youth — when the spirits are unbroken
by the experiences of life- — before disappointments and
the repeated visitations of sorrow had taught the sad
lessons that the results of human exertions always fall
short of its aspirations. These disappointing lessons
he did not live long enough to learn in all their sad
reality. But he had so lived the short life that had
been placed before him, that when suddenly called to
leave the fairest, of earthly prospects, the most lovely
and most, assuring views of the future attended him
within the shadow which divides the present from the
future state of being. He was not unprepared to leave
affectionate parents, wealth, and great, prospects of
honors in a world where every thing appeared so
bright and alluring, and go hence to that other world
which his faith taught him, was far superior to this.
James Prendergast had many amiable and estim
able qualities which secured the attachment of many
friends. Generous to a fault, profuse in his liberality,
constant in his friendships, indisposed to all forms of
vulgarity, dissipation and prodigality, his friendships
were among those who prized a good name. He sel
dom failed to perceive true merit in others, and was
always pleased to see it rewarded. He felt keenly the
injuries done him by false friends, but so long as they
reflected upon him politically, and did not reach to his
private character, he suppressed his. feelings by a
manly control, and treated the deceitful assaults with
a manly disdain, which, had he lived longer, would
have redounded to his greatest credit, and the placing
of these pretended and deceitful friends in the light
belonging to them.
His mind was in the best sense original; he never
arrayed himself in borrowed plumage. Free from

544 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
anything approaching to eccentricity, he fbought for
himself, and in all cases formed his own conclu
sions. His perceptive powers were quick, and the
resources of his well-stored mind were ready and
producible whenever occasion required. Although
he possessed a great aptitude and talent for literary
composition, yet the intellectual exercise in which he
most delighted was conversation. This was probably
the field in which he exhibited most fully his fine
powers and the extent and versatility of his learning,.
with more satisfaction to himself than in any other.
And it must be confessed, that for those who are capa
ble of it, the pleasure of animated, intellectual conver
sation, is hardly inferior to the high excitement of
public speaking, and very far beyond the solitary de
lights of the pen.
Sincere and truth loving, he delighted in earnest
discussion, being equally willing to learn or instruct.
He enjoyed wit and humor, and had a strong sense of
the ludicrous. In all cases requiring the sifting power
of the reasoning faculties and the decision of tbe judg
ment, he always investigated with unusual caution,.
discussed calmly and carefully, weighed accurately,.
and after a thorough dissection of the whole matter,
came to a decision;- — and we are yet to learn the case in
which that decision was wrong. His judgments on
all subjects came from the best, efforts of his reasoning
powers brought to bear upon all the facts of the case.
His reasoning was always from cause to effect, and he
carefully avoided all the errors which the comparative
method involved.
James Prendergast, inherited one family trait in
all its perfectness; — he was singularly free from envy
and malice, and a disposition too frequently met with,

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 545
to disparage or belittle the acquirements of others. It
gave him the greatest pleasure to have one of h's
friends, or any one else, say a fine thing, or do a good
deed which raised them in the estimation of others.
It always delighted him to have his friends do well,
upon all occasions and under all circumstances.
The character of James Prendergast was remark
able for its symmetry, the equal development, of all the
faculties, and for complete harmony between the in
tellectual powers and moral feelings. The portraits of
him give a fair idea of his features, but there is- some
thing in the expression when the face is lit up by
thought which no portrait can adequately give, and is
certainly wanting in his. If we are permitted to speak
of the personal appearance of one who has departed, we
can first say that he was an unusually handsome man.
His face grew finer as he advanced in life, and his
countenance never assumed a nobler aspect nor had
more real beauty in it, than during the last year of bis
life. It was also easy to trace there marks of thought,
of care, and of studiousness, accompanied, we may say,
by signs of a soul at peace with itself and mingled,
we will not say with sadness, but certainly with pen-
siveness, bred, perhaps, from much pondering upon the
uncertainty of human affairs, and the serious aspects
of this life. His frank, generous, yet somewhat pen
sive countenance, limned none of those fatal lines
which indicate craft and insincerity, greed or sensual
ity, but all was clear, open, pure minded and honest.
Towards the close of his life perhaps his countenance
grew more and more staid, earnest and thoughtful, yet
when he smiled every lineament beamed with pleas-

546 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
ure, and there was a pleasant sound and a heartiness
about his laugh which will not soon be forgotten by
those who were wont to hear it.
In private life he was a model of every domestic
virtue and grace. Faithful and deferential to his
father — loving and affectionate to his mother — kind
and unostentatious to the servants, he was the delight
of the domestic hearth which he so much loved, and
vhere all, to the lowest menial loved and respected
him. He was eminently domestic in his tastes, social
in his feelings, averse to high conviviality, and at all
times urbane and modest in his demeanor. His amia
bility was one of his most distinguishing traits. And
among all these high, generous, noble characteristics
of James Prendergast — high above all — was the filial
deference and respect, love and devotion he always
displayed for his father and his mother.
From childhood up to the last days of his life, he
was remarkable for the great desire he had for acquir
ing knowledge. His mind was avaricious of the wealth
of intellectual acquirements, so much so that during
his early school boy days, although he acquired
knowledge with rapidity, the hours he was permitted
to study were too short to meet his views. His facul
ties were vigorous, and he never allowed listlessness to
creep over him so long as a book remained within his
reach. His books were his joy and his pride; in them
he found solace and entertainment, nutriment and in
struction. His literary tastes were keen and discrim
inating, so that he enjoyed the master pieces of hu
man genius with a full relish, and a nice discernment
of their finer qualities. From boyhood up, the ad
vantages offered him fully equaled his desire for

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 547
knowledge. From first to last he had the advantages
of the best schools and tutors in the United States, and
no higher encomiums touching not only zeal and
ability, but of great acquirements and noble conduct
could be given than those accorded to him by President
Woolsey of Yale, and by Professor D wight of Columbia
College. Prof. Dwight especially compliments him
for scholarship and attainments of the highest order.
Returning to Jamestown he founded the law firm
of Green, Prendergast & Benedict — all of them sons of
the early settlers. This firm was broken by his death.
His short political career is spoken of by Coleman
E. Bishop in Memorials as follows: "James Prender
gast's political career brought him only honor. He
entered upon it after much deliberation ; with a full
comprehension of the questionable means by which
alone success is usually considered possible in public
life, and with an equally full determination to either
succeed without resort to those means, or to honorably
fail." He entered upon the campaign with the motto
" Success with clean hands, or failure." In 1878 he
was elected to the Assembly by an overwhelming ma
jority. " The next year he failed of a renomination
for reasons, if it were proper here to recount them,
would redound to his honor more highly than any
other fact in his political career. His course in the
Legislature was of that character to attract attention
by its uprightness." He could neither be drove or
bought; he failed of a re-election because he could not
succeed with clean hands. He would not stoop to
conquer, but proudly preserved his integrity and the
fair name he bore. His friends viewed in this defeat
the proudest triumph of his career.

548 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
The last and noblest of a noble race, he has de
parted from us.
" The night dew that falls, though in silence it weeps,
Shall brighten with verdure the grave where he sleeps;
And the tear that we shed though in secret it rolls,
Shall keep his memory green in our souls."
And what more appropriate epitaph to inscribe on
the mausoleum in Lake View Cemetery, which con
tains his ashes— than the beautiful lines written by
Mrs. Hemans, and inscribed on her own tomb in St
Anns Church, Dublin.
" Calm on the bosom of thy God,
Fair Spirit ! rest thee now !
E'en while with us thy footsteps trod,
His seal was on thy brow.
Dust to the narrow home beneath !
Soul to its place on high !
They who have seen thy look in death,
No more may fear to die."

CONCLUSION.
We have occasionally heard the statement, that
the early settlers of the town of Ellicott, and partic
ularly of the Village of Jamestown, were a rough, igno
rant and intemperate set of people. This we deny, in
the most absolute and positive manner ; and right
here, will show that our assertion is correct. There
are a few truthful and well meaning people, who,
nevertheless, seem to think that all morals, all temper
ance, and the largest portion of the religion in the
country, started into existence soon after they became
citizens of Jamestown; that they set the ball in motion
that knocked over a great portion of the ignorance and
early immorality, and inti oduced, not only the arts
and sciences and civilized society, but the Christian
religion, pure and undefiled, into the place. It is not
the intention of the persons to whom we refer to mis
represent, but a more erroneous and mistaken idea
could not be entertained.
It has been our contention in this volume, that
the early settlers of the town of Ellicott, were for the
most part, the energetic, educated young men of the
best families of New England and of Eastern New
York. They were not only men of energy and perse-

550 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
verance, but of good morals, and had enjoyed the best
advantages the country offered for education. The
record of their names and of their lives proves our
assertion correct. At the time this country was set
tled, the sons of New England, and especially the edu
cated ones, were looking to Western New York and to
the Western Reserve of Ohio, for their future homes.
Knowing that these then wilderness countries possessed
a soil far superior to that on which their fathers lived,
and that emigration must soon people them with a
large and industrious population, they emigrated to,
and commenced life in these wildernesses. They
came first; and by herculean efforts established the
church, the school house and the printing press,
before the less energetic, the less worthy andless
educated had in numbers, left the places of their
birth, to seek new homes in the El Dorado of the west.
When they came, they found communities and laws to
restrain them, and which have continued to restrain
them ever since. These early settlers, for the most
part, came west in small and select companies ; each to
some especial locality, and their friends and relatives
followed, and to the same localities. The first settlers
at the rapids were largely from Wardsboro, Windham
Co., Vt., and from Rensselaer Co. in this state.
We take Jamestown, instead of the town of Elli
cott, as the field of our investigation; — time, the year
1822. We have divided the then inhabitants into
three classes. (1) The moral and educated; (2) the
moral; and (3) the immoral. For the first class we
write down the following names: James Prendergast,
Horatio Dix, Wm. Forbes, Solomon Jones, Ellick
Jones, N. Dolloff, Laban, Abner, and Daniel Hazeltine,
Silas and Jehial Tiffany, E. T. Foote, Sam'l. A. Brown,

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 551
Thos. W. and C. R. Harvey, Wm. Hall, Wm. and John
C. Breed, Silas Shearman, William Knight, Royal and
Eber Keyes, Harmis Willard, Joseph Waite, Samuel
Barrett, Wilfred , Barker, Phineas Stevens, Salmon
Grout, Rufus Pier, Elmer Freeman, Jesse Smith, Hor
ace Allen, Scott Sayles, Hiram Kinney, R. F. Fenton,
N. W. Harrington, Samuel B. Winsor, Jacob and Wm.
H. Fenton, Phineas Palmiter, Darius Dexter, Ezbai
Kidder, J. E. Budlong, Sheldon Smith, Edward Work.
For class two we record seven names ; for class three
we record five names; these not including sawyers on
the mills, whose names we cannot remember ; mostly
transient men. A number of men whose names we
do remember, workers on the mills, should be placed
in class two. In truth Old Argue, whom we have
placed at the head of class three, and poor John Blow
ers, would be rather lonesome, if we did not bring a few
Justices and farmers from out of town, and a good file
of sawyers and raftmen and boatmen to make a re
spectable company- — in numbers*
The conveniences in those early days for being
moral and religious were not extensive or first class,
but such as they had were well patronized. At least
two-thirds of the people of Jamestown, on Sunday,
both in the forenoon and in the afternoon, went regu
larly to the Old Academy to hear either Abner Hazel
tine, Thomas W. Harvey, or Samuel A. Brown read a
sermon, selected from the National Preacher, hear the
Harveys, Jessie Smith, Harmis Willard, the f Jones
girls and the Dix girls and others, sing, and listen
to Deacon Deland's long prayers. The idea that
there was neither morals or religion in Jamestown
* Seepages 5 1, 217, 222.
f Daughters of Solomon Jone3 and Horatio Dix.

552 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
until some ten years after, is not true. In fact, there
was more of each, according to numbers, than at any
period since ; and it was the genuine old orthodox
sort, too ! In those primitive days, boys had to stay
in doors from Saturday night until Monday morning,
and read their testaments or a tract; they had no story
Sunday School books in those days. We well remem
ber two tracts that came nearest to it, — " The Dairy
man's Daughter," and the " Shepherd of Salisbury
Plain," and they were literally worn out by constant
reading. It was hard work for boys to be good in
those times; Sunday was a long, tedious day. Even
in driving the cows to pasture on Sunday morn
ing, the precise time necessary in which to go and
come was given, and if the time was exceeded a flog
ging might be expected on Monday morning- — it was
considered too much like work to undertake to flog a
stout, lusty Rapids boy on Sunday. Those who say
the fathers did not keep Sunday are mistaken. The
period of which we speak is within our own remem
brance, and we know.
We felt that we could not conclude this volume
without correcting this gross slander on the good name
of our fathers. If the sons were one-half as moral and
good as they were, Jamestown would be a far better
place to-day than it is. Nobler men never settled a
new country than those who subdued the wilderness at
the rapids, and laid the foundations of all the bless
ings, social, civil and religious, which we, their child
ren and successors, enjoy.

Our allotted task is finished — our wanderings
through the few streets of Jamestown, and along the
few crooked, muddy roads leading therefrom, in the

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 553
long ago, have come to an end. We have enjoyed
many of our visits with the busy men who were once
the active inhabitants, but wbo died long ago, and are
now almost forgotten. Our greatest regret is, that we
could not use two or three hundred more pages in the
fulfillment of our task— we could have drawn our
pictures clearer and plainer — but this was not to be
thought of. This volume is already twice as large as
our friends expected it would be, and forbade the fur
ther extension. We have labored to make the " Early
History of the Town of Ellicott" — which many friends
said it was our duty to write — and of which, for the
most part, there was no record, worthy of their ac
ceptance. We believe that what we have written is
truthful, and our greatest desire and care has been to
make it so. We hope the method we have pursued in
accomplishing our labor will not meet the disapproba
tion of those who so urgently urged us to undertake a
task, which at the time was so repugnant to our feel
ings. We have mingled our remembrances of persons
with anecdotes and happenings connected with them
— the laughable with the sorrowful, the trifling and
the vain, with serious reflections on the past and on
the future; — a salmagundi; — perhaps an ollapodrida;
from which the fastidious modern reader may select
morsels agreeable to his peculiar taste, and reject those
not suited to his delicate digestion.
For a year we have lived in the past. Daily we
have walked the streets of Jamestown as they were
sixty years ago, and before. We have daily met thereon
our fathers, and have followed them into their various
places of business, and at times found them so busily
engaged with the affairs of time and earthly pursuits,
that they could not give us a few moments in which

554 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
to talk over the affairs of the town,and the latest news
from those then, far off localities, Chadwick's Bay,
(Dunkirk) Pomfret Four Corners, (Fredonia) and the
Cross Roads, (Westfield), and the last news from Buf
falo about Clinton's ditch. Most truly we have lived
in the long ago, in the which there were no grades or
divisions in society — in the which the rich and the
poor, the high and the lowr, lived together and associ
ated as equals ; — in the which there were no locks on
the doors, neither was it necessary, for it was rare that
any overt act was committed. Those days prepared
for the present. But the living of those early days
over again has not been an altogether disagreeable
task. The most disagreeable part has been that those
good old times can never again return, and it has led
us to pass our own life in review, to live our own life
over again, and to mark its errors. Solemn and sad
at times has been the retrospect. As we have passed
along through the years that are back of us, full of
voices eloquent and pathetic; we have stood over
the grave of many an early dream. We have eaten
and slept with disappointment. We have watched by
the couch of many a hope and seen it fail and die.
We have buried many a bright expectation, and laid
the memorial wreath over many a joy. Withered
garlands, broken rings, broken vases, once filled with
flowers, on every side have strewn the pathway.
By a wearying, unwelcome effort we have called
back -from the musty caves of memory, friends who
passed away years ago. We remembered them as
active and prominent in the affairs of life ; suffering-
its griefs, enjoying its pleasures ; and we mourned
when they were called away. At times it has been a
disagreeable labor for us to recall them, as graven on

THE TOWN OF ELLICOTT. 555
the memory, and sit down with them for one short
hour and retrace those pleasant times now — gone 1
We hurry through our task, dismiss the shadows
from our thoughts, and close the book of memory
against them.
And thus it has been generation after generation
for thousands of years. Each had their day of active
life, their cups filled to the brim with the world's
pleasures and its pains; they passed away like the
vapor, while the world wore the same aspect of beauty
as now, and has worn during all the ages of earth's
human occupancy.
The heavens will be as bright over our graves, as
now around our pathways ; the world will offer the
same bright attractions for those now unborn as it has
for us. In a much shorter time than that we have
been reviewing, all of this will have happened ; to
many of us even the coming year will have wrought
the great change which releases from all earthly
affairs. The throbbing heart will have been stilled
and at rest, the funeral train will have passed by,
and the tearful mourners again busy on the streets.
For a short time they will think of us, and occasion
ally speak of us, but the affairs of life will creep in,
and speedily we will be forgotten. An occasional,
momentary remembrance is quickly thrust from the
mind — as an unwelcome intruder — and ere long all
thought of us will have passed away forever. Days
will continue to move on, and laughter and song will
be heard in the rooms where we died; the streets will
continue to be filled with busy men, the assemblages
of the joyful and the pleasure seeking as large as they
are now. It always has been, as it always will con
tinue to be, the fate of the living, to die and of the

556 THE EARLY HISTORY OF
dead to be forgotten. Thus, most feelingly does Henry
Kirke White sing to us of this passing away :
" Yes, 'twill be over soon. This sickly dream
Of life will banish from my feverish brain ;
And death my wearied spirit will redeem
From this wild region of unvaried pain.
Yon brook will glide as softly as before, —
Yon landscape smile, — yon golden harvests grow, —
Yon sprightly lark on mounting wing will soar
When Henry's name is heard no more below.
*****
God of the just, — thou gavest the bitter cup ;
I bow to thy behest, and drink it up."
THE END.

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