Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== A Memoir of the Late William Hodge, Sen. Bigelow Bros., Buffalo, N.Y. - 1885 (21-26) THE COLD SPRING ------- It seems to me a great pity, a public loss, that " The Cold Spring" (about two and three-quarters miles from Buffalo Creek, on the Williamsville road or Main street, where it takes northeastward course), a noted spot ever since the first settling of this frontier town, and prominent in the War of 1812-15, should have been destroyed in the laying of the Bird Avenue sewer. On this account, and because this spring, and the tavernstand beside it, will be so often referred to in these papers, I here give some account of the spring itself, and of those who have occupied the position of "mine host" in its far-famed hostelry. But I will first say something about some the other springs of water in this vicinity, the traces of nearly all of which have disappeared. Mention will also be found some of them in another paper upon roads and early traveling. Tradition says that Indians, in going from their reservation near Buffalo, to Tonawanda, would first come to the spring on, I think, lot No. 37 (which lay north of our Best street and 30 or 40 rods from Jefferson street). In the first settling of this town this spring was pretty well known, as being place where cattle sometimes got "mired," and could not get out without help. So when the settlers' cows were not found, or did not come home in the course of the night, the first place where they were looked for in the morning was that miry spring. In early days I have been there a great many times, and drank of its water. I have also found pieces of pottery, made clay, around it. From this spring the Indians would come to the "Cold Spring," to the spring on the STALEY lot 58, or to the Jubilee spring, on lot 62, and thence to the springs along Conjockety's Creek. One of the latter springs was on the south side of the creek, near the old fording- place; one was reached immediately after crossing, northward; a third was about fifty rods farther on, upon the east side of "John's Meadow" (now covered by the beautiful lake in the Park), and perhaps thirty rods north of the creek, and still another near the north side of this meadow, and near the line between the GRANGER and CHAPIN farms. In the last two named, we used to push down poles ten or more feet in length. The last mentioned spring was on the flat, and not near the bank of the creek, and where the water ran out and all around it, the ground was higher than it was at a distance of ten feet or so away. The material of this rim seemed to be what is called bog-iron- ore. It was a considerate and wise act of JOSEPH ELLICOTT as agent and surveyor for the Holland Land Company, to lay out and establish the road connecting The East and The West through Buffalo so as to take the large and noble "Cold Spring" in its course, for the public benefit. I remember it well when it was in its primitive state. It was surrounded by bluff banks, excepting on the north-east side, where the pure cool stream flowed forth. It was then about as large as the basin which was afterwards walled up to accumulate and hold the water. Up to about 1816 or 1818 there were three pretty large trees, of fifteen or twenty inches diameter, growing around the Spring and next to its edge, at the bottom of the surrounding bluff. The largest of these was a yellow birch, which grew on the southeast side, —the side towards the tavern-house; one of the other trees was, I think, a soft maple, standing on the east side, or a little south of east; and the third was an oak, on the west side, and nearest to the main road. These trees all leaned their tops inward over the spring. Originally the banks were somewhat sloping, and steps were cut into the steepest part on the south side, by which to go down to a plank which extended several feet over the bubbling and boiling water. Lying stretched out on this plank, face downward, many a one has here slaked his thirst in the days gone by, and from that plank many a pail and jug has been filled with the pure cool beverage. This spring never froze, and the water was of about the same temperature summer and winter. The banks of the spring were eventually lowered, and a wall was built, with steps at one side, by which to reach the never-failing water collected there. The stream which ran from the spring was formerly full of little fish, such as chubs, shiners, small rock bass, and other sorts. But no account of the spring would be complete without a notice of the Cold Spring Tavern. Though the spring has disappeared, there is a tavern-stand close by its soon-to-beforgotten site, and on the same spot there has been one since 1808, and I will give some account of those who have kept it from the commencement. A Mr. RUSSELL was the first of these, and probably remained but a year or two. Next came for a short time, the firm of SAUNDERS & COOLEDGE, and then HOWES & PERSONS (EBENEZER HOWES and LYMAN PERSONS). They were keeping the house in the spring of 1811, but Mr. HOWES left it in the fall of that year, Mr. PERSONS continuing till 1812, when Major FREDERICK MILLER came in and kept it through the war. He had before that managed the ferry and tavern at Black Rock. About 1817 he made an exchange of property with Mr. FRANKLIN, taking his tavern- stand in the village of Williamsville and occupying and managing it for some time. He subsequently removed to a farm near by, which he cultivated till he died, January 26, 1830, at the age of 70 years, Mr. FRANKLIN was a very worthy Christian man, and kept the tavern for some time. He was succeeded by a Mr. LYMAN, who kept it for about a year. Then came CHARLES AVERILL for a season or so, giving place to a Mr. Walbridge, an excellent man, who in a year was followed by BEACH & HIGGINS. Mr. BEACH was quite an expert with the rifle, when rifles were not abundant. He also kept a blood-hound. DAVID HENNION suc- ceeded BEACH & HIGGINS about 1822. He was from New York City, a des- cendent of some of its Dutch settlers. Mr. HENNION was quite an enterprising man for those early times. Besides keeping the Cold Spring tavern, he carried on blacksmithing, on the opposite side of the road. In the fall and early winter he collected a wagon-load of dressed poultry and took it to New York City. He also had in his employ a man who was quite expert in catching wild pigeons in a net. These he carried to New York and sold. Mr. HENNION also procured two large full-grown elks to take to New York as a "speculation." He kept the tavern from about 1822 to 1826, when RUDOLPH BARR, WASHINGTON RUSSELL and a Mr. LAPP moved in, with their families. They came from Pennsylvania, Mr. Russell being Mr. BARR'S son-in-law. He kept the tavern. The other two erected a brewery quite near the spring (JACOB SCOTT being the carpenter). As soon as the building was ready they began to make what they called "strong" beer, the name "lager" was not then used here, —the first strong beer made in Buffalo. This was better and more pure than the beer now made here, and was not stupefy- ing as most of this is. I do not think BARR and LAPP drugged or salted their beer. Mr. RUSSELL kept the Cold Spring tavern about a year; when he gave it over to Mr. BARR. At about the same time Mr. LAPP dissolved part- nership with Mr. BARR, who continued the tavern and brewing business till 1834, when Mr. CRISP came into the tavern. But he kept it only a short time when he became sick and died. Mr. BARR had built a dwelling-house near the tavern-stand, and moved into it with his family, residing there until his death, December 20, 1836. After the death of Mr. CRISP, the tavern was continued by GEORGE MOSIER. He also sickened and died in a short time, when EBENEZER HOPKINS came in for a while, and after him JOSEPH SHAW, who was succeeded by WOLCOTT VEDDER, and he by the two brothers, AUGUSTUS and CHARLES BARR. This was in 1839. Their father, RUDOLPH BARR, soon after he came here bought of WILLIAM T. MILLER the farm-lots 36 and 37, which contained the Cold Spring tavern. These two brothers kept the tavern, together, until 1844, when AUGUSTUS withdrew and CHARLES continued until 1849. Who that has ever traveled the old Batavia Road since the year 1808, has not a recollection of "The Cold Spring Tavern"? In the War of 1812-15, this was quite a central point on this frontier, and many of the officers of our army made it their stopping place. A duel with pistols, between two of our army officers, was fought there during that time. Its scene was the foot of the Cold Spring farm-lot (No. 36), at the little "run" near the corner of Ferry and Jefferson streets. The officers' names, I am sorry to say, I do not recollect. I remember, however, that one of them was a surgeon. The surgeon, an expert duelist and a bully, saw fit to challenge the other, though he was an inexperienced officer, —inexperienced, at least, in the use of pistols, —for the purpose and with the intention of getting him out of the way. The challenge was of course accepted, as in those warring times no honorable man when challenged would refuse to fight a duel. The challenged man expected to be killed, and so he chose as positions that the two should stand side by side, each to take hold of the same handkerchief with the left hand and hold his pistol in his right hand, and both were to fire on the command, "Ready, fire!" The experienced duelist, presenting the narrowest part of himself to his antagonist, received his ball in his right side and fell and died immediately. The other, not thinking of the policy of exposing the smallest possible front to his enemy, stood squarely facing him. He received the ball in front, and it passed through his breast, not touching any vital part. He survived, and lived for many years afterwards. Before the Erie Canal was finished, in 1825, this Cold Spring tavern was the stopping-place of the big five-, six- and seven horse wagons, with tires six inches wide, which were used to transport goods from Albany to Buffalo, —the price of transportation being $6.00 per hundred pounds. This was a place also where town-meetings and elections were held. Here, too, the young men and boys met to play old-fashioned "base ball," and have "shooting-matches," turkeys, geese and chickens being the game, 20 rods the distance, and the expense sixpence a shot. The distance after a few years was increased to 35 and 40 rods, as some became quite expert with the rifle. The Cold Spring was a central point for these and other purposes, such as balls, singing schools, etc., for those from Buffalo Village, Black Rock and Buffalo Plains. Here, too, as is elsewhere in these papers related, religious services were often held, while Mr. FRANKLIN occupied the place. ===========================================================================