TOWN OF ASHFORD

Transcribed October 2000 by Art Burch and Laura Greene
submitted by PHGS member Mike Henderson

Riley GARFIELD, in the fall of 1832, located 120 acres on the south part of lot 14, and sold out in a few years.  The property belongs mostly to John LINK.  John, Ormill, and Royal MURPHY, three brothers, located in 1830, and moved in November, 1831.  They took up about 200 acres on lots 15 and 16.  John stayed a few years, and moved to Pennsylvania.  Ormill lived here until about 1868, when he moved to Machias.  His son John remained at West Valley, where he is justice of the peace.  Eli K. PICKETT, from Genesee County, in the fall of 1834, came in and took up 150 acres on the south side of lot 13.

Lorenzo WAIT took the 120 acres on lot 21, afterwards sold to William GIBSON in 1838.  Joseph WEST and Wm. GIBSON, both from Genesee County, came in about 1838.  WEST purchased 120 acres of Apollos LINCOLN, who was a son-in-law of William WAIT, and had put up a cabin on lot 37.  Joseph WEST has two sons, George N. and James, who are both living at West Valley.  George N. WEST has represented the county in the Assembly and the town as supervisor.

The first post-office established here was called West Valley, in honor of Mr. WEST.  The first school-house erected here was in the summer of 1839, about 100 rods from the hotel.  The first teacher was Juliet GIBSON.  The jury list of Ellicottville for 1823 shows the names of those liable to jury duty who were residents within the portion of the town above referred to as part of the present town of Ashford, namely:

 Seth ALLEN, tanner David OYER, farmer 
 George ARNOLD, farmer John OYER, farmer 
 Marsena BROOKS, farmer Peter QUACKENBUSH, farmer 
 Charles BOSS, farmer Anderson ROWLAND, farmer 
 Philip BONESTEEL, farmer James SAUNDERS, farmer 
 Henry BONESTEEL, farmer Sanford J. SAMPSON, farmer 
 Johnson BENSLEY, tailor Peter SAMPSON, farmer 
 Lothrop BEEBE, farmer Nathan SAUNDERS, farmer 
 John FRANK, Jr., farmer Ebenezer C. SHERMAN, farmer 
 Andrew FRANK, farmer Amos L. THOMAS, joiner 
 Jacob FRANK, blacksmith Augustus VAN SLYKE, farmer 
 Jacob H. FRANK, farmer Isaac WOODRUFF, farmer 
 Samuel FLAGG, farmer David WILDEY, farmer 
 Baltus GOODEMOTE, farmer Griffin WILDEY, farmer 
 Philip GOODEMOTE, farmer John PRATT, farmer 
 Michael HUFSTATER, farmer Nathan PRATT, farmer 
 Francis NEWKIRK, farmer 
 

In the year 1819, John HOLDRIDGE, Elijah PARMENTER, and Tristam DODGE were living upon farms on lot 53, township 6, range 7, and Asahel NYE had taken lands in lot 54 of the same township; these locations being within the northwest corner of Ashford, then a part of Otto.

And there were living in the same portion of the town in the year 1824 the following persons, whose names are found on the assessment-roll of Otto for that year, viz.:

  Lot Township Range 
 Frederick FRANK ………………… 8 5 7 
 Jacob HUFSTATER ……………… 1 6 7 
 George OYER …………………….. 25 6 7 
 Elijah HARVEY …………………… 25 6 7 
 Hiram GOO ……………………….. 39 6 7 
 Henry NYE ………………………… 42 6 7 
 Austin PRATT …………………….. 45 6 7 
 Elias BOWER …………………….. 45 6 7 
 Tristam DODGE ………………….. 53 6 7 
 Elijah PARMENTER ……………… 53 6 7 
 John HOLDRIDGE ………………. 53 6 7 
 Davis NYE ………………………… 54 6 7 
 Elijah PARMENTER ……………… 54 6 7 

The following names, taken from the assessment-roll of Ellicottville for 1822, are those of persons then occupying lands in that part of the town which is now included in Ashford:

  Lot Township Range 
 George ARNOLD …………………. 74 6 6 
 Johnson BENSLEY ………………. 74 6 6 
 Eaton BENSLEY ………………….. 74 6 6 
 Jacob H. FRANK …………………. 71 6 6 
 John GOODEMOTE ……………… 65 6 6 
 Michael HUFSTATER ……………. 75 6 6 
 Alanson LOVELESS ……………... 74 6 6 
 David OYER ………………………. 66 6 6 
 Nathan SAUNDERS ……………… 70 6 6 
 James SAUNDERS ………………. 60 6 6 
 Geo. SCHISM …………………….. 57 6 6 
 Amos L. THOMAS ………………... 59 6 6 
 Daniel THOMAS ………………….. 58 6 6 
 David WILDEY ……………………. 58 6 6 
 Griffin WILDEY ……………………. 57 6 6 
 Jabesh WEEDEN ………………… 41 6 6 
 Amasa WHEELOCK ……………... 74 6 6 
 Benjamin RHODES ………………. 54 6 6 
 Moses WHITE …………………….. 71 6 6 
 Marsena BROOKS ……………….. 53 5 6 
       “               “        ……………….. 54 5 6 
       “               “        ……………….. 62 5 6 
 Norman B. CARTER ……………... 45 5 6 
 Andrew FRANK …………………... 56 5 6 
 John FRANK ……………………… 64 5 6 
 Jacob FRANK …………………….. 48 5 6 
 Hiram GOO ……………………….. 62 5 6 
 John QUACKENBUSH ………….. 55 5 6 
 Peter QUACKENBUSH ………….. 55 5 6 
 Augustus VAN SLYKE …………… 47 5 6 
 David OYER ………………………. 56 5 6 
       “        “     ………………………. 47 5 6 
       “        “      ……………………… 63 5 6 
 John OYER ……………………….. 55 5 6 
 Anderson ROWLAND …………… 61 5 6 
       “               “             …………… 55 5 6 
 Isaac WOODRUFF ………………. 54 5 6 
       “               “         ………………. 62 5 6 
 Lothrop BEEBE …………………… 14 5 6 
 Sanford I. SAMPSON ……………. 29 5 6 
 Joseph F. CARTER ……………… 45 5 6 
 

From a map of the town of Ashford, made in 1843, the following occupants were on the several lots.  In the southeast corner lots 4, 5, 6, 12, 20, 28, 30 were marked nonresident.  Of lot 29, 148 acres were on the north side, marked N. R., and the remainder was taken by B. B. CLOVER, Jonathan WEST, and Geo. and Joseph WEST.

About 120 acres on the east side of lot 21 was taken by Wm. GIBSON.  About the same amount on the east side of lot 22 by Wm. WAIT and P. BARLOW.

Lot 14 was taken by Hiram CHAMBERLAIN, Joel BAILEY, and John LOCKROW; lot 13 by S. R. HANAN, R. HANAN, W. MASON, Wm. GIBSON, S. PICKET, and Eli K. PICKET, lot 7 on the east line of the town, 100 acres on the east was taken by S. COX, 106 acres by B. HADLEY, 68 acres, N. R., and 50 acres by H. DAVIS; lot 8, directly north, "marked N. R.;" lot 15 is marked to O. MURPHY, Ezra COOPER, and H. WILLIS; lot 16 to Charles BOND and B. MURPHY, except 80 acres, marked N. R.; lot 23 is marked to E. WILLSON and Wm. NEHEMIAH, except 128 acres on the north side, marked N. R.; lot 24 is 262 acres, marked N. R., and 25 acres to Wm. M. RICE; lot 31 is 314 acres N. R., and 50 acres to Roswell HILL; lot 32, Conrad WIDRIG had 100 acres on south side, the remainder N. R.; lot 36 to George HUGHEY, Thomas HICKS, Cornelius HESSEN, and Wm. HESSEN; lot 37, 107 acres N. R., Charles FACET, B. B. CHAMBERLIN, and N. HEWSON the remainder; lot 38 and 40 N. R.; lot 39 N. R., except 50 acres to J. P. BARGY; lot 44, Gospel Lot, 50 acres, Daniel B. JEWETT and Isaac WOODRUFF; lot 45, Wm. HICKS, J. P. BARGY, R. A. CARTER, P. QUACKENBUSH, D. B. JEWETT, and Catharine STANING; lot 46, J. P. BARRY and John BELLOWS; lot 47, J. P. BARGY, J. H. FRANK, John COLF, and John PANAPS; lot 48, A. ALLEN, J. KETCH, D. OYER, and 145 acres N. R.; lot 52, D. B. JEWETT and others; lot 53, D. B. JEWETT, Isaac WOODRUFF, and Paran FOX; lot 54, Andrew FRANK, John D. QUACKENBUSH, I. WOODRUFF, and A. J. STORRING; lot 55, J. ROWLAND, J. BELLOWS, Widow OYER, Asa ROWLAND, David OYER, and D. HUFSTATER; lot 56, David HUFSTATER, Wm. MIMMICK, H. FRANKS, and John ROWLAND; lot 60, Arnold HOLDEN 150 acres, and 140 acres N. R.; lot 61, Hiram FOLTZ, John VAN SLYKE, M. HILLER, and J. WARNER; lot 62, Joseph FOLTZ, C. BOSS, D. OYER, and A. FRANK; lot 63, D. OYER, J. ANDERSON, C. TURNER, J. MULTER and J. FRANK; lot 64, J. MULTER, Geo. BREEDENBECKER, Jeremiah FRANK, and Warren FRANK.

Township 6, Range 6.  -- Lots 55 and 67 are N. R.; lot 35, A. WILLIAMS, D. DAY, J. FLAGG, 116 acres, N. R.; lot 36, Orrin FRENCH, S. LAWTON, S. M. DAY, and G. LEONARD; lot 37, Sands MOON, E. PALMER, Robert HOLDEN, S. VAUGHAN, and 39 acres N. R.; lot 38, Ebenezer POOL, B. JOSLYN, W. MOON, J. JOSLYN, and 129 acres N. R.; lot 39, Ambrose UPSON, E. POOL, D. K. UPSON, Peter PECK, and 71 acres N. R.; lot 40, Abel HOLMAN, 100 acres, and 270 acres N. R.; lot 41, Jonathan STUDLEY, Wm. BELL, Lothrop BEEBE, John W. CROWLEY, Geo. RICHMOND, and M. HYDE; lot 42, Wm. M. RICE, S. BOND, F. HAMMOND, and 33 acres N. R.; lot 43, S. REMINGTON, Russel FRENCH, and A. RICE; lot 44, Peter P. WILTSE, Chester WILDER, H. F. WILDER, and Samuel FAIRBANKS; lot 45, Abel DENNISON, Edmund DENNISON, Cornelius BIGELOW, and 100 acres N. R.; lot 46, Charles C. BIGELOW, Job BIGELOW, Ezra BIGELOW, C. STOWEL, 49 acres N. R.; lot 47, Job BIGELOW, Almon FULLER, and 75 acres N. R.; lot 48, L. TRACY, O. TRACY, Elias BREWER, Laban GATES, and 100 acres N. R.; lot 49, N. HOLLAND, Wm. M. RICE, and 157 acres N. R.; lot 50, A. RICE, A. HADLEY, and 53 acres N. R.; lot 51, Timothy STEVENS, Thomas STEVENS, J. REMINGTON, J. D. SEARL, and 72 acres N. R.; lot 52, J. SAUNDERS, O. MORTON, B. WEAST, Wm. HOLMAN, James KINGSLEY, 64 acres N. R.; lot 53, Daniel M. COLE, Wm. SHULTZE, Wm. GOODEMOTE, H. HITCHCOCK; lot 54, Almon FULLER, Richmond FULLER, J. S. DOUGLASS, J. KINGSLEY, A. M. D. FULLER, A. B. FULLER, J. G. FULLER, and 40 acres N. R.; lot 56; A. HADLEY, 25 acres, R. TYLER, 100 acres, and 229 acres N. R.; lot 57, E. C. SHERMAN, C. SHERMAN, Wm. L. EMERSON, and 142 acres N. R.; lot 58, George WASSON, Conrad WEAST, E. FAY, and J. WILCOX; lot 59, J. C. JACKSON, Amos L. THOMAS; lot 60, James SAUNDERS, N. HITCHCOCK, Truman BENSLEY, H. HOUSE, and 124 acres N. R.; lot 61, John LAMBMAN, 100 acres, and 270 acres N. R. ; lot 62, John FRANK, 100 acres, and 260 acres N. R. ; lot 63, Jacob WHITE, Joseph SAUNDERS, 198 acres N. R. ; lot 64, James SAUNDERS, J. P. BOND, and 262 acres N. R.; lot 65, C. C. BIGELOW, S. FRITTS, G. WADDELL, Baltus GOODEMOTE, Philip GOODEMOTE, James D. SEARL; lot 66, John JOHNSTON, 100 acres, and 263 acres N. R.; lot 68, Peter WIDRIG, Seth ALLEN, and 186 acres N. R.; lot 69, Seth ALLEN and J. P. BOND; lot 70, Jeremiah WILCOX, Bond COOK, and Widow OTIS; lot 71, W. FRANK, W. DEDRICK, Francis NEWKIRK, Uriah WIGHTMAN, and Lee WIGHTMAN ; lot 72, Timothy FOLTS, 50 acres, and 340 acres N. R.; lot 73, Seth ALLEN, J. HUFSTATER, and Peter WIDRIG; lot 74, Seth ALLEN, George WIDRIG, Elbert W. COOK, S. SMITH; lot 75, John P. OYER, Daniel FRANK, Frederick FRANK; lot 76, Frederick FRANK, Henry FOLTS, H. MILLER; lot 77, John PRATT, Nathan PRATT, and ___ DOW; lot 78, J. HUFSTATER, Truman CRUMMELL.

Township 5, Range 7. -- Lot 8, Henry FRANK, F. FRANK.

Township 6, Range 7. -- Lot 1, John D. OYER, Frederick FRANK, 100 acres N. R.; lot 10, A. WOODRUFF, John MILLER, J. P. OYER, 121 acres N. R.; lot 11, N. R.; lot 25, George OYER, John DOW, Daniel DOW, L. WEBER; lot 26, John Lowe, J. J. FRANK, H. WIDRIG, G. G. WIDRIG, 47 acres N. R.; lot 27, G. G. WIDRIG, and 119 acres N. R.; lot 39, I. J. WEBER, B. WARNER, Widow PIERCE; lot 40, L. and M. WEBER and C. Crawford; lot 53, A. SCOBEY, F. SMITH, O. PARMENTER, M. C. HUFSTATER; lot 54, Wm. OYER, L. WEBER; lot 55, Matthew WEBER, B. B. WEBER, L. PIERCE, J. B. ROBBINS, and S. PIERCE; lot 41, T. PIERCE, Robert DYGERT; lot 42, Willard HAKES and Jacob HELMSTREET; lot 43, J. DODGE, Jesse FRYE, and 61 acres N. R.; lot 44, 59 acres N. R.; lot 45, J. S. FRYE. 
 

ORGANIZATION OF TOWN.

Ashford was erected from Ellicottville, Feb. 16, 1824.  A part of Otto was annexed April 13, 1835.
The first town-meeting was held at the house of Amos L. THOMAS the first Tuesday in March, 1824, and organization was perfected.
The following officers were elected: Johnson BENSLEY, Supervisor; Seth ALLEN, Town Clerk; Ebenezer C. SHERMAN, Truman BENSLEY, and Isaac WOODRUFF, Assessors; Avery SMITH, David OYER, and Peter SAMPSON, Commissioners of Highways; Nathan SAUNDERS and David OYER, Overseers of Poor; Norman B. CARTER, George ARNOLD, and Daniel THOMAS, Commissioners of Schools.
The following is a list of supervisors, town clerks, and justices of the peace:

SUPERVISORS.

 1825-29. Peter SAMPSON. 1856. Joseph HAMMOND. 
 1830-31. David OYER. 1858-60. Boutelle A. LOWE. 
 1832-33. Peter SAMPSON. 1861-62. Francis P. RICE. 
 1834-36. Jeremiah WILCOX. 1863. Boutelle A. LOWE. 
 1837. David RUPSON. 1864-65. Francis P. RICE. 
 1838. Jeremiah WILCOX. 1866. A. B. WILLSON. 
 1839-40. David B. JEWETT. 1867-68. Geo. N. WEST. 
 1841. David PIERCE. 1869. Andrew B. NEFF. 
 1842. Thomas PIERCE, Jr. 1870. John QUACKENBUSH. 
 1843-45. David B. JEWETT. 1871. Andrew B. NEFF. 
 1846-47. J. J. FRANK. 1872-73. F. P. RICE. 
 1848. Alexander SCOBEY. 1874. Geo. W. OYER. 
 1849. Alanson KING. 1875-76. Andrew B. NEFF. 
 1850-53. Alex. SCOBEY. 1877. Geo. N. WEST. 
 1854-55. A. B. WILLSON. 1878. A. C. PORTER. 

TOWN CLERKS.

 1825-27. Charles BOSS. 1856. John MULTER. 
 1828. George ARNOLD. 1857. James J. BARGER. 
 1829-30. Ebenezer C. SHERMAN. 1858. Francis J. KINE. 
 1831. James D. SEARL. 1859. F. P. RICE. 
 1832. Abel FRENCH. 1860: Alonzo WILTZE. 
 1833. John W. CLARKE. 1861. John ELLIS. 
 1834-37. Charles BOSS. 1862. Seward ROBBINS. 
 1838. Harry HOUSE. 1863. Alonzo WILTZE. 
 1839. James D. SEARL. 1864-65. Frederick A. CLARK. 
 1840-41. Charles BOSS. 1866. J. B. LARABEE. 
 1842-45. Seth ALLEN. 1867-68. Charles N. SHERMAN. 
 1846. Warner FRANK. 1869-70. George W. OYER. 
 1847. Jeremiah FRANK. 1871-72. F. P. RICE. 
 1849-51. David WARD. 1873. Charles F. BALLOU. 
 1852. Francis P. RICE. 1874. Clark K. DAY. 
 1853. John REED. 1875-76. Charles HOLDEN. 
 1854. Francis P. RICE. 1877-78. William KRUSE. 
 1855. Orange HAMMOND. 
 

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

 1830. Jacob P: BARGA. 1855. Charles C. BIGELOW. 
 1831. David RUPSON. 1856. Thomas PIERCE. 
           Arnold HOLDEN. 1857. John L. MURPHY. 
 1832. Seth ALLEN. 1858. Jacob MULTER. 
 1833. William M. RICE. 1859. Ambrose UPSON. 
 1834. Norman B. CARTER. 1860. Geo. C. McKAY. 
 1835. David RUPSON. 1861. John L. MURPHY. 
 1836. Seth ALLEN. 1862. Jacob MULTER. 
 1837. William M. RICE. 1863. A. R. UPSON. 
           Arnold HOLDEN. 1864. G. C. PARMENTER. 
 1839. John W. CROSBY. 1865. John L. MURPHY. 
 1840: Thomas PIERCE. 1866. Jacob MULTER. 
 1841. Joseph REMINGTON.           Thomas PIERCE. 
 1842. Arnold HOLDEN. 1867. Paul H. WIEDRIG. 
 1843. Sylvester FITCH. 1868. Beta REMINGTON. 
 1844. Alexander SCOBEY.           Chester J. LOWE. 
           Charles C. BIGELOW. 1869. John L. MURPHY. 
 1845. Joseph REMINGTON. 1870. Jacob MULTER. 
 1846. Arnold HOLDEN.           J. B. WEBER. 
           Andrew STEVENS. 1871. Wm. PIERCE. 
 1847. Charles C. BIGELOW. 1872. P. S. ALDRICH. 
 1848. J. J. FRANK. 1873. J. L. MURPHY. 
 1849. Andrew STEVENS. 1874. L. C. ROBBINS. 
 1850. Arnold HOLDEN. 1875. Jacob MULTER. 
 1851. Charles C. BIGELOW.           William PIERCE. 
 1852. Jacob J. FRANK. 1876. J. S. ALDRICH. 
 1853. Albert HOLLAND. 1877. J. E. HUMPHREY. 
 1854. Arnold HOLDEN. 1878. Jacob GUNTLER. 

SCHOOLS.

The first school-house was erected, at Thomas' Corners, and one about the same time in the southwest part of the town, in the fall of 1822.  Daniel THOMAS and Nelson B. CARTER being the first teachers.  They were appointed the first commissioners in 1824, together with George ARNOLD.
The town was divided by them into districts.  They reported that year as received from the State treasurer $8.30, and from the collector of the town, the same amount.
Below is given their report upon the division of the towns into districts, with their bounds:

SCHOOL RECORDS OF ASHFORD, 1824.

School districts and their bounds in the town of Ashford as divided by the undersigned, being school commissioners of said town for the year 1824.  School district No. 1, beginning on the northwest corner of lot 70, thence eastwardly to the town line of Yorkshire; thence south to the south line of township 6, range 6; thence running west parallel with the first mentioned bounds; thence north to the first mentioned bounds of lot No. 70.
School district No. 2, beginning at northeast corner of lot 74; thence west to the transit line; thence south to the line of Ellicottville; thence east to the town of Yorkshire; thence north to the 6th township, 6th range; thence west parallel with the lot 70 on the Cattaraugus Creek, on the 6th range; thence north to the first mention boundary of lot 1, in the town of Otto, on which Jacob HUFSTATER now lives.
    Dated at Ashford, this 18th day of September, 1824.
 George ARNOLD,
 Daniel THOMAS,
 Peter SAMPSON,
 Commissioners of Common Schools.

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