Lecture #1

Joseph Ellicott

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I should at this time tell you how I obtained all this information:

• First, a book " Joseph Ellicott and the Holland Land Company" by William Chazanof
  
  
• Second, Articles and Lectures by Franciska Safran, head librarian at Fredonia State College and the chief researcher on the Holland Land Company who negotiated the return of a vast amount of documents and map prints to America from Holland
  
  
• Third, Lecture by John McIntosh, Jr, PLS
  
  
• Fourth, many articles obtained from the World Wide Web.

In the form of a Time Line:

This is a brief lecture of a period of rapid change in this area of the world and how Joseph Ellicott impacted that change.

• After centuries of the shifting tide of small tribes, Western NY was controlled by the Erie Indians.
  
  
• Then things started to change comparatively rapid. In 1654 after a savage battle campaign, the Senecas took control over the region.

French VS. British Claims

• Then came the white man in 1679, a French explorer named Robert Cavelier Sieur de la Salle came through the Buffalo Creek area, built a ship and sailed west to discover western parts for France.

1686 Map ... 1686 Map ... 1755 Map ... 1755 Map

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• Unknown to the Indians, this area was claimed by King James I, of England. In 1620 King James granted New England to the Plymouth Company (Massachusetts), from sea to shining sea. William and Mary in 1691 confirmed this by a charter limiting the area to between the north latitudes 42 degree, 5 minute and 44 degree, 15 minute.
  
  
• The problem was that previously in 1663 the Duke of York and Albany was granted the providence of New York. Bounded north by Canada, east by a line 20 miles east of the Hudson River, south and west by lines not described.
  
  
• This overlap problem of territorial rights and jurisdiction over what was then primaeval forest and lightly occupied land festered for decades and was not resolved until years after the American Revolution. 17
  
  
• On December 16, 1786 in Hartford, Connecticut, an agreement was signed by the two parties giving Massachusetts preemption rights to its claimed land and granting New York jurisdiction over it.

• Why would Massachusetts do this? Because preemption rights mean that at the first sale of tracts of land they get the money!
  
  
• Two years later, in 1788, Massachusetts sold to Nathaniel Gorham and Oliver Phelps, two New England businessmen, over six million acres of land in New York.
• Unfortunately they were not able to make regular payments.
  
  
• In 1790 they were forced to revert about two-thirds of their purchased land back to Massachusetts.
  
  
• Robert Morris, in 1791, purchased over four million acres from Massachusetts.
  
  
• This purchase consisted of five tracts of the reverted land. William and John Willink, along with four other bankers from the Netherlands, purchased, in 1791 and 1792, tracts number 2 through 5.

• Robert Morris retained the eastern tract number one which is known as the Morris Reserve.
  
  
• The Amsterdam bankers were busy in the next few years purchasing other land in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
  
  
• In May 1795 the Amsterdam bankers formed Hollandsche Land Compagnie.
  
  
• This is the European name for the name we see on many old deeds and abstracts of title, the Holland Land Company.

Holland Land Company

• The land was not entirely vacant at the time.
  
  
• There were settlements and individual settlers along the shore line for the lakes and rivers. Also the Indian occupation had to be resolved. The purchase of these Western New York lands was not final until September 15, 1797.
  
  
• Part of the purchase agreement between the Holland Land Company and Robert Morris required the surveying of the land to be conveyed.
  
  
• Robert Morris left the choice up to the company's agent in the Philadelphia headquarters, Theophile Cazenore. He chose a surveyor named Joseph Ellicott, a man of large and imposing stature, being six-foot-three inches tall.
  
  
• Joseph Ellicott was also a very experienced surveyor of large parcels of land on the frontier. He had assisted his older brother Andrew Ellicott in the 1785 survey of the western and northern boundaries of Pennsylvania.
  
  
• In 1789, Joseph also assisted Andrew in the surveying of the southwestern boundaries of New York and made the first measurement of the length of the Niagara River.
  
  
• Then in 1791, Joseph assisted his brother for the last time in the lay out of the Federal Capital that Major Pierre L'Enfant had designed.

• Also in 1791 Joseph surveyed boundary lines for the state of Georgia.
  
  
• The Holland Land Company was pleased with the choice of Joseph Ellicott as since 1794 he had been employed by them to survey parcels out of the 1.5 million acres of land they had purchased in western Penssylvania.

• Joseph Ellicott was of English decent and grew up in Bucks County , Pennsylvania. His Great Grandfather was a Quaker and a farmer, as was his grandfather, his father known as Jo, was a weaver, repaired gristmills and then built his own mill. Joseph, after teaching for a short while, joined his brother Andrew in surveying.
  
  
• Joseph Ellicott first came to the area of Buffalo Creek while surveying with his brother Andrew in 1789. At this time the Hamlet had about five log cabins with a large Indian encampment.
• Perhaps it was at this time Joseph saw the area's potential.
  
  
• In July 1797, Theophile Czenove, the representative of the Holland Land Company in Philadelphia, supplied Ellicott with a sketch of the "Genesee" lands to be surveyed out. Ellicott then started obtaining equipment, boats, horses, food and other necessities including 200 blankets, 300 pounds of bar iron, 70 axes, 40 bells with collars, candles, hand saws, paper, ledgers, 100 pounds of ropes and also wine, spirits, and medicine.

Surveying tools
(Photo courtesy of the Holland Land Office Museum)

• The start of the Grand Survey was made by Ellicott in early Fall of 1797. With a traverse along the south shore of Lake Ontario, the straights of Niagara and the shore of Lake Erie. This survey was reported to Theophile Cazenove on November 19, 1797. This report also included this complaint "Having much fatigue on account of the foulness of the weather during the latest part of the survey, and in walking through the snow from the western boundary of the preemption a distance of nearly two hundred miles."
  
  
• I believe this probably was the first notation of what we now call "lake effect snow". He passed through Buffalo Creek at this time.
  
  
• The immense scope of the land to be surveyed is mind boggling. Imagine setting out through virgin large tree forests, swamps, and thickets, up and down the high hills of the Allegany foot hills, along and across rivers such as the Genesee and Allegany, creeks such as the Oswaiya, Connewongo, Cattaraugus, Buffalo and Tonawanda.
  
  
• Joseph Ellicott, in the beginning, had two masters as Robert Morris still owned the land and so he had to make his survey arrangements in cooperation with Morris's surveyor, Major Adam Hoops. Major Hoops then hired Augustus Porter, an experienced, well qualified surveyor who began his part of the "Grand Survey" in September, 1797.
  
  
• One Surveyor hired by Joseph Ellicott was his brother Benjamin, who was a Transit Astronomical Engineer, Assistant Surveyor and Draftsman.
  
  
• Others were Richard M. Stoddard, George Burgess, Ebenezer Carey, Amzi Atwater, Warnham Shepard, John Thompson, John Smedley and George Eggleston.
  
  
• There are many listings in the area telephone books with these last names and I would assume that many of them could trace their heritage back to these 1798 surveyors.
  
  
• The company agent in Philadelphia, Cazenove, then sent two French cartographers (mappers), Haudecour de Jaumeville and Alexandre Autrechy to help Ellicott.
  
  
• They both started working in the woods in May 1798. Then in July 1798 Major Adam Hoops hired an experienced surveyor Seth Pease to aid in the "Grand Survey".
  
  
• Pease then surveyed and mapped from then to January 1800. He then held the position of company land agent with an office in Mayville.
  
  
• William Chazanof, the author, said that Joseph was an expert surveyor, painstakingly meticulous and exceptionally industrious, he demanded the same qualities from those who worked with him. He was also plain of habit, frugal in expenditures and orderly in business management.
  
  
• Joseph had the ability to sort out a few worth while goals, concentrate on them and not be distracted by other frivolous endeavors. His younger brother Benjamin was of like single mindedness.
  
  
• I should point out that at this time Joseph never married and neither did Benjamin.
  
  
• After spending the winter of 1797-1798 planning and organizing a group of men to accomplish goals he again set out for Buffalo Creek in the spring of 1798 .
  
  
• He arrived at the settlement of Buffalo Creek, which he wanted to call New Amsterdam, in March of 1798.

• Its population of 20 to 25 individuals lived in half a dozen log houses but did have a blacksmith shop and silversmith shop.
  
  
• One of its most important residents was Asa Ransom, who arrived in 1796 and build a log home near the liberty pole, corner of Main Street and the Terrace. Asa made silver trinkets for trade with the Indians.
  
  
• Asa was to be a great advantage to Joseph in the near future.
  
  
• Joseph's keen eye for good locations told him that the north of Buffalo Creek was the most important position.
  
  
• Joseph lodged with Asa Ransom for a time. Then left some of his outfit at Buffalo Creek for use in the western part of the survey.
  
  
• The rest were taken to Williamsburg, on the Genesee River, where a surveyor's log house had been built. These two points were the first principal stations and depots of the surveyors.
  
  
• After running the east line of the purchase, Mr. Ellicott spent most of that season, 1798, at Buffalo Creek. "New Amsterdam" as Mr. Ellicott chose to call it.
  
  
• At any one time there were 130 to 150 men working on the survey. They were surveyors, draftsmen, cooks, ax men and camp keepers with enough food, provisions, horses, ox teams, blankets, tents and equipment to keep it moving for a season from March into December.

1800 County Map ... 1802 County Map ... Western New York Map

• The survey was completed in early 1800, subdivision and mapping completed with the report and maps delivered to Philadelphia in October.
  
  
• On November 1, 1800, his 40th birthday, Joseph was appointed as Holland Land Company Chief Agent for the 3.3 million acre purchase.
• He immediately started out to return to New Amsterdam on November 5, 1800. He reached Albany on November 26, he reached Canadaigua on December 17.
  
  
• There were no roads in western New York past Canadaigua so it took him 11 days to reach New Amsterdam on December 28th. He had spent Christmas on the trail that year.
  
  
• Temporary accommodations were arranged and then he started to plan his house. This became a problem when the residents disapproved of his positioning of his house on Swan Street.
  
  
• To the rescue came Asa Ransom. In 1799 Ellicott had sold Asa 150 Acres in the area now called Clarence. With the provision that Asa build an Inn for travelers. This he did and in late January of 1801 Ellicott moved to Asa Ransom's house and used part of it as an office.
  
  
• Also, the residents would not accept the name of "New Amsterdam". They preferred the name Buffalo Creek and shortened it to Buffalo.
  
  
• We have brought Joseph Ellicott to and from the Buffalo area three times. But in effect with his design of New Amsterdam his influence will be here always.
  
  
• Next time we will discuss Ellicott plan compared to others and what was in store for him.

Last Wednesday, I spoke of Western New York from its beginnings. The migration of Indian tribes, occupation of the Erie Indians and then the battle in 1654 when the Seneca Indians took over the region.

I spoke of the French exploration and mapping of the Great Lakes area. The first recorded visit of the French to Buffalo Creek in 1679.

Of course while the Indians were fighting over the area, the English Colonies were squabbling over it too. The Plymouth Company (Massachusetts) and the Duke of York and Albany. These claims were dated 1620 and 1663 respectively.

In 1786 these claims were settled with Massachusetts receiving the money from the first sale and New York maintaining jurisdiction over the land.

The early buyers of large tracts were Nathaniel Gorham, Oliver Phelps and Robert Morris. Then in 1791 and 1792 the Holland Land Company purchased the westerly 3.3 million acres.

The settlement of the Indian claims came in 1797 with the signing of the treaty at Big Tree.

It was then that the Holland Land company could take possession of their land.

First they needed a surveyor. They chose Joseph Ellicott, an experienced colonial surveyor with an imposing six-foot-three inches stature.

Joseph Ellicott had been through the Buffalo Creek area before in 1789 while assisting his brother Andrew with the surveying of the western boundary line of New York at this time the Hamlet had about five log cabins and a large Indian encampment.

Upon being appointed the surveyor in charge, Joseph and a crew of men traveled to Western New York in the fall of 1797. They surveyed the shore of Lake Ontario, the Niagara River and the shore of Lake Erie.

In the spring of 1798 Joseph brought out a crew of 150 men. They surveyed from early spring to early winter. They completed field work in early 1800, spent the rest of spring, summer and fall completing the maps and subdivision.

The survey report and maps were delivered to the Philadelphia office in late October. On November 1, 1800, his 40th birthday, Joseph was appointed Resident Agent in charge of the 3.3 million acre purchase.

On November 5, 1800, Joseph left Philadelphia for what he called New Amsterdam. He arrived on December 28th. He had spent Christmas on a wilderness trail that year.

At first Joseph stayed with Asa Ransom, a silversmith, who had been making trinkets for trade with the Indians for the last years.

Joseph's plan for a large curved house on Swan Street fell through when the villagers disapproved of it. Also of the name New Amsterdam.

The previous year while surveying the purchase, Joseph had sold 150 Acres to Asa in Clarence to build a large two story Inn for travelers. In January 1801, Joseph moved his land office to Asa's Inn.

Early 1802 he moved his office to Batavia. This became his permanent office. The stone building is standing today as the Holland Land Office Museum.

In 1799 Joseph had stated his plan for New Amsterdam. The final plan took all of the 1803 season and part of 1804 to complete. This included the platting out of streets and individual lots with stake out.

Ellicott's plan was to sell the surrounding land cheep to attract settlers. Then as the demand grew he would sell off the inner lots for a higher price to developers.

In 1804 New Amsterdam, according to Timothy Dwight, Yale President and traveler, was "about 20 indifferent houses" inhabited by a "casual collection of adventurers".

This 1804 map illustrates the purchase and other retained parcels.

As the land was being settled the population increased and Joseph pushed for more counties as people like to have a say in their local area.

1806 County Map

This 1806 map shows the addition of Allegany County.

1808 County Map

This 1808 map shows the addition of Niagara County in 1808, Genesee County in 1802, Chautauqua County in 1811 and Cattaraugus County in 1817. Erie County was not created until 1821.

War of 1812 Map

When the War of 1812 broke out it caught Joseph by surprise. He was of the opinion that it would not happen. He believed it to be a political retribution for America's trade reversals.

The American's raided the British in Canada and were forced to surrender Detroit. One bright point was that in 1813 the Seneca Indians joined forces with the American's.

War made the settlers flee to the east as the US forces were not adequate. Joseph thought the American Generals were fools.

When on December 10, 1813, General George McClure burned the village of Newark, he forgot to burn the barracks; tents and magazines at Fort George.

The British enlisted the aid of Canadian Indians and reeked havoc upon the villages along the Niagara River. Youngstown, Lewiston, Manchester, Schlosser and surrounding farms were burned.

On December 19th Fort Niagara fell to the English and they remained there until the end of the war.

The Climax to the British campaign came on December 20, 1813 when they burned almost every building in Buffalo. There was a massacre, not only of men, but women and children also.

Joseph Ellicott and the Holland Land Company contributed funds and material to relieve the influx of refugees in Batavia. The war was a catastrophe for Western New York.

Throughout the war Joseph Ellicott worked hard to bring peace and it finally happened in 1815.

Prosperity then came to Western New York, wheat prices went up and the refugees returned to their homes and farms.

1825 The Grand Canal Map

Erie Canal

In 1808 there was much interest in an East West Canal linking Albany and points east with Lake Erie. Simeon DeWitt, the surveyor, was sent to investigate and survey the possibilities.

DeWitt consulted with Ellicott because of his reputation of being the surveyor of Western New York, but also because of his growing political influence.

At first Joseph did not think it was possible to build the canal with such a difference in grade. He did, though, see the great value to the settlers and the Holland Land Company.

The War of 1812 made it perfectly clear that a canal was needed. Men, arms and supplies had to be delivered to the great lakes area as efficiently as possible.

Ellicott and the Holland Land Company donated money and land. In 1817 the law was passed to start the construction. By 1823 boats could float from Rochester to Albany. By 1825 the canal was completed from Buffalo to all points east.

Along the canal towns sprang up, more land was being cleared and cultivated, the lumber was sawed and delivered, wheat and land became valuable.

As Patrick R. Weissend, the author, wrote "prosperity came, mud dried up, fever disappeared and bears left. Western New York ceased being a frontier".

In 1821 Ellicott's political influence had waned, his health was declining and he resigned his position of Resident Land Agent after 21 years of faithful service.

In 1824, after continued failing health and depression, he admitted himself to an asylum in New York City. His life was hellish for the next two years.

On August 19, 1826 he took matters into his own hands, he hung himself in the closet.

Joseph Ellicott has been called, and rightfully so, the founding father of Western New York.

1804 Plan for New Amsterdam

Lets look at and discuss Joseph's 1804 plan for New Amsterdam.

1804 Buffalo Map

The front of Lot 104 was originally on a curve, this is where Joseph planned to build his house. That didn't work out. Lot 104 was not developed until after Joseph's death.

Looking at the 1820 ± map adjoining the 1804 map you can see many changes, new lots and street changes.

L'Enfant's Washington D.C. Plan

The radial design was influenced by Major Pierre L'Enfant's design for Washington, D.C.. Joseph had assisted his brothers Andrew and Benjamin in laying out that city

Current Downtown Buffalo Map

This current map of Buffalo shows that Niagara Square is still the center of the city. Other cities have radial design.

Ellicott Historic District Map

This is the Joseph Ellicott Historic Preservation District.

The district comprises of all the properties on the north side of Seneca from Main to Franklin Street, those on the east side of Franklin to Swan, those on the north side of Swan to the Upper Terrace to South Elmwood.

Those on the east side of South Elmwood to West Mohawk (including St. Vincent of Padua R.C. Church on the west side of South Elmwood.

Those on the south side of West Mohawk to Franklin, those on the west side of Franklin to Church, those on the south side of Church across Main to South Division.

Those on the north side of South Division to Oak, those on the west side of Oak to Swan, those on the south side of Swan to Washington, those on the west side of Washington to Seneca and those on the south side of Seneca back to Main.

The Joseph Ellicott District includes all the buildings and lands within the above boundaries, for example, those on Niagara Square and various blocks of Delaware, Genesee, Niagara Street, West Eagle, Church, Franklin, Swan, Pearl, Washington, and Ellicott.

Many of Buffalo's great commercial, institutional, public and ecclesiastical buildings are contained within this historic enclave.