Carr, Blakely, Rushmore and Wright
to
the Town of Concord
Erie Co, NY
Extracted from History of the original town of Concord : being
the present towns of
Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York (1883) by
Sandie Webber
Elder Clarke Carr
Elder Clarke Carr was born in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, in 1774, and was
married to Patty Merwin, in the same state. He moved to Durham,
Greene county, N. Y.. in 1802, and commenced preaching about 1803. In 1810, he
moved to Hamburg, Erie county, N. Y.; was called out to serve
on the Niagara frontier in the War of 1812, and was at Buffalo at the time it
was burned. He moved to the north part of Concord and settled in
the valley of the Eighteen-mile creek, about 1814. For years he was pastor of
the Boston Baptist church, and also founded several churches
in the south towns of Erie county. He died in the Town of Concord in 1854. His
wife died in 1879, aged ninety-four years. They had three
children:
Louisa, born in Durham, Greene county, N. Y., in 1803, married to Samuel W.
Alger in 1824, and died April 9, 1882, in Concord.
Clark M. was born in Durham, Greene county, N. Y., in 1805, and died at
Galesburg, Ill., in September, 1877.
Laura was born in Durham, Greene county, in 1807. She was married to Ambrose
Torre ; died in the town of Concord. in October, 1881.
John D. Blakeley
John D. Blakeley was born in Greenville, Greene county, N.Y., in
1813, of New England parents, who, in 1815, when. he was two years old, moved to
the town of Willink, now Aurora. He worked upon the farm near the village of
East Aurora, teaching school winters, until 1846. Four years he was connected
with a woolen-factory at West Falls. Moved to Springville, Sept. 10, 1851, where
he has since resided, for the first few years in the harness business, then a
spinner in a woolen factory and a carpenter. During the last twenty-two years he
has been in mercantile life, and by steady industry and careful
management has acquired a fair competence His son Walter W. Blakeley, Was born
in Aurora, in 1846, is editor and publisher of the Journal and Herald, a local
newspaper which he began publishing in 1867 as the Springville Journal. He is
also proprietor of an extensive and well arranged book and stationery
store, and takes an active interest in movements that tend to build up the moral
and intellectual culture of his town.
Silas Rushmore
Silas Rushmore was a highly respected citizen of Concord for many years.
He married a daughter of Samuel Bradley of this place. They had two sons
— Chester and Charles. Chester lives in Illinois and Charles is dead. Mr.
Rushmore resides in Illinois and is nearly ninety years of age. At
my request, he sent me the following statement. (Mr. Rushmore has since died):
1. My father's family lived in Greene county, N. Y., until I was ten or twelve
years of age; moved from there to Oneida county, near Utica;
lived there until I was of age.
2. I served in the war of 1812; went to Sackett's Harbor; was gone from home
about six weeks; went to Oswego; was gone but a few days. At that
time was living in Manlius, Onondaga county.
3. Came to Springville in the Fall of 1816.
4. The families living in Springville and vicinity when I came, according to my
recollection, were Rufus Eaton, Benjamin Gardner, Daniel
Ingals, Varney Ingals (bachelor), David Leroy (the noted violinist), Samuel
Cochran, Samuel Burgess, Isaac Knox, Frederick Richmond, Truman
White, Francis White, Moses White (twin brothers), John Albro, Giles Churchill,
John Russell, Benjamin Rhodes, Eliakim Rhodes, Julius Bement,
Phineas Scott and John Williams.
5. The first saw-mill built by Eaton; first grist-mill by Benjamin Gardner.
6. Gardner's mill was built before I came; so was Eaton's saw-mill.
7. Eaton's grist-mill built about 1818.
8. The hotel on Franklin street, fronting the park, built by David Stanard about
1817.
9. The first woolen factory built by Samuel Bradley about 1820.
10. The first tannery built by Jacob and Silas Rushmore about 1817.
11. Second tannery built by Hoveland & Towsley about 1823 or 1824.
12. First distillery built by Frederick Richmond about 1818.
13. Second distillery built by Silas Rushmore.
14. First ashery built by Frederick Richmond before I came.
15. Rufus C. Eaton was the first postmaster.
The first town-meeting that I remember, was held in Collins. At that time
Concord included Collins, North Collins and Sardinia.
John E. Wright
John E. Wright was born in the town of Durham, Greene County, New York. His
father's name was Ambrose Wright and his mother's maiden name
was Elizabeth Patterson, He resided with his parents in his native town until he
had attained his twenty-third year, when he went to Canada and
purchased land situated at or near Niagara Falls. Here he resided between seven
and eight years. During that time the Patriot war occurred, in which he
participated. In the year 1839 he disposed of his farm property in the dominion
and returned to New York State and located in the town of Boston, on "West
Hill," where he resided until the year 1850, when he came to Concord and
purchased of Levi Vaughn one hundred acres of land, located at East Concord,
where he resided until his death, which occurred Feb. 26, 1883. He was married
July 5th, 1831, to Betsey Buehner. Their children are Mary J. and Peter B.
Ambrose Wright
Father of Edwin Wright, was born at Saybrook, Conn., Oct. 2, 1773. He came of
Revolutionary stock, his father serving in the Continental army,
during the struggle for American Independence. After reaching the years of
manhood he was united in marriage to Miss Betsy Pattison, who was
born in the town of Barrington, Conn., June 12, 1779. Soon after this event he
migrated to the town of Durham, Greene county, New York and
was one of the early pioneers of that place. He located on the very farm that
proved ever after to be his home. Here he devoted his energies to
the improvement of his own surroundings, and the building up of every cause that
tended to better the condition of his fellow beings. He was a
man of generous and liberal views and for a few years he permitted the
Presbyterian Society of his town to occupy his dwelling upon the Sabbath
for religious meeting. Under these circumstances he too became convinced of the
truths of Christianity, and soon after he united with the M. E.
Church and for over forty years he was an active, zealous lay-member and
class-leader in that church. Mrs. Wright died April 4, 1835, aged
fifty-five years, nine months and twenty--two days. He survived her nearly
sixteen years, dying January 12, 1851, aged seventy- seven
years, four months and sixteen days. Thirteen children were the fruits of this
union, viz :
Phila, born March 12, 1795.
Caroline, born Sept. 5, 1797.
James, born Oct. 29, 1799.
Patterson, born Sept. 4, 1801.
Wealthy, born Nov. 19, 1803.
Ambrose, born Jan. 19, 1806.
John Ely, born April 2, 1808.
Mary Jane, born June 20, 18 10.
William Clinton, born Aug. 25, 181 2.
Zelia Diana, born Jan. 6, 1815.
Edwin, born March 11, 18 17.
Betsy, born May 12, 18 19.
Ezra, born Oct. 27, 1821.
Edwin Wright.
Son of Ambrose and Betsy Patterson Wright, was born in the town of Durham,
Greene county, New York, March 11,1817. In the year 1835 he
was married to Miss Catherine Schultes, and in the year 1840, the young couple
migrated to the town of Boston, Erie county, N. Y. After a
residence there of four years, Mr. Wright and family came to the town of
Concord, and this has been their home ever since. He owned and conducted
a farm for several years at East Concord. And he was engaged for a while in
trade in Springville, but for many years past he has been engaged in
agricultural pursuits. He is a public spirited citizen, and takes an active
interest in the political affairs of the town and the county. He is an agreeable
associate and companion, and lives to enjoy the society of his friends and the
comforts of his pleasant home. Six children have been born to
them, viz:
Ezra, born July 19, 1836; died Sept. 24, 1852.
Isabella, born Aug. 17, 1842; died Dec. 30, 1861.
Edna, born Aug, 25, 1847; married C. R. Wadsworth.
Edwin, born Aug. 25, 1850; died Dec 4, 1855.
Ida M., born July 27, 1854.
Ward, born Oct. 6, 1858; died Jan. 28, 1863.