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. =========================================================================== Our County and its People; A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York by Erastus Granger; pub. Boston History Co., 1898 Vol. 2 [3-5] JOSEPH ELLICOTT. JOSEPH ELLICOTT is generally conceded to have been the founder of Buffalo. While there might have been a village begun and a city ulti- mately built where now stands Buffalo, there was at one period, as the reader has learned, a strong rival for supremacy in a neighboring locality; and it is well known that to Mr. ELLICOTT'S sagacity and good judgment is due the early plan of the village and the successful establishment of its first conspicuous institutions. Very much of the record of his life is embodied in earlier pages of this work, leaving for this place only a few details of his personal career. JOSEPH ELLICOTT was a son of ANDREW and ANN BYE ELLICOTT, who were natives of the town of Cullopton, Wales; they came to this country in 1731, having been "disowned" by the Society of Friends through the marriage of ANDREW to his wife, who was not a member of that sect. These adventurers, with an infant son, landed in New York, and being possessed of some means they purchased a tract of land and settled upon it. From that date until about 1760, little is known of their history. Previous to 1760, however, they had become residents of Bucks county, Pa., and had four sons, the elder having at that time just begun operations in several business engagements. It is probable that the family did not long remain in New York after their immigra- tion and were among the pioneers of Bucks county. The four sons of ANDREW ELLICOTT were NATHANIEL, JOSEPH, ANDREW and JOHN. As early as 1770 they purchased a tract of wild land on the Patapsco River in Maryland and there built mills which were long known at ELLICOTT'S Mills. JOSEPH ELLICOTT, son of ANDREW, was the father of the subject of this notice. He was a man of liberal scientific attainments for that period and was a naturally skilled mechanic. Without special instruc- tion he constructed a clock with four faces, showing the time, motion of some of the heavenly bodies, a chime of bells playing twenty-four tunes, etc.; it was pronounced a marvel of mechanical ingenuity and skill. The other sons of that JOSEPH were JOSEPH (the subject), ANDREW, BENJAMIN and DAVID. ANDREW became a prominent surveyor and was at one time surveyor-general of the United States; his three sons were ANDREW A., JOHN B. and JOSEPH, all of whom became residents on the Holland Purchase. BENJAMIN entered the service of the Holland Company and was assistant to his brother JOSEPH. He was one of the judges of Genesee county and a member of Congress. The younger son of the first JOSEPH (DAVID), was a surveyor on the Purchase in early life and then went south and was not heard from again. There were also five sisters, daughters of the first JOSEPH, three of whom married three brothers named EVANS. The family were prominent in Maryland as millers, founders, builders of wharves, inventors, etc. JOSEPH ELLICOTT was only fourteen years old when his father re- moved from Bucks county to Maryland. His educational opportunites up to that time were confined to the public schools. His early lessons in surveying were taught him by his brother, ANDREW, and his first practical experience in that business was as assistant to his brother in the survey of the city of Washington. In 1791 he was appointed by the secretary of war to run the boundary between Georgia and the lands of the Creek Indians. Soon after this he was selected by Mr. CAZENOVE to survey the Holland Company's lands in Pennsylvania. This work finished he was engaged a short time in Maryland in business with his brothers, and then began his service for the Holland Company on their lands in this state. The active years of Mr. ELLICOTT'S life were principally those be- tween 1790 and 1821. Ten or twelve of those years were passed in the arduous duties of surveyor, mostly in unsettled districts, to be finally given up for the little less trying task of local land agent. His success in these positions was largely due to his practical edu- cation, his great industry, his careful and systematic methods and his natural adaptibility for executive work. These qualities are clearly shown in his voluminous correspondence and his journal. His memory must forever be identified with the surveys and settlement of Western and Central New York and the origin of the Erie canal, in both of which capacities his influence upon the future of Erie county was paramount. After a life of great activity and usefulness he approached its close in a manner greatly to be regretted and deplored. As early as 1816-17 he became subject to periods of great depression of spirits and melancholy which, in course of time, settled into confirmed hypo- chondria. The causes of this condition may be sought in his natural temperament, his lonely unmarried life, disappointments in the outcome of some of his hopes and expectations and the apparent emptiness of his later years. His land agency ceased in 1821 by his own act. No neglect of duty was ever charged to him, but his condition had become such that further useful activity in that direction was not to be ex- pected from him. Fully conscious of this, he resigned. This was practically the close of a busy and useful life. In November, 1824, by medical advice, he was removed to New York, making the journey on a canal packet. In New York a council of physicians was called, who decided that he should enter Bellevue Hospital. Anticipated benefits from this step were not realized; mental and physical infirmity in- creased and in July or August, 1826, he escaped from the vigilence of his attendents and took his own life. His remains were brought to Batavia for burial. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Memorial and Family History of Erie County, New York Vol. I, Biographical and Genealogical The Genealogical Publishing Co., Buffalo; 1906-8 [15-16] JOSEPH ELLICOTT was the founder of the city of Buffalo. He selected its site, designed its plan, prevailed upon the Indians to surrender their title and, upon the Holland Company to secure possession, and used his resources and influence to induce immigration and settlement. He was the central figure of early Buffalo, a pioneer of pioneers. Born in Bucks County, Pa., Nov. 1, 1760, JOSEPH ELLICOTT gained the rudiments of knowledge in the common schools, but he was practically self-educated. The son of a farmer and miller, in early life he worked on his father's farm and assisted him in his milling business. Mean- time he began the study of surveying and mastered that profession. His elder brother was also a surveyor and young ELLICOTT became his assistant. He was chosen to survey the disputed line between South Carolina and Georgia, and later became the chief surveyor of the Holland Purchase. In the fall of 1797, Mr. ELLICOTT came to Western New York, being accompanied by several assistants. To determine the number of acres in the Holland Purchase a preliminary survey was made, but the real sur- veying campaign began in 1798. Besides Mr. Ellicott eleven surveyors were employed, each having a corps of assistants, the whole force being under his direction. He himself surveyed the east line of the purchase, usually called the East Transit, and the others worked at different points. It was a task of toil and critical negotiation to preserve the site of Buffalo, there being reason to apprehend that the State and Buffalo Creek Reservations would be so bounded as to inter- fere with the future city's building and growth. The danger was ob- viated by Mr. ELLICOTT'S skill as a surveyor and diplomat, and through his efforts the Indians were persuaded to leave the city site out of the reservation. In the spring of 1798 Mr. ELLICOTT opened the first wagon track in Erie County by improving the Indian trail from East Transit to Buffalo. The first map of Buffalo was made by Mr. ELLICOTT in 1804, the place being then called the village of New Amsterdam. For many years and throughout the rest of his active career Mr. ELLICOTT continued to be the local agent of the Holland Company. He energeti- cally furthered the settlement of Buffalo and the building up of the place along broad lines of commercial advancement. He was also an earnest promoter of the Erie Canal and one of the first Canal Commis- sioners appointed by the Legislature. About 1824 Mr. ELLICOTT'S health failed, his mind being seriously affected, and at last he be- came a hypochondriac. He entered the Bloomingdale Asylum at New York, but his malady was hopeless, and August 19, 1826, he died by his own hand. Mr. ELLICOTT never married. =========================================================================== If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access the more of our information about Erie County, N.Y., by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/ny/erie/ ===========================================================================