I received an email from Geoffrey Harding, who was interested in
the spring at Cold Springs Cemetery. He is researching a tale of
the transportation of prisoners to Fort Niagara by Native Americans. I passed onto him what I knew.
Cold Springs Cemetery on Cold Springs Road, Lockport Ny. The site of genuine Niagara County history
and many unsubstantiated legends.
Hartland town historian Norm Lajoie also asked about the spring at
the corner of Cold Springs and Chestnut Ridge Roads. This area is the
center of much early local history and many speculative tales; it does
need more investigation. Ann Marie Linnabery wrote an excellent
overview of the Cold Springs area for “Niagara Discoveries” in the
November 15, 2014, edition of the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal,
which can be accessed at www.lockportjournal.com.
One thing to be noted is that both roads, which were once early
paths, have been rerouted, and deep depressions have been filled in
so the locations may not be the same as in earlier times.
In my search for the spring, I saw water running out of the south
bank of the cemetery on the southeast corner behind the remains of
the DeSales school buildings that were razed in 1965.
In 2012, Craig
Kerrison, the Cold Springs Cemetery supervisor, said, “When the
cemetery was expanded to the east, the stream was diverted into an
underground pipe, the remnants of which can be seen in a couple of
places.” Kerrison indicated that the spring and its stream at one time
ran through the cemetery, and because of flooding problems it was
piped underground. It now runs under the length of the cemetery
and exits near the railroad tracks to the north. As the cemetery
employees go about their work, they sometimes run into it.
Kerrison also pointed out the close springs in the golf course, and
it has been mentioned that in earlier times they may have also been
part of the story. In a recent discussion with Linda Lee, a trustee of
the cemetery board who is very knowledgeable about its history, it
became clear that there could have been several springs along this
early pathway.
Recently, working with Clifford Starke from the nearby Lockport
Country Club, we discovered many springs throughout the
country club golf course.. Starke is very knowledgeable about the property; he
wrote an excellent history for a club publication. An early postcard
of the club shows a spring house near the road (Route 31) with a
stream running down the hill, and a pump house basin that was
reportedly used by travelers on Route 31.
A cold spring is found in the gully behind the old stone fence. Water still runs out of the
south bank. Cold Springs Road, Lockport, New York.
I have a newspaper article about David Carlton. Lockport Union Sun & Journal One Hundredth Anniversary Edition 1921: “David Carlton married Miss Fowler, sister to his brother’s wife, Joseph Carton, for his first wife. They moved from their native state, New Hampshire, in 1809 and settled near Cold Springs on the Chestnut ridge road, on the farm now owned by John H. Wilson. When his wife died leaving him with two young children to care for. Soon after he married Mrs Sally Olds and changed his residence to Warren’s Corners, where he purchased a farm of 160 acres in 1813. In his younger days he was a professional well digger and by a premature explosion of a blast was permanently disabled so that he had to use a cane the rest of his life. He worked a number of years for the company that manufactured salt in the northeast part of the Town of Lockport previous to moving on his farm at Warren’s Corners. Mr. Carlton was a mam of sterling integrity and in the latter years of his life held responsible positions in the Town of Lockport. He built the first cider mill in this section of the county. It was patronized by the farmers for miles around. The helping hand that he and his equally generous wife extended to the destitute and needy in their struggle to keep and maintain their pioneer homes endeared them in their memory, and Uncle David and Aunt Sally were names long cherished in many a home. The farm is still retained by his grandson, Alvin c. Bradley.”
His first wife’s name was Sarah Fowler according to her father’s will in which both David and his brother Joseph are in. Joseph married Rebecca Fowler.
Is there a headstone for Sarah Carlton in the area?
Thank you,
Ken McDonald
Olivia Beach wrote a letter in 1816 about walking through the wilderness from Cambria to the shore of lake Ontario in 1816. She followed a path that the Native Americans used to conduct their prisoners.
“From a letter written by Olive Beach to her sister, Mrs. Phoebe Luce, dated October 13th, 1817, we get the following information: “We arrived here in 1815; for a year I never had an opportunity of conversing with any person except our mother, who professed to be a follower of Christ. The people are totally destitute of and wholly adverse to everything of a religious nature. My last and only resort was prayer One day one of my neighbors informed me that there was a local preacher by the name of Ash living on the lakeshore within ten miles of our home if I went in a direct course through the woods, but about 25 miles around the road along the river. I had heard there was a blind foot path that led to within a short distance of a garrison where the Indians, during the French and Indian Wars, conducted their prisoners through the woods. I determined to find, and if possible, follow the path; and on the morning of April 27, 1816 I entered the wood assured that the spirit of God would guide me through safely. I found the path, which I followed for a short distance, but on crossing a swamp, I lost sight of it and could find it no more. Giving myself up for lost, but giving myself up to the Lord, I traversed the wilds with no visible guide and where perhaps no white man had every trod before. I felt no fear of wild beasts, for I was sure my Preserver was near, and between two and three o’clock in the afternoon I heard sounds that seemed to proceed from a farmhouse, the first I had heard since entering the woods and I soon found Brother Ash’s improvement lying on the bank of the Lake. You can imagine my feelings. I spend the night with him and his family and in the morning entered the wood after having obtained leave of Brother Ash to give out an appointment for preaching at my father’s house at a stated time. He continued to preach once in two and four weeks until a Mr. Shepherdson was sent by the Genesee Conference to form a circuit in this place.” Mr. Shepherdson held services regularly at the home of Mrs. Lavina Beach, mother of Cyrus Beach Sr. on what is known as the Cyrus Beach farm, but the house then stood on the South Ridge.?
Ken: Thank you for the very early information. Let me look it over and get back to you. Jim Boles
Ken: I have some information about the salt works you mentioned. If it is the correct one it was on Salt Road, now Wicks Road, Town of Lockport Ny. Sarah Fowler, did you check Find a Grave? Are you local-in the Niagara County NY area? I sent you a direct email. Jim Boles