The Pioneer History of Orleans County, NY, Kendall, Biographies, Part II

SAMUEL BATES.

Was the first white man who settled in what is now Kendall. He was born in Haddam, Conn., Aug. 9, 1760. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, during the last three and a half years of its continuance, serving in a New Hampshire regiment. he wintered with Gen. Washington at Valley Forge, and participated in several important battles. He served under Gen. Sullivan in his memorable expedition against the Indians in Western New York. He had a fondness for military life and service; a trait of character transmitted to his descendants, and honorably exemplified in his grandson, Lieut. Col. Willard W. Bates, who was killed while leading his regiment, the 8^th Heavy Artillery, N. Y. Vols., in a bloody battle before Petersburg, Va., in the war of the Rebellion.

From what Mr. Bates saw while with Gen. Sullivan he early formed a desire to settle in the Genesee country, a wish he was afterwards enabled to gratify.

After leaving the army, Mr. Samuel Bates resided several years in Randolph, Vt., removing from thence to Burlington, Vt. Leaving his family in Burlington, he came to Kendall, and took up lot 111, town 4, of the 100,000 acre tract, having the land 'booked' to him, as they called it, that is, having the agent of the State of Conn. note on his books that he had gone into possession, with a view of securing his right to the land when it should come in market for sale. Of this land, in due time he got a title and it is now owned by his son, Capt. H. W. Bates.

The first year he was in Kendall, he cleared several acres of land in the summer of 1813, he sowed two acres to wheat, built a log cabin, and returned to Burlington after his family, and brought them to Kendall in June 1814. His eldest son, Capt. H. W. Bates, then about twenty-one years old, accompanied him.

On arriving at his new log house he found his wheat in full hear, looking fine. The crop so raised furnishing bread for the family the next year.

Mr. Bates and his family, coming as they did from the Green Mountains of Vermont, suffered severely from fever and ague, some of the first yeas after they came to Kendall. They were all sick, Mr. Bates himself, never fully recovering from the acclimating fever. He died August 21, 1822.

AMOS RANDALL.

Amos Randall was born in Ashburnham, Mass., January 3, 1788. He married Fanny Tabor in 1814. She was born in Shelburne, Vt., Feb. 11, 1793.

In 1814, they removed to Avon, and in the spring of 1815. settled in Kendall, on the farm now occupied by his son, Hon. Gideon Randall, where he afterwards resided, and died Aug. 28, 1830. Mr. Randall was a public spirited man, and entered zealously into every undertaking for the benefit of his neighborhood. He acted frequently as counselor and arbitrator among the settlers, to aid in arranging business matters, in which his neighbors need such help.

The first schoolhouse was erected on his land where the stone schoolhouse now stands.

The first cemetery in town was located on his farm and the first burials of the dead were there.

He was a Supervisor of the town of Murray before the county of Orleans was organized, or Murray had been divided into the several towns which now include its original territory. He left six children, viz.: Charles T., Gideon, who resides on his paternal homestead, Dr. James W. now a practicing physician in Albion, Fanny E, wife of O. M. Green, George W. and Amos S.

DAVID JONES.

David Jones was born in Pembrokeshire in Wales, July 17, 1792. He removed to America with his father's family in the year 1801. His father settled in New Jersey and his son David remained with him until he was eighteen years old, then came to Ontario County, New York, where he resided four year, and then settled in Kendall in 1815.

He married Miss Catharine Whitney February 24, 1824. Their children are Claudius, who married Harriet Weed and resides in Illinois; Thomas, unmarried; Almiretta S. J. married C. G. Root; Seth married Sylvia Shelly; Cynthia an married James R. Whitney, and David who married Lucy A. Chase, all of whom reside in Kendall.

Mr. Jones was poor when he settled in Kendall and bought his land on credit. He was a large strong man able and willing to labor. He cleared and improved a large farm and became a wealthy man.

Sickness in his family and the want of a market for farm produce made it very difficult for him to obtain means to pay for his land improvements for some years at first. He said he agreed to pay four hundred dollars for his first hundred acres, and it was fifteen years before it was all paid.

He was a man of strong native intellect and of sound judgment in matters that come within his observation or experience, but he never had the benefit of much instruction in school.

He died January 26, 1869.