Early settlers of Phelps, NY. Salisbury Biographical Sketch #6

from a book "When Phelps Was Young"

Early settlers of Phelps, NY:

The following are excerpts from a book "When Phelps Was Young" it includes some stories of the early settlers of Phelps, NY. Two hundred and ten years ago, in the spring of 1789, there was no human habitation to be found for many miles around. Small bands of Indians roamed the forest paths, chasing the deer, fishing in the streams and setting eel traps in the pools of Flint Creek. This stream was ever noted for it's eels and they were considered a great delicacy by the Indians. Earliest settlers were John Decker Robinson the first honored pioneer. There were no roads then and all travel followed the course of the streams. Several old Indian trails existed and led to distant points. The second pioneer was Seth Deane, his land joined Mr. Robinson's at a point where the Town Hall stood at the time of this book in the 1930s. In 1791 they were quite cozy with neighbors a mile or two apart. The first real group settlement was in the southeastern part of the Township. Jonathan Oaks had come from Conway, Mass. and had selected land around what is now called Oaks Corners. In 1793 he erected the first public tavern within the district of Sullivan as it was called then. This tavern was a fine large framed building and is described as looking quite out of place at first as it towered up amid the forest trees.. His place soon became the rendezvous of the whole section, the halting place for those pushing on further on into the wilderness, the gathering place for Militia and for those contracting business in the district. In his "big Room" the first religious services and the first school for children. Jonathan Oaks, however soon died, being but 62 years old (1808) and his wife who was Martha Hawks died in 1816. Jonathan Oaks had been one of the early surveyors of the newly opened lands of the Gorham and Phelps Purchase, John Salisbury I had come with him on at least one expedition in 1791, he later purchased land there, built a home, brought his family from Conway, Mass. and died there many years later in 1857.