Thursday, July 5, 2012

The Marsh Family in Fredonia
By Doug Shepard, 2012 


          The earliest local record for Henry Nelson Marsh is a property deed of 20 April 1837 from Ephraim Marsh (father?) of Pomfret NY to Henry Nelson Marsh of the same. It was for a 50-acre piece just over the Fredonia line in Dunkirk NY in the southwest corner of the Holland Land Company’s Lot 27, Twp.6, Range 12, with Brigham Road as its eastern boundary. A copy can be obtained from the County Clerk at P.O.Box 170 / Mayville NY 14757 – 0170. (It is in Liber 18, p.415 of Deeds.) 


          Since H. N. Marsh was born in 1815, this acquisition was made when he turned 21. Although his obituary says that he first apprenticed with Benjamin Bosworth in the jewelry trade when he was 16 (ca. 1831), first advertisements with his name included were for Taylor & Marsh’s “cash store” in the village. The Censor of 14 August 1839 reported that their dry goods store had been robbed. There are a series of small ads in the 1840s listing their offerings, which included beans, codfish and toys! The Censor of 22 April 1840 reported that the co-partnership of A. F. Taylor and H. N. Marsh had been dissolved. Taylor was to continue the business on his own. 


          The 1850 Census finds Marsh on Green (later Cushing) Street and listed as a “Goldsmith.” This suggests that he was working at his trade but did not as yet have a jewelry store of his own. The next entry is on 11 May 1852 announcing that D. Tucker, the tailor, would be found over H. N. Marsh’s Jewelry Store. On 1 June 1852 the store was described as directly opposite the Post Office and between Magee’s and Clement’s stores. (S. M. Clement had a dry goods store at today’s 32 West Main Street in the 1850s.) 


          By the time of the 1855 Census, the family included Henry N., 38; Martha P., 37; Helen, 14; Oscar H., 10; and Eva ,6.  Henry Marsh’s obituary states that he first enlisted in Co.A. of the 68th Regt. in 1855 as a 1st Lieut. and became a Captain in 1861. In 1862 he formed a company of the 49th NY Volunteers. In their roster he is listed as Henry A. Marsh, Captain. There are several contemporary references to his being too frail for actual combat.  

By 1860 he and Martha had added Charles, 6 months; and a “domestic,” Amelia Chapin, 16, to their household.  Oscar attended the Fredonia Academy beginning in 1859, when he was 15, through 1861.  On16 March 1865, Oscar, 20, married 18-year old Mary E. Clark in the Fredonia Baptist Church. The 1865 Census lists the two Marsh households next to each other. This probably reflects the two houses on the Marsh property on Cushing Street shown on the 1867 map of the village. By 1870 the Oscar Marsh family is living out on West Main Street with Oscar listed as a “farmer.” Also in the family is Oscar’s mother-in-law, Louisa Clark, 60 and a 16-year old “farm laborer,” Charles D. Story


          There are several references to Henry Marsh dealing in real estate. In June 1857 he sold a lot on Eagle Street and in May 1881 he and O. W. Johnson owned 42 acres on Prospect Street. Marsh sold his half interest to G. N. Tremaine and E. S. Ely for $2500. The land was going to be used to put a new street through and sell off the building lots. It was about then that Henry Marsh and his younger son, Charles, began their watch repair business as H. N. Marsh & Son as advertised in the Censor of 23 March 1881. Henry, who soon retired with Charles taking over the business, died on 21 March 1883.  
Ward and Hinckley Cash Book/Ledger

A store account book of Ward & Hinckley, in Cattaraugus County, was given to the Barker Historical Museum in September 1987. It is a small notebook measuring about 6½ x 8 inches. The dated entries run from 11 May 1847 to January 1859. There is also an entry on p.114 dated 26 December 1879 “the above account all Settled by interist on factory mortgage.”

The front two leaves have an index listing the account customer’s name and the page number(s) where the account record can be found. This was probably a late addition, since the following 17 pages contain the standard Day Book kind of chronological record. It begins with an entry carrying over from an earlier record “May 11th 1847  October 30th  Money received up to Saturday $225.16.” (“Saturday” was the 30th of October 1847.)  That is followed by work entries beginning on 1 November 1847 and running through 31 July 1848.

The names mentioned in these entries are given below with the date of entry so they can be found fairly easily. (These pages are not numbered but are usually dated.)

1847
11-2 Wm. Cooper, A. Averell
11-4  Elder Alison, Sheldon
11-8 Indian Harris
11-9 Harris
11-10 George Bebee
11-19 Warters [Waters?], Griswold
11-20 H. Two Guns
11-21 Woolley, Noah Two Guns, Averil, C. Canada, Lester Wood for Mary, Button George
11-29 Seneca, D. Two Guns, Senica, Fields, Jimison, H.Bebee, G.York, t, Stodard
12-6 Jimison, Averel, Elder Wood, Mulberry, J. Hugaboom, Elder Alison, C .D. Parker, Nelson Fields, Lester Wood, H. Two Guns
12-20 Elder Allison, Little Joe, Squaw Blue Sky
12-27 Barker, Twoguns, John Kennaday, Bliss, Bebee, Tall Chief, Elder Bliss, D. D. Parker, Jim Spring


1848
1-10 Two Guns, J.Kenneda, Kath Run (?), Coan, S. Matoon, Jim Spring, Wm Chapman
1-17 Lester Wood, Durkey (?), H. Two Guns, John Seneca, H.Two Guns, Bliss, Ira C. Titus, Wood
1-24 Jimmison, Blue Sky, Seineca, S. George, E. Bebebee [sic], Clark Taylor, Clark  Jim, Earl W. Eaton, Susan, Mary Bluskey (?), (?)Xina Spring, Tall Chief, Twenty Canoes, Mr. Sheldon
Friday Feb [4th?] Jimison, Fields, Charles Kenneda, Mr. Sprague, Mallory, Dewy, C. Cooper, Jimison
Monday [Feb.7th?] D. Wood Mary Blue Sky, Jimison, Two Guns, C. Two Guns Jimison, Two Guns, C. Two Guns, Mrs. Dewey, Mr. Indian, C. Kennada, Mr. Indian, Miss How, Jimison, Eliza Sundown
2-21 Mr. N. Griswold, , Mr. Indian, Mr. Ostronder, G. Sock Dawley, Mr. Indian, Fields (?)
2-28 D. Wood, Dewy, Mr. Stodard
3-6 Israel Jimison, Jimis [Jimmy’s?], Twoguns, Esqr. Pettit, Gilbert Button, Jimison, Wm. Jimison, G. Baley, N. H. Fields, Harris, Mr. Indian, Andrew John, Mr. Indian
3-20 Mr. Indian, Mr. Griswold, Tall Chief, Coon, Andrew John, Mr. Indian, Mr. Jimison, Mr. Indian, Elder Wood, Two Guns, Mr. Indian, Mr. Indian, E. Jimison, Cephas Two Guns, Deacon Woods, C. Two Guns, Elder Barnes, Jimison, H. Two Guns, Mr. Ball (Bennits mills), Rev. Dr. Alllison, Elder Wood, D. Two Guns, G. York, G. York, H. Stodard, ____? Nelson, Jimison, Kimble, Jimison, Mrs. Prentice, Wright, Marsh, Mrs. Bonnett, Kimble
5-15 Mrs. Wright, Eaton, H. Bebee Jr., Salmon Prentice
5-24 White Boy
5-27 Doct Willson, Fields, L.(?) Wood, Twoguns, Stodard, Tall Chief
6-13 L. Wood, Brooks, Cannada, Cephus Two Guns, Cenada
Mon. [ 6-20?] D. White, Silverheels, Prentice, Lindsley, Brooks
7-3 H. Bebee
7-6 Two Guns, Joseph Oldring, D. Two Guns, John Half Town, Beels, L. Wood, Mr. Kimble, Mr. Crouse, Mr. Jimison, Israel Jimison, Mrs. Griswold
7-31 Ira C. Titus, S.Matton

Name Index  to Day Book Entries:

____? Nelson, 2
A. Averell, 1
A.Beals, 6
Aliston, 6
Amanda, 6
Amerett Meacham, 5
Andrew John, 2
Armand, 6
Atwel, 7
Atwell, 6
Averel, 1
Averell, 7
Averil,, 1
Barker, 1, 5
Bebee, 1, 2, 6
Beels, 2
Bliss, 1, 2
Blue Sky,, 2, 5
Bluskey, 2
Bonnett, Mrs. 2
Bradford VanVliet, 6
Brooks, 2
Burwell Hawkins, 6
Button George, 1
C. Two Guns, 2
C.Canada, 1
C.Cooper, 6
C.Coopper, 2
C.D.Parker, 1
C.Kennada, 2
C.Two Guns, 2
Cannada, 2, 5
Cenada, 2
Cephas Two Guns, 2
Charles, 2
Charly, 6
Clark, 2
Clark Taylor, 2
Coan, 2
Coon, 2
D. Two Guns, 2
Crouse, Mr. 2
D.Brigs, 6
D.D.Parker, 1
D.White, 2
Deacon Woods, 2
Dewy, 2
Doct Willson, 2
Durkey (?),, 2
E. Bebebee, 2
E.Jimison, 2
Earl, 2
Eaton, 2
Ed, 6
Eels, Mrs. 6
Elder Alison, 1
Elder Allison, 1
Elder Barnes, 2
Elder Bliss, 1
Elder Wood, 1, 2
Elisha Brown, 6
Eliza Sundown, 2
Esqr. Pettit, 2
Fields, 1, 2
G.Baley, 2
G.Hines, 6
G.Sock Dawley, 2
G.W.Norton, 6
G.York, 1
Gazley, H.D. 7
George Bebee, 1
George Hogoboom, 6
George Hugaboom, 6
Gilbert Button, 2
Griswold, 1, 2
H.Bebee,, 1
H.D.Gasley, 7
H.Jacob, 6
H.Two Guns, 2
Harrington, 6
Harris, 1, 2
Herrick, 6
Holmes, 6
Indian, Mr. 2
Indian Harris, 1, 5
Ira C. Titus, 2
Ira C.Titus, 2
Israel Jimison, 2
J. Hugaboom, 1
J.Kenneda, 2
J.King Skinner, 5
J.T.Ward, 6
Jacob Meacham, 6
James North, 6
James Ward, 6
Jim, 1, 2
Jim Spring, 1, 2
Jimis [Jimmy’s?], 2
Jimison, 1, 2, 5
Jimmison, 2
John Half Town, 2
John Kennaday, 1
John Seneca, 2
John, Hogers, 6
Johnathan Ward, 6
Jonathan Ward, 7
Jonathan Warner, 6
Joshua Turkey, 6
Kath Run, 2
Kenneda, 2
Kimb le, 2
Kimble, 2
L.Akerly, 6
L.Berner, 6
Lester Wood, 1, 2
Little Joe, 1, 5
Lois Sinicca, 6
Loren Ward, 6
Mallory, 2
Marsh, 2
Mary, 1, 2
Mary Blue Sky, 2
Maryette, 6
Miss How, 2
Mr Ward, 6
Mr. Indian, 2
Mr. Sprague, 2
Mr.Ball (Bennits mills, 2
Mr.Crouse, 2
Mr.Marsh, 2
Mr.Ostronder, 2
Mrs Eells, 6
Mrs. Bonnett, 2
Mrs. H.D.Gazley, 6
Mrs.Dewey, 2
Mrs.Prentice, 2
Mrs.Right, 6
Mulberry, 1
Niven, 6
Noah Two Guns, 1
Ostrander, Mr. 2
Peter Wilson, 6
Prentice, 2
Rev. Dr. Alllison, 2
S.George, 2
S.Matoon, 2
S.Matton, 2
Salmon Prentice, 2
Sceneca, 1, 5
Seineca, 2
Senica,, 1
Sheldon, 1, 2
Silverheels, 2
Sprague, Mr. 2
Squaw Blue Sky, 1
Stodard, 1, 2
Susan, 2
Tall Chief, 1, 2, 5
Timothy Beals, 5
Tuttle, 6
Twenty Canoes, 2
Two Guns, 1, 2, 5
Twoguns, 1, 2
Vanvlack, 7
W.Eaton, 2
Walter Reckord, 6
Ward, Mr. 2
Warters, 1
Wat, 6
Waters, 1
White Boy, 2
Whitney, 6
William, 6
William Eells, 6
William T.Wilkins, 6
Willtsey, 6
Wm Chapman, 2
Wm. Cooper, 1
Wm.Jimison, 2
Wood, 2, 6
Woolley, 1
Wright, 2
Xina Spring, 2
Zenus Willis, 6


At this point, the Day Book style of entry was abandoned, at least for this volume. In its place were individual and company accounts making a ledger with the index to the personal and company names inserted on the first leaves. The names in the ledger entries can be found in the database attached to this analysis. Those accounts begin with a page for Barker & Mead with the first entry on 14 August 1848.The accounts end with one for James Morrison as of 15 December 1858, on p.123.

When this volume was donated to the Barker Historical Museum in September 1987, it was found to contain 33 slips of paper, some carefully torn from the bottom of blank pages  but most discarded pieces salvaged from an earlier use. Most of the slips were used for calculations or for separate records of customers accounts. (At least two leaves appear to have been used as pen wipers.)

Those containing accounts, bills or I.O.U.s are described here very briefly but recording any names which appear in them, whether the context is legible or not. Each has been given an arbitrary number.

  1. Brief note dated at Ellicottville, Aug. 23, 1849 from J. King Skinner, Post Master to “Post Master at Versailes.” In August 1849 that would have been A. H. Barker. The reverse has been used to record the account of Timothy Beals from 31 Jan. 1850 through 5 April 1852. It includes a 17 December 1851 order for a pair of “Bootees for Amerett Meacham.”
  2. A bill for A. Beals Oct.15, 1853 – Feb.1, 1854
  3. A slip with figures including the notations “Cole — 11.51  Crain 10 27  Willtsey 3.00/24.78”
  4. Seth Bebee bill Nov.9, 1854
  5. “Versailles Jany 19/50  Due J. T. Ward or order three Dollars? On the reverse “Tuttle  5.38  Holmes 16.66   Harrington 21.66   E.H. 22. 85”
  6. Nov. 24/49  Bill for William T. Wilkins By James Ward  By James North
  7. Johnathan Ward Oct 1881.  Johnathan Ward to G. W. Norton. List is primarily of bran, fuel, flour and meal.  Aug.21 – Nov. 17
  8. William Eells to J. T. Ward  Dec.19-1851 — 9.25.55  Refers to William, Mrs Eells, Wat, Ed, Amanda, Herrick, Maryette and Charly.
  9. Co.(?) Armand (?) I promise to pay three dollars in work   Versailles 12 May 1856
10)1857-1858 record of accounts. Niven, D. Brigs, C. Cooper, H. Jacob (?), G. Hines, Lois Sinicca, L.Akerly, Joshua Turkey, L. Berner (?), William John, Hogers
11)1855-56  Mrs. H. D. Gazley
12) Jonathan Warner  8-4-1849
13) May 17, 1858  Zenus Willis
14) J. T. Ward please pay the bearer four dollars fifty cts Jan 1858 out of your shop George Hugaboom
15) By Elisha Brown,Esq., Justice of the Peace of the County of Cattaraugus any constable of said county is hereby required forthwith to summons Walter Reckord personally to appear before me at my office in the Town of Perrysburg on 15 Feb. 1858 at 1 o’clock to answer to the complaint of Bradford VanVliet  2-8-1858.  (on outside of folded paper)  A true copy of the Original J. T. Ward Const.
16) Long list of work done (by blacksmith?) Sept.1858- Dec. 1859  On outside of folded paper May 1861  Mrs. Right  to 8 lbs of Caps (?) a/c 8 per Pound  64  to 6 lbs and five (?) ounces of pork  75
17) Bill for Peter Wilson  Sept. 26, 1854-June 30, 1855
18) May 17, 1858  George Hogoboom To mend 1 Pr Shoes for girl  4-  .50
19) A list of banks and their locations in NY, NJ,MD,MI
20) Extremely faint writing: Dec 3th 1855 Mr Ward Sir Please to Let Loren Ward (?) Have one Pair of Boots and _____(?)
21) Jacob Meacham Sept. 23, 1848 – May 11.By cash.
22) Jacob Meacham Aug 25, 1855- May 10, 1856
23)1863 Burwell Hawkins pair of boots. A penciled addition “p.362” may refer to a ledger entry.
24) 9 Mar  Molas, Phrenology postag, Aliston, Atwell, Whitney, Wood
25) Jonathan Ward account commencing August 4th 1849 Averell, Vanvlack, Atwel
26) Versailles June 23d 1858 – H. D. Gasley
27) Good for fifty ct  (added in pencil  “p.337”


Index of Names on Separate Slips:

____? Nelson, 2
A. Averell, 1
A.Beals, 5
Aliston, 6
Amanda, 5
Amerett Meacham, 5
Andrew John, 2
Armand, 5
Atwel, 6
Atwell, 6
Averel, 1
Averell, 6
Averil,, 1
Barker, 1, 4, 5
Bebee, 1, 2, 5
Beels, 2
Bliss, 1, 2
Blue Sky,, 2, 4
Bluskey, 2
Bradford VanVliet, 5
Brooks, 2
Burwell Hawkins, 6
Button George, 1
C. Two Guns, 2
C.Canada, 1
C.Cooper, 5
C.Coopper, 2
C.D.Parker, 1
C.Kennada, 2
C.Two Guns, 2
Cannada, 2, 4
Cenada, 2
Cephas Two Guns, 2
Charles, 2
Charly, 5
Clark, 2
Clark Taylor, 2
Coan, 2
Coon, 2
D. Two Guns, 2
D.Brigs, 5
D.D.Parker, 1
D.White, 2
Deacon Woods, 2
Dewy, 2
Doct Willson, 2
Durkey (?),, 2
E. Bebebee, 2
E.Jimison, 2
Earl, 2
Eaton, 2
Ed, 5
Elder Alison, 1
Elder Allison, 1
Elder Barnes, 2
Elder Bliss, 1
Elder Wood, 1, 2
Elisha Brown, 5
Eliza Sundown, 2
Esqr. Pettit, 2
Fields, 1, 2
G.Baley, 2
G.Hines, 5
G.Sock Dawley, 2
G.W.Norton, 5
G.York, 1
George Bebee, 1
George Hogoboom, 6
George Hugaboom, 5
Gilbert Button, 2
Griswold, 1, 2
H.Bebee,, 1
H.D.Gasley, 6
H.Jacob, 5
H.Two Guns, 2
Harrington, 5
Harris, 1, 2
Herrick, 5
Holmes, 5
Indian Harris, 1, 4
Ira C. Titus, 2
Ira C.Titus, 2
Israel Jimison, 2
J. Hugaboom, 1
J.Kenneda, 2
J.King Skinner, 5
J.T.Ward, 5
Jacob Meacham, 6
James North, 5
James Ward, 5
Jim, 1, 2
Jim Spring, 1, 2
Jimis [Jimmy’s?], 2
Jimison, 1, 2, 4
Jimmison, 2
John Half Town, 2
John Kennaday, 1
John Seneca, 2
John, Hogers, 5
Johnathan Ward, 5
Jonathan Ward, 6
Jonathan Warner, 5
Joshua Turkey, 5
Kath Run, 2
Kenneda, 2
Kimb le, 2
Kimble, 2
L.Akerly, 5
L.Berner, 5
Lester Wood, 1, 2
Little Joe, 1, 4
Lois Sinicca, 5
Loren Ward, 6
Mallory, 2
Marsh, 2
Mary, 1, 2
Mary Blue Sky, 2
Maryette, 5
Miss How, 2
Mr Ward, 6
Mr. Indian, 2
Mr. Sprague, 2
Mr.Ball (Bennits mills, 2
Mr.Crouse, 2
Mr.Indian, 2
Mr.Marsh, 2
Mr.Ostronder, 2
Mrs Eells, 5
Mrs. Bonnett, 2
Mrs. H.D.Gazley, 5
Mrs.Dewey, 2
Mrs.Prentice, 2
Mrs.Right, 6
Mulberry, 1
Niven, 5
Noah Two Guns, 1
Peter Wilson, 6
Prentice, 2
Rev. Dr. Alllison, 2
S.George, 2
S.Matoon, 2
S.Matton, 2
Salmon Prentice, 2
Sceneca, 1, 4
Seineca, 2
Senica,, 1
Sheldon, 1, 2
Silverheels, 2
Squaw Blue Sky, 1
Stodard, 1, 2
Susan, 2
Tall Chief, 1, 2, 4
Timothy Beals, 5
Tuttle, 5
Twenty Canoes, 2
Two Guns, 1, 2, 4
Twoguns, 1, 2
Vanvlack, 6
W.Eaton, 2
Walter Reckord, 5
Warters, 1
Wat, 5
Waters, 1
White Boy, 2
Whitney, 6
William, 5
William Eells, 5
William T.Wilkins, 5
Willtsey, 5
Wm Chapman, 2
Wm. Cooper, 1
Wm.Jimison, 2
Wood, 2, 6
Woolley, 1
Wright, 2
Xina Spring, 2
Zenus Willis, 5
The Harts and Starrs of Fredonia
By Douglas H. Shepard, 2012

Aaron Hart, who had been a Private in the Revolutionary War, married Annice Austin in Barkhamsted CT on 3 December 1795. They had three sons: William Austin Hart, born 13 January 1797; Salmon Hart, born 19 September 1807; and Aaron H. Hart, born 19 September 1810. The family moved about 1819 to Bristol, Ontario County, NY, while William, who had been apprenticed to a gunsmith, came on to Fredonia (he had turned 21) “with his trade, rifle and pack — his fortune — and commenced business in a small way,” according to the account in his obituary.

By December of 1819 he had set up his gun shop in the newly built Cascade Hamlet, a large U-shaped building of two stories over a basement, at today’s 100 West Main Street. His shop was at the east end of the bottom of the “U” facing West Main Street on the second floor. He was the first occupant, advertising his gunsmith business on 24 December 1819. On 11 November 1820 he advertised for an apprentice gunsmith whom he soon took on. That was young Levi Risley, who remained with Hart for some two or three years. Risley later wrote that he, Risley, “went out of business” in 1823 “about the time that old flint gunlock did” and went to work as a store clerk in Sinclairville.

Hart had married Mary Ann Summerton of Caledonia Springs, in Sempronius NY on 22 January 1821. (There were apartments for the craftsmen and their families in the wings of the U-shaped building at the Cascade Hamlet in Fredonia.) On 30 October 1821 he advertised for a good journeyman gunsmith, and in 1822 he added stove and tinsmith departments to his business.

In March 1823 nine occupants joined together as the Cascade Hamlet Mechanic Society with a Constitution and By-Laws published in The Fredonia Censor of 18 March 1823. The list is headed by the name of the builder followed by that of “William Hart, Gunsmith.” However, the Hamlet did not succeed and on 11 October 1823 Hart bought an L-shaped lot lying next to and behind the grist mill at today’s 89 West Main Street. By 1825 he was in partnership with Seth Parker, which lasted until March 1827.

It was in July 1825 that Hart first experimented with the natural gas which bubbled up from the bottom of Canadaway Creek. An account of this venture was written many years later by Joseph Holmes, a student at the Fredonia Academy who was rooming with the Hart family at the time. As Holmes described it, Hart drilled a hole in the bottom of a washtub upended, inserted a rifle barrel in it and set the contraption at the edge of the creek. When enough gas had accumulated, he held a flame to the end of the rifle barrel and the first continuous light from natural gas in Fredonia made its appearance.

Ms. Lois Barris wrote a very full account of the natural gas and petroleum pioneers here and in Pennsylvania entitled “The Fredonia Gas Light and Water Works Company,” in which she summarized Hart’s subsequent actions: “Mr. Hart made three attempts at drilling — he left a broken drill in one shallow hole and abandoned a second site at a depth of forty feet because of the small volume of gas found. In his third attempt, Mr. Hart found a good flow of gas at seventy feet. He then constructed a crude gasometer, covering it with a rough shed and proceeded to pipe and market the first natural gas sold in this country.” The Fredonia Censor of 31 August 1825 wondered breathlessly, “What Village can compare with Fredonia?  There is now in this village 2 stores [one a grocery] 2 shops and one mill that are every evening lighted up with as brilliant gas lights as are to be found in an[y] city in this or any other country. . . . The buildings which are now lighted have been literally thronged for several evenings past.” (The first building to receive the experimental natural gas light was said to have been at today’s 32 West Main Street.)

On 20 January 1827 Hart received what was described as the first U.S. Patent for a percussion lock to replace the old flintlock firing mechanism, and on 28 August he was able to advertise that he had percussion rifles and pistols at his shop.  In 1829 he took his brother Salmon Hart into partnership (Salmon had turned 21) in what was now a gun and stove shop, and a tin, copper and sheet iron manufactory. Late in that same year he drilled for gas near Portland Harbor (Barcelona) and in 1830 piped the gas to the new lighthouse there.

In1831 he sold an undivided half interest in the tin shop to Salmon, who had married Mary Ann (Marianne) Starr, daughter of Jonah and Phebe Starr of Fredonia. In 1832 they added younger brother Aaron H. Hart to the company, he having turned 21. By 1833, their parents, Aaron and Annis Hart had moved to Fredonia, buying two lots from William on 29 January 1833.

Although they advertised for an apprentice to the tinning business, as William Hart’s obituary mentioned, he began to have unspecified health problems. As a consequence, on 1 March 1834 the partnership was dissolved and he turned to gardening in an attempt to regain his health. By September of 1834 he had begun advertising “Hart’s Nursery,” with fruit trees for sale, but his inventive bent continued. He devised a “new improved parlor organ,” which was praised by a local music teacher. Not coincidentally, in March 1835 Salmon Hart added musical instruments to his gunsmith business. In February 1837, Jesse H. Starr, Salmon’s brother-in-law, bought into the business, where he had been working for several years. It was advertised as “the old Gun Shop, one door east of E. Risley & Co.’s Cash Store. The co-partnership was dissolved on 22 June 1841. Starr suffered from tuberculosis. He died in June 1842, shortly after his namesake, Jesse Kingsley Starr, was born to his nephew Joseph Starr and Joseph’s wife, Persis Kingsley on 15 February 1842. Starr’s sister, Mary Ann, Salmon’s wife, had died on 14 January 1839, leaving him with an infant son. Salmon then married Mary Augustus Reddington of Geneva NY.

William Hart continued to expand his nursery along Canadaway Creek leading down along today’s Hart Street to the water’s edge, turning it into Hart’s Pleasure Garden. There were “Flower Beds, Arbors and Pleasant Walks” and “during the season “the Garden will occasionally be illuminated, and a grand gala and pyrotechnical entertainment will be given. . . . The bars [non-alcoholic] will be stored at all times with refreshments in all of their seasonable varieties. The Bath House will be open every Saturday, until the hot season commences, when it will be open every day (Sunday excepted) with hot, cold and shower baths.”

That was from a May 1837 article. On 21 June The Fredonia Censor elaborated. “Mr. Hart has for three years been at constant expense in fitting up, enlarging, beautifying and storing with a great variety of flowers, shrubbery and fruit trees, the spot of ground most beautifully located upon the borders of the stream. . . assisted by a gardener who has had charge of some of the most noted private gardens in Great Britain. . . . In a sequestered part of the garden, embowered in shrubbery, is a Bathing House. . . in another part he has a pleasant little building well stored with confectionary, cooling and pleasant drinks. . . and delicious fruits in their season. He will occasionally get up a display of Fire Works, having with him Mr. Brown, an experienced hand at the business.”

On 22 June 1837 he opened again for the season. “The garden was beautifully illuminated with transparencies of the most picturesque appearance — the walks were in charming order — the display of fireworks was fully successful and gratifying in the extreme — the dessert was of the most palatable kind, and the balloon ascension was entirely anti-Buffalo in its character, inasmuch as it rose majestically into its destined element, and gave the most lively satisfaction.” Next to follow was the 4th of July.

That celebration at Hart’s Garden included “Fire Works and a Fire Balloon.” Also, “Signal Rockets will be fired during the evening” The fireworks display was called “Diamonds & Stars, …occupying a surface of upwards of 700 feet of fire, and ending with a Feudejoie of 40 guns of heavy caliber, and a grand flight of 100 ROCKETS. 2. A Brilliant Chinese Fountain ending with a mine of Serpents. 3. A beautiful Constellation of fixed pointed Stars ending with the explosion of a MAGAZINE OF STARS.  4. A splendid Sun, with flaming center and double glory representing the crimson beauty of the Rising Sun, gradually changing to meridian splendor, ending with reports.  5. Five Pound Rockets, with variegated Stars.  6. A FLYING DRAGON Will cross the Garden four times. 
7. A Caduceus Rocket, forming in its ascent the caduceus of Mercury, the God of flight, After which there will be an intermission of half an hour, during which time a number of Rockets with Stars, Gold Rain, Serpents, and Blazing Meteors, will be fired.  8.The inflation and ascension of the largest transparent fire BALLOON ever exhibited in this country, which will carry up with it a novel display of Fire Works, with a Magazine of Stars and Serpents attached, which will explode with the force of a six pounder, filling the heavens with its report and fire.” In an addition to the account, “N.B. A few ROCKETS on hand, and for sale at the Garden.” (Mr. Brown was a busy man.)

Although the Pleasure Garden was an obvious success, by October 1837 Hart was ready to move on, as The Fredonia Censor of 11 October commented, “to locate where his exertions and capabilities will be likely to meet with a more ample reward.” Hart indicated that he would keep the Fredonia garden and planned “eventually to make this place his permanent residence,” something he never did. With his family he relocated to Buffalo, where he rented a large estate and opened it as a Pleasure Garden that included a “Circular Rail-Road.” The mansion on the grounds served as a restaurant and tea room, and as a genteel boarding house. The 1850 Census shows him in Buffalo, Ward 5, with his wife, Mary Ann, daughter Ellen, son Austin S. and Austin’s wife Anne.

According to his obituary, when oil was discovered in Pennsylvania in 1859, Hart soon became involved. However, very few of the earliest lease-holders can be identified. The only evidence we have is the obituary statement that “when the first discoveries of petroleum were made, he spent more than a year in the oil regions, and by judicious investments and the energetic extension of his business, laid the basis of a large fortune.” Thereafter, he continued to reside in Buffalo until his death on 9 August 1865.

His brother Salmon had continued in business in Fredonia. On 23 April 1853, Salmon’s second wife died and on 7 February he married Helen L. Wilder of Canandagua NY. The 1855 Census lists the family as Salmon Hart, 47, merchant; Helen L., 25; son Walter J., 13; son Frederick, 2; daughter Martha R., 8; and boarding next door at Levi R.Warren’s, four-year old William B. Redington, probably his second wife’s son. Also quite nearby were some of his Starr relatives, Sarah J. Starr living with her uncle and aunt, the Noah Whitcombs, and John F. Starr, grocer, with his young family.

Salmon’s former brother-in-law, Joseph Starr, had come to Fredonia in 1840 with his brother-in-law, N. H. Whitcomb. Together they “built a tannery on the stream [Wiley Creek] above the Wiley foundry [possibly about 108 West Main Street].” They were associated some years in the tannery and shoe business; the shoe shop then stood on West Main Street, and in 1884 was “the dwelling of Mrs. Thatcher.”

Joseph and Persis Starr had two children, George W. who was a partner in the firm of Frazine & Starr, dry goods, from 1848 until Frazine withdrew in March 1857, and Jesse K. Starr, who began with his father as J. Starr & Son, grocers, at 32 West Main Street. The front part of the building is said to have been built by the Risleys around 1810-1812. Barna Robbins had a store there for some years, and S. M. Clement had the building by 1851, adding the back portion. On 28 June 1865 it was sold to the Starrs. Jesse K. Starr had his grocery there into the 20th century, when he had to declare bankruptcy.

Henry Leworthy began as a clerk for J. K. Starr in 1878 and returned to occupy the same building from 1919 to 1930, selling antiques and books along with Leroy E.Winchester, jeweler.