General Erastus Cleaveland
(1771 - 1857)
Page 524, #1128
Gen. Erastus 6 Cleaveland, who commanded the U, S. forces at Sackett’s Harbor and Owego, N. Y., war of 1812, was one of the most prominent citizens of Central New York in business matters, politics, and military affairs. Gen. Erastus gave the following account of himself in a statement written about 1855:
” The first Cleveland who came to this country (as related to me by my grandmother), from England was John Cleveland, whose wife was Scotch. They landed at Boston, had 7 sons & 1 daughter Phebe, she m. and went to Halifax, 2 sons settled in Mass., 2 in (now) Vt. ; 2 in Conn., and 1 in Va. [No records whatever to substantiate; likely his grandmother confounded John with Moses 1 .]
There is in the family to which I belong a coat of arms said to have been brought by the first that came. It contains 3 moons and a battle axe. At the age of 14 I was turned into the world to shirk for myself. Possessed of a good constitution and a laudable ambition I went to New London to learn the carpenter’s trade, and engaged to serve as an apprentice until of age for my board and 45 shillings a year. When 18 I went to merchandizing. I bought my time, went to Richmond, Va., to work. When I got to Richmond I had one shilling for which I had sold the pilot of the vessel a pair of mittens.
Thence I went to Petersburgh, Dinwiddie co., Va , and then to Savannah, Ga., was knocked overboard on the way by a boom. Worked in Savannah 8 months, returned North, spent the winter. In spring hearing of smallpox I inoculated myself with a penknife, and went to Whitestown, N. Y., and worked getting out timber. Had the small-pox bad. Lived at W. 2 years.
The 20 townships, now parts of Oneida, Chenango, and Madison counties, called Governors Purchase, then offered for sale. I had saved some money and came here and bought land from Bond and Blodgett ; they failed to pay for the land. I was obliged to sell my chance, and the purchaser paid for his land to the agent of Col. Troup, who was agent for Sir William Poultney in Eng. I then bought another lot of land, 280 acres, paid $1.50 per acre. When in 1793 I came here [Madison] there was only 1 family in the town, and they moved on the day before. I built 1795 a log house and then a saw mill. The hemlocks were thick and hemlock boards good as cash. I built a grist mill and got money enough from sale of lumber to pay my workmen.
My advantages for education in early life were limited. I have felt the loss, and tried to give my children all the advantages in that respect in my power. My motto has always been “Be careful in your deal and punctual in your contracts.” When civil government was organized in the county they had to use such timber as they had. I was appointed Justice of the Peace, and was Judge of Court of Common Pleas [1808-10] a number of years. I was 12 years Supervisor [1808, &c], Commissioner of Loans 20 years, Supt. of Madison co. poor 10 years, have twice represented the county. in Legislature. I have many times said I had more public favor than I was entitled to, but have endeavored to discharge the duties of any and all the offices I have held with what ability I had and with fidelity.
In military affairs my first commission [1807] was 2d Maj. of militia, from that I arose through a regular grade [Lt. Col. 1812, Col. 1814] to Brigadier-General. I served 2 compaigns in war of 1812 and 1815, and have lately received a bounty land warrant of 160 acres. “French’s N.Y. Gaz., 1860,p.392 — Madison, the first settlement made, 1793. Gen. Erastus Cleveland built the first gristmill and kept the first store. Civil List and forms of government of the Colony and State of N. Y., Albany 1869— p. 177, First Constitution, Members of Assembly, Cleveland, Erastus ; co. Madison 1807; p. 339, Second Constitution, Cleveland, Erastus, 1833.
His grandson., Hon. Theodore Sedgwick Gold, relates that Gen. Erastus in 1838 took him to Waweekas Hill, Norwich, and said, “Here I was born, and I bless the misfortunes that drove me from here.”
Obituary of Gen. Erastus, written by Mrs. Eliza Howard, appeared in Oneida Dispatch and Democratic Republican, Feb., 1837. See History of Madison co.
The fine plate of Gen. Erastus Cleaveland and his beloved wife, Rebecca (Berry) Cleaveland, contributed to this work by their descendants, is from a daguerreotype.
Rice, Royce ancestry. — Robert of Stratford, Conn., 1644, New London, had sons : Isaac, Nehemiah, Nathaniel, Samuel, Joseph, Robert , descendants of whom were first planters of Wallingford, Conn. — History of Wallingford, Meriden, and Cheshire, By Charles Henry Stanley Davis. M.D., 1870, p. 890. Ancestor of Lucy Royce, b. Wallingford, m. John Berry, who served under Washington at Valley Forge.