His store was located where the Van Valkenburg building now stands. Ahaz Allen drove to Mount Clemens, Michigan and brought back with him his brother-inlaw, Styles Torrance and family. C. C. Torrance was then but one year old and the youngest of the family. They lived in Hidi until the children were grown to maturity. For many years the Torrance family played an important role in the development of the community.

As late as 1830, there was a dense wilderness lying south of Hidi, extending many miles up Point Peter Brook. Sometime between 1828 and 1830, a huge bear made occasional visits to the edge of the clearing at the upper end of the flats at Hidi. Though his visits were always at night his tracks were visible the next day. ''Uncle'' Styles Torrance (an old trapper) had a large bear trap made, set it and caught Mr. Bruin fast and solid. When weighed, bruin tipped the scales at 400 pounds.

Robert and Styles A. Torrance came to Hidi about a year before Ahaz Allen's brother-inlaw. Soon after their arrival they obtained possession of the wool-carding business at Hidi and built up a good trade. Later in company

with Ahaz Allen, they put in machinery for manufacturing woolen goods. This business continued for years under different firms.

In 1827, the Lodi postoffice was discontinued and the mail was received at Collins until 1830, when the postoffice of West Lodi was established on the Cattaraugus County side of the creek. Ralph Plumb, postmaster of the Collins (Lodi) post office, was succeeded by Phineas Spencer in 1832-39.

The Lodi Library Association was legally organized,June 18, 1827, with H. M. . Parker, Norton Davison, Solon Spencer, Ira C. Titus, J. Hill, Constant B. Allen, and Solomn Dunham as trustees. No other report of the organization is recocded, but it adds these names to those already mentioned in this vicinity.

Arthur B. Allen, the well known radio actor, great grandson of Ahaz Allen, has in his possession several old books that have the name ''Lodi Library'' written on the fly-leaf. These books were in circulation from 1827 until 1842.

The first newspaper published in Lodi made its appearance in 1827. It was called the ''Lodi

Page Twenty-four

Pioneer". It is recorded that Lewis B. Edwards was the publisher, and a nephew, G. N. Starr was editor. G. N. Starr bought the newspaper in 1829 and in 1830 changed the name to t'The Cattaraugus Freeman and Lodi Messenger." The price was $2.50 per year. Mr. Starr continued the publication up to and including the year 1838.

In January, 1827, Wilhelm Willink purchased a large tract of land on the hill west of the village from the Holland Land Company, and sold part of it to Solomn Dunham in 1828. (In 1834, Dunham sold it to William Sisson.) William Sisson and his wife Roda, had two sons, Calvin and Allan. Allan lived in the house now owned and occupied by Charles Sipple, while William and the rest of his family lived in the Maltbie house. After the Civil War, Captain Maltbie purchased this property from Roda Sisson then a widow.

At an early date the Maltbie house was a tavern, possibly Dunhan1 was the tavern ( keeper. The old Wells home in these early days was a tavern kept by Peter Hardy. A steady stream of pioneers went by these places on their way westward.

In the old cemetery on Maltbie Heights, lie

many of the old pioneer settlers of Gowanda and vicinity. Many of the old headstones are broken and many are almost unreadable. For years, Maltbie Hill was known as ''Sisson Hill'' and the cemetery was called the "Sisson Cemetery".

The first lawyer to practice in Lodi was Albert G. Burke. Many people at this time were having trouble with the Holland Land Company as money, with which to make land payments, was scarce and a good lawyer was needed in the community.

In 1827 Millen T. Hill came to Gowanda from Geneseo and started the business of cabinet maker. Afterward he carried on a lumber business, purchasing a saw-mill on the south side of Thatcher Brook which had been built several years previous by Phineas Spencer. Later, in 1856, he began manufacturing cheese boxes in this mill. For years there was a dam below the bridge on Jamestown Street that furnished the water for the raceway of the Hill factory. Mr. Hill was a continuous resident of the village for 7 5 years. (The M. T. Hill Hose Company was named in his honor.)

E.W. Henry came to Lodi in 1828 and sold

Page Twenty-five.

goods in a store near the creek and close to the bridge on the south side of Main Street. In 1829, he married Phoebe, daughter of Colonel Waterman. A few years later he bought a lot on Water Street, built the house now occupied by Dr. Robinson (at No. 54 Water St). Subsequently he sold the property and bought at the terminum of East Main Street. Two years later he sold again and moved back into the Persia side of the village, buying property at the foot of Church Street, (Chapel St.) and near Water Street, where he lived in 1840. He put up an ashery and d.id a large business in potash, which was then the only commodity that brought ready ash.

(At the formation of the present Union School District, 1844, Mr. Henry donated the land upon which the first school hot1se on the south side of the creelr was built by Jasper Waterman. During this time he again bought property on East Main Street, erected a store and dwelling, and sold goods there until the property burned in the fire of 18 5 6. He died in November, 1873.)

The school in Lodi was originally in a dis-

trict which was partly in Collins, Erie County; but in 1829 the district was divided, and in July of that year district No. 14, in Cattaraugus County, was formed, embracing the northeast part of Perrysburg and the northwest part of Persia. August 8, Benjamin Waterman, Solomon Dunham and Phineas Spencer were elected trustees; Amasa Chaffee, clerk; and John Thatcher, treasurer. The district now being organized, it was voted to secure a site for a school house within 40 rods of Dr. Merritt's Place." This was located on the northern part of land now occupied by the M. E. Church.

A lot was purchased of Alvin Bugbee for $25.00 on which Asahel Camp and Stephen B. Green, as a committee, built a frame house 22 by 26 feet, for the low cost of $125.00.

Solomon Dunham painted this house with Venetian red, trimmed the cornice white, and made some plain benches. A large Franklin stove in the center of the room completed the outfit. In the winter of 1829-1830 the first school, comprising fifty-seven scholars, was taught here by Mr. Leland representing a term of five months at $13.00 per month. The

Page Twenty-six