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Tri-Counties Genealogy &
History by Joyce M. Tice
Tri-County People
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Bradford County PA
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Chemung County NY
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Tioga County PA
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1880 - Autobiography of
Elnathan Green
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| Article - Autobiography of Elnathan Green |
| Township: Elmira, Chemung County NY |
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| Year: 1880 |
| Article typed and submitted by Richard Edgerton,
Descendant |
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The following is a short autobiography of
the life of Elnathan Green resident of Elmira, N.Y. written about the year
1880. It was transcribed October 1914 by Charles Green Edgerton, a grandson.
All personal expressions, spelling and word constructions are in exact
copy of the original.
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I am asked to write a History or some of the incidents
of my life beginning back to my early childhood. So in the absence of dates
and other helps I must procede to guess as well as I can and Firstly, not
myself But my Father and Grandfather left an ancient Newengland State and
Moved into the wilderness in the Town of Granby in Oswego Co. N.Y. about
the year 1890 or 10, where they had to chop down trees and clear a spot
to build a Logg House So I have been told—So about the 24th
of May 1811 I happened to come among them a perfect Stranger with out any
reference. My Father and Mother being of a Hospital turn strait away adopted
me into the Family seeing I was a Little Green and being anxious to give
me Some distinction they searched the Scriptures to find a Title for me—and
they dubbed me with the ancient Name Elnathan of which I have always been
proud I was good Looking and good natured I opened not My Mouth to cry
until I had been there a week. Think of that So they told me.. But there
seems to be a Long- Blank- Space that I do not Remember of their whipping
me much I suppose I was verry like boys at the present day I paddled in
the water made mud pies and played with Dog. Now I begin to Remember that
I climbed Trees for close bye were plenty of them and soon I learned to
chop them down. My father being in Limited circumstances could not afford
to Bring me up in idleness So I had to Brak in early in Life. For the Fate
of the Farmer was Hard in those Days. As I began to be about 8 years old
the Settlement having increased they began to Think about taking some measures
to Enlighten the youth of the wilderness that they might learn to soot
their Ideas to some advantage So they chopped down some trees Built a School
House and went five miles into Civilization and Imported a Teacher For
one Dollar pr week and Board around-two terms in a year of three months
Each was all they could afford. I entered the First Summer term as Freshmen
and went through the Webster Spelling Book and drew the Highest Prize a
pair of Glass Sleeve Buttons. When the winter Term commenced we had wood
to chop and grain to Thresh So my Term was a Short one and So it Happened
every year. One Little incident—But was never fond of Boasting—It was the
custom of Larger Boys to go Early in the morning to the School House and
Build a Fire to warm the House. My turn came as usual I went ¾ of
a Mile built great fire of logs and wood and went Home to get my Breakfast
of Jonny cake and milk and Return to School when about halfway back I saw
and behold the old School House all in Flames. My spelling book English
Reader and Gography had gone up and I was left in ignorance. Knowledge
Puffeth up So the Bible says. But I dident puff.
The years rolled on and I enjoyed my Self as well
as others I wore good Home made clothes and washed my Hands before eating—When
about Eighteen my Mother Died and I with the rest of the Family mourned
her Loss. In Process of Time My Father married and brought into the family
a woman contrary to my wishes—But I Loved my home and Kept it until about
22 years old when I left and up into one of the western counties in the
State Worked six months and returned. My Father had encouraged me to think
he could do something to help me start in Life. But found he had sold his
Farm to a confidential old Methodist Preacher without taking proper security
and the consequence was my hopes were blasted. No way for me to Shirk for
my Self and I shirked up into Owasco spent the winter chopping and other
joyous sports until spring when I strayed over to the Lake on Gov. Troops
Farm where a Respectable citizen of Auburn whose name is familiar was getting
out Timber and finding me an expert with the ax strait way made me a proposition
to work for him. I then had a standing offer at the same rate to go into
the country for three years I found myself in a strait between the two—to
go in the country was nice to go into the Village was better so I chose
the latter. Perhaps I was a Little Green—My new employer kept me chopping
and scoring Timber some time and boarded me at a country Hotell until I
became a Little civilized and then took me into his own Family which consisted
of Boys and Girls some older and some younger more or Less. I was well
treted and acknowledged as one of the helps – in particular – I was selected
to assist in running planning Mill which I did to the best of my ability.
All went on Harmoniously but disappointment lurks in many a prize..By some
unforeseen event the mill took fire and burned to the ground..So that was
twice I suffered by fire. But it is said that where there is a way there
is a will so I made my way into a carpenters shop carried on by one of
my bosses Sons to receive small wages and instruction thrown in—in the
men time I kept my olf boarding place—I said there were girls there all
very friendly to me—But som way quite foreign to my intention it was thought
that I was a Little more partial to one than the rest. But I could not
help it I did not wish to be obstinate so I kept on a Sober Face and made
believe I dident—it was whispered that there was an intimacy growing between
us Some frowned and some dident care for cent—I found I had the majority
on my side and I said come on if you dare-But being of a quiet disposition
not willing to create uneasiness in Family so I left my old Home and Boarding
Place and sought another. All went on smoothly But I was watched some But
sometimes I happened around about the time Singing School was out and then
we could compare notes. All went quietly for time when it began to be whispered
that we were going to be married---Well that is just what we were talking
about Some said it must be stoped other said go on So we went on until
about the 15th of Sept. 1842 when a few friends and the Minister
were invited and there the issue was joined—and after the usual preliminaries
of Hand shaking Good byes etc. etc. we started to carry out the program
as was previously made viz. to visit Friend for a week and return. But
dident return worth a cent. We went from the Parental Roof in a Buggy to
the Depot from thence by Rail to Cayuga—thence by steamboat to Ithica-from
thence to Elmira by Stage where by the Grace of God we remain to this day—
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| E. J. Green |
Jane Selover |
During the interval between then and now has been
filled up with various incidents and experiences which I can only faintly
discribe—Frience here had arrainged that we should stay here and go to
work—So we rented a House or shop and brought a cooking stove and a few
Little dishes and we had a bed and a carpet and a handful of chairs and
I with about $130 in my pocket we went to work as Honest people should
do and enjoyed the fruits of our Labor—Our House Hold cares were light
and there was no one to molest or mak us afraid—I was first employed by
D. Young on Judge Grays House four or five years before the rail road was
built—Everything was plenty and cheap but money—I had hard work to get
enough to pay postage on letters which was only five apiece.
Well in process of time there was change in the
aspect of things I engaged to work for Uncle Abe Stowell on a House he
was building for Jonny Panwenter (1)on Water St.—When
Saturday night came round I expected an order as usual on somebodys Grocery
or Store, but to my surprise he handed me a Five Dollar note cash—I looked
at him as much as to say "You don’t mean it"—And it came to pass in those
days that a spirit of enterprise entered the hearts of people and they
wanted a Railroad and they made one with all its details and depots. Then
straight away the scene was changed- Money was quite plenty and so was
everything else. We found that diligence and economy we could meet our
necessary want—Could smile at Hungers Rage and wipe our joyful eyes-Those
were galer days-our children then began to make their first visits to the
House Hold, one after the other—until the Number had reached four or five—we
fed and clothed them at our own expense and schooled them as best we could
For we wanted their company- But as years rolled on they began to be weary
of Restraint and tired of their Home- For we could Pormise them nothing
very Brillient in Life and thinking they could paddle their own canoe They
launched out one after an other First the second then the First then the
third—Just like a flock of Sheep jumping over a wall—all but one Poor Little
Lamb is left us to watch over our declineing years—But I cannot sorrow
as those that are without hope—But I must go back a few dozen years and
speak of some of the common incidents of life which was nothing rare or
heroick—Mr. J. Selover and Mr. Jow Sampson combined their energies to build
a planing for the purpose of Dressing various kinds of lumber for the market—and
I without Egotism could boast of being the only chap in the place that
was at all skilled in the Business, so of course I was selected to try
my skill. I remained with them until there was a change in the firm—The
new party insisted on cutting down wages to Less than one Dollar and Half
pr. Day and I retired from the field after Mr. Selover and Haskell united
their efforts to build a Mill about that time I had partly recovered from
an all winters sickness (that notable winter that Fanny was introduced
to the Family) I commenced with the framing of the Mill and continued there
through the different administrations for nearly twenty-years—All through
the things went on smoothly until about the last years of the war when
the soldiers were getting more or less bruised and sore it seemed to be
my ill fate to get a slight bruise which nearly destroyed two of my fingers.
But that was my own job and I never applied for Redress and never got any-
There is one thing under the Sun that I have a clear conscience about that
is I never sought Office or High position in Life, but if circumstances
had Favored it I don’t know how high I might have climbed— it was like
this— Some years since in the Congregational church in which I was an unworthy
member There was a meeting called to elect some Deacons whose term of Service
had expired—the ballots were passed around without much lectioneering-
the votes were canseled- they were scattering all the way from one up to
a majority-I had one vote (I was not elected of course)
As I have before said I labored and enjoyed the
Fruits of it- In the early years of my married life I felt the need of
some kind of a house, so I went to work and Built a Second class Shanter
without any grave pretentions to art or popular science—But it has protected
us from many pelting Storms by day and has afforded us quiet repose in
many a stormy night—(2) Our children most of them
were born in it Reared and Married in the Same—It has served us long and
saved us well-Why should we not reverence the old shell—But alas time has
wrought it changes with it. Rust and mildew has gained the preeminance—I
regret my inability to restore it to its Former grandeur but like its Possesor
both must soon go to Decay- One to Mother Earth From whence it came-the
other to Pile of Rubish.
But that we all may be happier in the world to come
than we have been in the past—is the prayer of your Paternal etc. etc.
Published On Tri-Counties Site On 04/08/2003
By Joyce M. Tice
Email: JoyceTice@aol.com
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visitor since the counter was installed on 08 APRIL 2003 |
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(1)1857 Elmira Directory show this to be John Parmenter,
president of the bank
(2) 1857 Elmira Directory shos the family on
Gray Street, near Columbia
