CHAPTER XVII.
ROADS AND HIGHWAYS IN THE TOWN OF ELMA.
Before the Town of Elma was formed, December 4th, 1856, most of the roads were laid out by the Commissioner of Highways of the towns of Aurora and Lancaster.
When the town was fully organized in order to have a proper record of the roads of the town, recourse was had to the records of roads in the town clerk’s office of Aurora and Lancaster. The descriptions of many of the Elma roads were found to be very indefinite and imperfect.
The Commissioners of Highways of the Town of Elma ordered a re-survey, and re-description of the imperfectly described roads and later, several new roads were laid out, and as many alterations and discontinuations of roads or parts of roads had in a few years been made, the records became so mixed up that in many instances it was found to be impossible to locate some of the roads from the best that could be learned from the records.
In October 1889, on the petition of Eli Northrup, Supervisor of Elma, the Board of Supervisors ordered the Commissioner of Highways of the Town of Elma to have a survey made of such roads as were so imperfect in description and have a revision of the records of roads so to as have a correct record. The surveys were made, the records revised and the Commissioner completed his work by signing the new records February 15th, 1890.
Most of the roads when laid out had been given the names of some prominent old settler or resident on the new road and, in some cases, when alterations or additions had been made a new name would be given and so it came to pass that some of the roads were called by two or more names.
The Town Board directed that in the revision, so far as possible, the roads should be given the name of an old resident on the road and in that way help to keep the names of some of the old early settlers in remembrance.
This plan was adopted and the roads were so entered in the records and are known by these names.
NAME OF ROAD |
NAME OF RESIDENT. |
Aurora and Buffalo Plank Road |
|
Adams Road |
Luther Adams |
Baker Road |
Salem Baker |
Barto Road |
Jesse Barto |
Billington Road |
Stickney Billington |
Blood Road |
Horace Blood |
Blossom Road |
Blossom Village |
Bowen Road |
|
Bullis Road |
Lewis M. Bullis |
Central Road |
|
Chair Factory Road |
|
Clinton Street Road |
|
Conley, or Toll Gate Road |
|
Davis Road |
James Davis |
Ebenezer Village Road |
|
Elma Cemetery Road |
|
Girdled Road |
|
Griffin Road |
John Griffin |
Hemstreet Road |
Z. A. Hemstreet |
Hill Road |
Zenas Hill |
Jamison Road |
|
Kinsley Road |
Stephen Kinsley |
Knaab Road |
Jacob Knaab |
Lancaster Town Line Road |
|
Marilla Town Line Road |
|
North Star Road |
|
Northrup Road |
Lewis Northrup |
Ostrander Road |
John W. Ostrander |
Paxon Road |
Henry Paxon |
Pound Road |
Samuel Pound |
Rice Road |
Wm. M. Rice |
Rickertson Road |
James B. Rickertson |
Schmaltz Road |
John Schmaltz |
Schultz Road |
Philip Schultz |
Seneca Creek Road |
|
Standart Road |
George Standart |
Stolle Road |
Christian Stolle |
Thompson Road |
Joseph Thompson |
Williams Road |
Isaac Williams |
Winspear Road |
Wm. Winspear |
Woodard Road |
Eron Woodard |
The roads as named and their locations are here given.
Aurora and Buffalo Plank Road – Four rods wide. Beginning on the Aurora town line at the corner of Lots No. 21 and 26 of the Mile Strip, thence northwesterly on lot lines, through Spring Brook to the Transit line at the corner of Lots No. 96 and 97 of the Aurora part of Elma. The road across the Mile Strip was laid out April 21st, 1832, and from the Mile Strip to the Transit line, March 31st, 1834, but this survey was changed somewhat when Sperry surveyed the lands for the Ogden Company, so that the road should be on the lot lines as he surveyed them in 1840.
Adams Road – Four rods wide. Luther Adams. Begins at the Marilla town line, on the east line of Lot 2 of the Mile Strip, near the bridge across the Big Buffalo Creek, thence westerly to the Girdled Road on the west line of Lot 11, at a point 83 links north from the corner of Lots 12 and 13. Road laid out June 15th, 1832; re-surveyed July 13th, 1839.
Salem Barker Road – Four rods wide. Begins on the Aurora town line at the southwest corner of Lot 6 of Mile Strip, thence east to the Marilla town line, thence north on the town line to the east end of the Adams Road near the bridge. First laid out August 23d, 1843.
Barto Road – Three rods wide. Jesse Barto. Begins on the Marilla town line at the east end of the Adams Road, thence across the Big Buffalo Creek and northeast, and north and northwest to the east end of the Hemstreet Road, 38 links north from the southeast corner of Lot No. 4; also from a few rods easterly from the east end of the Hemstreet Road, thence northerly to the northeast corner of Lot No. 4. First laid out May 4th, 1853.
Billington Road – Three rods wide. Stickney Billington. Begins at the Aurora and Buffalo Plank Road, at the corner of Lots 21, 25, 26 and 28 of the Mile Strip, thence east on lot lines to a point in the line between Lots 13 and 14, five chains east from the northwest corner of Lot 14 and across the railroad lands, and near the Matthew Hansenberg house, formerly the residence of Willard Fairbanks. First laid out April 21st, 1832.
Blood Road – Four rods wide. Horace Blood. Begins in the center of the Girdled Road at the west end of the Adams Road, thence west to the Plank Road at the corner of Lots 24, 25, 28 and 29 of the Mile Strip. First laid out January 15th, 1832; re-surveyed July 13th, 1839.
Blossom Road – Four rods wide. Blossom Village. Begins in the Clinton Street Road on the south line of Lot No. 96 of the Lancaster part of Elma, thence southwesterly to and across the Blossom bridge over the Big Buffalo Creek, and southerly, most of the way on Lot lines to the Aurora and Buffalo Plank Road at the corner of Lots 90, 91, 96 and 97 of the Aurora part of Elma. First laid out as the Dr. Jake Road April 29th, 1848, from Clinton Street Road to Upper Ebenezer Village, now Blossom, and from Ebenezer Village south on April 2d, 1849.
Bowen Road – Four rods wide. Begins on the Lancaster town line near the center of the north line of Lot 56 of the Lancaster part of Elma, thence southerly through Elma Village and Elma Centre, most of the way on lot lines, to the Aurora town line on the south line of Lot 20 of the Mile Strip. First laid out across the Ogden Company’s last purchase, October 23d, 1841, by Commissioners appointed by Act of Legislature, dated May 4th, 1841, and across the Mile Strip by the Aurora Commissioners of Highways October 29th, 1841.
Bullis Road – Four rods wide. Lewis M. Bullis. Begins on the Marilla town line at the corner of Lots 3 and 4 of the Lancaster part of Elma, and lots 8 and 13, of the Alden part of Marilla, thence west on lot lines, except for crossing the Big Buffalo Creek at the Bullis bridge to the Transit line at the southwest corner of Lot 380 of Ebenezer survey. First laid out west of the creek September 21st, 1845, and east of the creek February 26th, 1849.
Central Road – Four rods wide. Begins in the center of the Blossom Road, at the northeast corner of Lot No. 383, of the Ebenezer survey, thence west on the north line of Lot 383 to the Transit. First surveyed and laid out April 9th, 1858.
Chair Factory Road. Four rods wide. Begins in the Girdled Road at the corner of Lots 21, 22, 28 and 29 of the Lancaster part of Elma, thence west to the Bowen Road near the south end of the bridge over the Big Buffalo Creek in Elma Village. First laid out September 10th, 1847.
Clinton Street Road – Four rods wide. Begins at the Marilla town line at the corner of Lots 1 and 2 in the Town of Elma, and 1 and 5 in Marilla, thence west to the Transit line. First laid out west of the Bowen Road June 2d, 1845, and east of the Bowen Road June 10th, 1847.
Conley, or Toll Gate Road – Three rods wide. Begins on the Aurora and Buffalo Plank Road, a little west of the Toll gate, on Lot 77 of the Aurora part of Elma, thence southwest to the south line of said lot No. 77, thence west to the Davis Road on said lot. Laid out February 16th, 1852.
Davis Road – Four rods wide. James Davis. Begins on the Aurora town line on south line of Lot 32 of Mile Strip near the school house, thence northerly to the Plank Road in Spring Brook near the west end of Lot 71. First laid out June 20th, 1842.
Ebenezer (Blossom) Village Road – Four rods wide. Begins in in Ebenezer (Blossom) Village near the southwest end of the bridge across the creek, thence westerly to the Transit line. First laid out April 9th, 1858.
Elma Cemetery Road – Three Rods wide. Begins in the Bowen Road in Elma Village, thence west to the range of the west line of the Elma cemetery. First laid out July 11th, 1891.
Girdled Road – Four rods wide. Begins on the Lancaster town line at the corner of Lots 19 and 26, thence south mostly on lot lines to Aurora town line at the corner of Lots 10 and 14 of Mile Strip. First laid out in the Lancaster part of Elma November 10th, 1841, and in Aurora part June 13th, 1843.
Griffin Road – Three rods wide. John W. Griffin. Begins at the corner of Lots 16, 17, 22, 23 of the Aurora part of Elma, thence west on lot line to the Girdled Road.
Hemstreet Road – Three rods wide. Z. A. Hemstreet. Begins on the Marilla town line, thirty-eight links north from the southeast corner of Lot 4 of the Aurora part of Elma, thence northwesterly to the Jamison Road at East Elma. First laid out April 19th, 1845.
Hill Road – Four rods wide. Zenas Hill. Begins in Clinton Street Road at the corner of Lots 9, 10 13, 14, thence south on lot lines to the Bullis Road at the corner of Lots 11, 12, 16, 17. First laid out December 6th, 1847.
Jamison Road – Four rods wide. Begins on the Marilla town line at the corner of Lots 3 and 4 in the Aurora part of Elma, and 9 and 13 in the Wales part of Marilla, thence west through East Elma and Jamison to the Plank Road at the corner of Lots 63, 68, 72, 77. First laid out April 19th, 1845.
Kinsley Road – Three rods wide. Stephen Kinsley. Begins on the Transit line at the corner of Lots 99 and 100 of the Aurora part of Elma, thence east on lots lines to the Northrup Road.
Knaab Road – Four rods wide. Jacob Knaab. Begins in the Standart Road at the corner of Lots 72, 73, 77, 78, thence west on lot lines to the Winspear Road at the corner of Lots 82, 83, 87, 88.
Lancaster Town Line Road – Four rods wide. Begins at the northwest corner of Lot No. 5 of the Lancaster part of Elma, thence west on the town line to Cyrus Hurd’s northeast corner on Lot 61.
Marilla Town Line Road – Three rods wide. Begins at the northeast corner of the town of Elma, thence south mostly along the Marilla town line to the Bullis Road.
North Star Road – Three rods wide. Begins in the Aurora and Buffalo Plank Road on the north line of the Mile Strip at the corner of lots 24 and 29, of the Mile Strip and lots 64 and 73 of the Aurora part of the last purchase, thence west on lot lines to the Davis Road.
Ostrander Road – Three rods wide. John W. Ostrander, –
Begins at the east end of the Griffin Road, and corner of Lots 16, 17, 22, 23, thence south to the Adams Road on Lot 8 of the Mile Strip. First laid out December 4th, 1857.
Northrup Road – Four rods wide. Lewis Northrup. Begins in the Aurora and Buffalo Plank Road on the north line of Lot 84 and a little west of the west end of Lot 75 in Spring Brook Village, thence southwesterly across the Cazenove Creek and on to the Transit line at the northwest corner of Lot 102, thence south along the Transit to the east and west road, thence east across Lot 102, thence southerly, on, to, and across the Mile Strip to the Aurora town line and south line of Lot 37 of the Mile Strip, First laid out February 29th, 1848; altered December 21st, 1848.
Paxon Road – Four rods wide. Henry Paxon. Begins on Transit line near the middle of the west line of Lot 36 of the Mile Strip, thence east to the Northrup Road near the middle of said Lot No. 36.
Pound Road – Four rods wide. Samuel Pound. From the Bullis Road at the corner of Lots 89, 90, 94, 95, thence south to north line of lot 75, thence west to the Plank Road at west corner of Lot 75 in Spring Brook Village. First laid out September 19th, 1845.
Rice Road – Four rods wide. William M. Rice. From the Girdled Road at the corner of Lots 21, 22, 28, 29, thence west to the Plank Road at the Catholic church in Spring Brook. First laid out April 19th, 1845.
Rickertson Road – Four rods wide. James B. Rickertson. From the Aurora town line at corner of Lots 6, 8, thence north about twenty-five chains to James B. Rickertson ‘s land on Lot 8 of the Mile Strip.
Schmaltz Road – Four rods wide. John Schmaltz. From the Clinton Street Road near the angle on Lot 86, thence north to the Lancaster town line. This is the south part of the road that has been known in the town of Lancaster as the New England Road; now they call it the Aurora Road.
Schultz Road – Four rods wide. Philip Schultz. From the Jamison Road near the corner of Lots 38, 39, 42, 43, thence north to the Woodard Road on the line between Lots 40 and 45 at the Lutheran church. First laid out October 1st, 1852.
Seneca Creek Road – Four rods wide. From the Blossom Road at the corner of Lots 388, 390, 391 of Ebenezer survey, thence west to the Transit line. First laid out April 9th, 1858.
Standart Road – Three rods wide. George Standart. From the Bullis Road at the corner of Lots 74, 75, 79, 80, thence north to the Clinton Street Road at the corner of Lots 71, 72, 76, 77. First laid out January 9th, 1858.
Stolle Road – Three rods wide. Christian Stolle. From a point in the Marilla town line one chain north from the southeast corner of Lot No. 1, of the Aurora part of Elma, thence northwesterly to the Bullis Road at the corner of Lots 11, 12, 16, 17. First laid out November 13th, 1856.
Thompson Road – Three rods wide. Joseph Thompson. From the Jamison Road at East Elma, thence northerly to the Stolle Road on Lot 1.
Williams Road – Four rods wide. Isaac Williams. From the Jamison Road at the corner of Lots 38, 39, 42, 43, thence south to the Aurora town line on south line of Lot 15 of Mile Strip. First laid out April 21st, 1832; altered April 2nd, 1849, and again north part October 1st, 1852.
Winspear Road – Four rods wide. William Winspear. From the Bullis Road at the corner of Lots 89, 90, 94, 95, thence northerly across the Big Buffalo Creek and to the Clinton Street Road on line between Lots 81 and 86. First laid out February 26th, 1849; altered October 14th, 1850.
Woodard Road – Three rods wide. Eron Woodard. From the Bowen Road at Elma Centre, thence easterly to the Girdled Road at a point ten chains eighty-two links south from the corner of Lots 23, 24, 29, 30, at the Bullis Road.
SOURCE: History of the Town of Elma Erie County, N. Y. 1620 To 1901; Warren Jackman; Buffalo; G. M. Hausauer & Son; 1902