Historical Wyoming County May 1952 - Old Fulton History

Page 93 May 1952
THE BARBERS OF JAVA (cont.)
Joseph and Betsey Barber settled at Warwick, Mass., where ten
children were born to them, five sons and five daughters--Amory,
Humphrey, Asenath, Diana, Benjamin, Tryphena, Philana, Joseph,
Jerusha and Chandler. On the day Chandler was five months old, Sept.
17, 1623, Joseph Barber having sold his property at Warwick, packed
a load of 3500 pounds on a stout heavy wagon, drawn by two good yoke
of oxen, and with his family, the powderhorn full of powder, two
guns, and $1100 in 50cf pieces in the old cast iron teakettle, commenced
the journey Into Western Hew York. The wagon was covered with
sole leather which cost $1+0. and which, after getting to his destination,
Mr. Barber made into boots and shoes which he sold. They also
had with them one horse, drawing a wagon, in which rode Grandfather
Barber, who was then 79 years old and totally blind.
Joseph Barber planned to settle in China (later Java), lj.00 miles
from Warwick, since a brother-in-law, Palmer Whitney, who had moved
here six years previously, had repeatedly written to him. to come to
this new country in order that more land might be secured for his
growing boys to cultivate. The family left Sept. 23, but the father
and Humphrey remained behind three days to complete their business.
A man named Templeton was hired to drive the oxen. On the morning
of the fourth day, Joseph and his son started on foot from Warwick
and walked forty miles that one day, overtaking the family that night.
Thus, it would seem, the oxen traveled only ten miles a day during
the first four days of the journey. The rate at which they traveled,
however, gradually increased until they wore able to make 25 miles a
day. The entire journey was accomplished in 21 days.
The first few nights the bods were unpacked, but after a time,
as it was too much work to unpack the goods at night and pack them
in the morning, Joseph hired beds at 25;'- each, per night, and in
order to be economical the children were packed in crosswise and
lengthwise to the number of five or six in a bed. Amory and Humphrey
slept in the wagon to guard after they ceased to unload things at
night. One night before this time, the father and mother, each supposing
that the other had attended to the money in the old teakettle,
left it in the wagon all night. In the morning, very much to his
surprise, Mr. Barber saw the old kettle there In the wagon. Of
course he feared for its contents, but upon investigation, he found
the valuable treasure undisturbed.
In going down the Green Mountains, where the inclination was
very great, sometimes they would unhitch one yoke of oxen and hitch
them behind the wagon to help hold back. At other times they would
c\;.t a pine tree, trim it, sharpen the knots, and then hitch the top
of it to the wagon so as they went down the mountain,the knots woull
plow into the ground and hold the wagon back.
The Hudson was crossed at Albany, then quite a village, and thus
pursuing their journey, finally on October 8, reached IJncle Whitney's
house which stood on the present site of Java Village. At that time
there were not more than a half dozen families living there, the
place being occupied by woods, mud, bears, deer, and Indians.
(continued on page 9I+)