The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1888-06-27
THE GENESEE VALLEY.
A VISIT TO THE BIRTHPLACE OF
GEN. CLINTON 6. FISK

Where Clinton b. Fisk Was Born-A
Hamlet Small Of Its Ago.
To verify certain information Of which
my pen had already made use, and to refresh
my knowledge of geographical facts, l
some days ago sought the birthplace Of
Gen Clinton B. Fisk. With it's neighbor-
hood locality was familiar, and the days
outing In that region would. knew, be
delightful
Leaving Rochester, N. Y, about 8 a
m. on the Western New York and Penn.
sylvania railroad. which courses along
the old Genesee Valley canal. now aban-
doned. in an hour we were passing Avon
Springs, one mile distant on the left, and
presently came to the station known as
Piffard If you wish to appear precise
and scholastic, you will put strong en-
phasis upon the second syllable of that
name.
Five years ago Pifrard was but run
down village or post, on run down thor
oughfare; but then the salt fever struck
It, well was sunk there, great evaporat-
ing works were erected, and affairs there
about grew thriving. Presently a salt
mine was undertaken-the only one In
Amerioa-less than two miles away, with
Piffard for it's railroad outlet, and the
little burg begins almost to look pros
porous
Greigsville is hamlet two miles west
of Pinard. in the township Of York, Liv-
ingston county. To reach it you drive or
walk up the Genesee valleys western
slope, lifting gently above the "Genesee
fats, and rising to a prospect magnfi-
Gently broad and beautiful Splendid
farms stretch out on every hand. along
the upland which undulates from north
to south; and across the level river bot
tom behind you there are sweeps Of inter-
vale fringed and dotted witt royal trees,
than which the grandest English parks
can show no finer or more charming
This whole valley of the upper Genesss
is unmatched for pastoral loveliness, and
rich in historic association Across it ran
the favorite trails of It's original and
house Of the Six Nations; it is yet the
home Of Indian legend and song Yonder
at Avon lived Hosmer, the poet, who set
SO much of this legend. song and history
to his limpid verse; and yonder in Geneseo
was and is the famous Wadsworth maner
house. where dwelt the elder Wads-
worth. like feudal lord. surrounded by
his wide baronial estate You see Geneeee
plainly. scarce four miles removed, smiling
serene upon the valleys eastern slope.
One mile from Piffard the rising upland
takes O westward dip, and GyiegsviRe
nestles at the farther edge of this minor
depression. where it lifts again to loftier
uplands farther west. Of at the right Is
that huge salt mine mentioned, above
which. peculiar and imposing. towers the
many Etoried shaft house that tempted me
to Closer inspection. Did you care moth
ing about the birthplace of Prohibition
leader it would pay you to visit Greigs-
vile Just to see this mine, or the mouth
Of it. They won't let you enter the mine
itself, nor will you wish to when you
watch the great buckets come up and go
down the yawning pit They run by
steam. of course. and the hosting engines
are enormous. Three tons of rock salt are
brought up LOO feet in each bucket, and
make the distance in one minute. Such
speed would fairly take your breath away
to rise or fall And as you observe
bucket load OF salt shoot out of the shafts
mouth. and up seven or eight stories to
the towers top, you wonder what would
happen should the engineer get drunk and
fail to stop at just the proper instant
those huge twin engines under his control.
Even the salt could not save any man
down below there on whom that cruel
bucket load should drop.
Half mile farther, diagonally across
the velvet fields, under apple boughs
white and fragrant, and along the high
way vaulted with locust branches burst
ing into bloom. you reach the cross roads
hamlet and marvel because it is so very
small of its age
For you know that here Clinton Bowen
Fisk was born. Dec s. 1928. and that
Greigssille was hamlet then. There
was never. any reason. perhaps, why 1t
should grow The river, bear in mind is
two miles distant. and the canal kept on
level with that. the railway. when it
came. pursued the latter's course Now
the salt miners gather near and about the
mine, and do not much tend this side.
solitary blacksmith shop punctuates the
four eorners-solitary as to buildings of
public sort; there is neither store nor
tavern nor church to share recognition or
claim patronage.
In shop like this one, or devoted to
the same uses, from 1918 to 1880. Benja-
min Fisk, the father of Clinton B., ham,
mered out support for himself. his good
wife. Lydia. and the boys that came to
them. Two maiden ladies. living opposite
the present cobble stone smithy, can tell
you about Benjamin and Lydia. whose
coming from Rhode Island they do not
recall, but whose going to Michigan both
well remember One of them rocked Gin
toms cradle when the mother went out
for some weaving at a neighbours near by.
hnu n l,y If Icly