352

4

JAMES BAXTER (John W.," John," Pettit," John, John,3 Thomas, Thomas1), b. Nov. 28, 1819, at Palatine, N. Y.; d. Aug. 7, 1897, at Friendship, N. Y.

From a Friendship paper: "James Baxter, Doctor of Music, died suddenly Saturday, Aug. 7, 1897. Never during the whole period of his long life was his indomitable will more apparent than in his closing hours. For some weeks, oppressed by the infirmities that would have kept ordinary men prone on their beds, the Doctor dragged his almost paralyzed frame from his home to the Register office, arranging to promote the publication of the musical composition so dear to his heart. The plain warnings of dissolution were apparent to his friends, but not to him. He lived as if death had no claim on him. Strenuous and indefatigable in all things, the dominance of a strong will found him the day before his death in harness. As the end approached, it was apparent that his intellect succumbed only to the worn out frame, and he died without a struggle.

The lesson of Dr. Baxter is plain. Original minds, developing on one side only, show us one of the phases called genius, which will not be amenable to the ordinary rules of human life. Dr. Baxter was in many respects the counterpart of that other celebrated teacher, Wm. C. Kenyon, who could not tolerate stupidity or indifference among his pupils.

James Baxter went to Friendship as a child. He early developed a musical bent, which in a country of pioneers, intent on clearing away forests, and who would not tolerate a musical instrument in church, stamped him as 'out of tune' with his environment. Hence his aspirations met with many a rebuff, and it was only when he was at the head of the first musical school in the country, whose pupils numbered hundreds, and when the plain 'Jim Baxter' spread the fame of Friendship to every state, that the extraordinary genius of the man became apparent.

It was only by the narrowest chance that Friendship failed to maintain the school that began so propitiously.

Since the close of the Baxter University, the founder has been busy teaching privately and composing church music, books, etc., which have had a large sale. His graduates were scattered far and wide, and they found in the Doctor their musical father, and regarded him accordingly. Dr. Baxter had no other ambition than to exploit his books and views on music. He never seemed to care for money, and had he been born in the musical atmosphere of Germany instead of among the pine-clad hills of Allegany County, his career might have been parallel with some of the great composers.

Dr. Baxter married early, Harriet Davis, a daughter of Malichi Davis, who died in 1880. He then married Mrs. Ellen Clark, of Litchfield, Conn., and formerly an assistant in his school who survives him."

3

353

RICHARD BRUSH BAXTER (John W., John, Pettit," John,* John, Thomas, Thomas1), b. at Friendship, N. Y., Feb. 28, 1822; d. March 15, 1895.

He writes his reminiscences thus: "On the 28th of Feb., 1822, on the headwaters of Mossbrook, in Allegany County, came the first Baxter baby born in the county. The place of his birth was known as East Hill, but his boyhood was not all spent in this place. In 1825 his parents moved to Caneadea, leaving him for a time with his grandparents (John and Dorcas Whitlock Baxter). In 1830 the family moved back to Friendship township at East Hill, and took up their abode on the Mapes place, where they remained about a year. In 1831 J. W. Baxter went to Dodges Creek, which is about three-quarters of a mile from Portville and six miles from Olaen, to start a lumber manufacturing establishment. Our boy was again left under the care of his paternal grandmother at East Hill until a dwelling was built at Dodges Creek, whence he was taken by his uncle, Henry Baxter, via Friendship village, Nile, West "Nigger Hill," and Clarksville. While passing through West Nigger Hill they met a good-sized friendly looking man. The re

markable thing about him was his complexion; it was black. He was the first man of that complexion the boy had ever seen, and to say that he was surprised or astonished, or lost in wonder, would but feebly describe his feelings.

But, as is the case with boys, astonishment gave way to curiosity and he insisted on his uncle's asking the man his name. To satisfy him he did so, and was informed it was Zeke Huff. During the rest of the journey, Zeke Huff was the sole object of Richard's thoughts and the sole topic of his conversation. So that, no doubt, his uncle gladly turned him over to his parents when they arrived at Dodge's Creek. But here, too, Zeke Huff was uppermost in his mind and continually on his tongue, and in consequence he was called Zeke Huff by everyone about the place except his father who called him as he had before-Brush-which name he had given him out of deference to a relative of that name.

The mills on Dodge's Creek were soon in successful operation, and the company for whom Richard's father was operating soon had a large lot of sawed lumber on hand, 700,000 feet of which was clear, and everything promised well. But in 1832 the cholera made its appearance in Cincinnati, and so terrible were its ravages that business was paralyzed; and, Cincinnati being the market for this lumber, shipments were stopped and the company went under.

The following spring the Baxter family returned to East Hill, and moved into a house belonging to Alma Demond. They lived in this house until they built a house on the Mapes place, at the foot of the hill near the burying ground. After getting the family comfortably located in the new house, Mr. J. W. Baxter, Richard's father, went with his son James to Ridgway, Pa., where they spent about a year in building Hughes & Dickinson's lumbering establishment. This was in 1834 (about the time of Dorcas Whitlock's letter to Almira Kinne.).

We now pass over a period of forty-six years, which brings us to the bedside of that ever-faithful mother. After being informed of our presence, she looked up and said, 'Zeke, come here. Sit on the bed beside me; I want to look

at you. Yes, it is Zeke. How glad I am to see you.' I was in Friendship about two weeks and was with mother most of the time. On March 18, 1880, I went in to see her for the last time. She was cheerful, and told me to come in again. I kissed her palsied cheek, bid her a silent farewell and a 'God bless you,' and took my departure."

Baxter, Pa., July 29, 1890."

353

RICHARD BRUSH BAXTER (John W., John, Pettit," John,* John, Thomas, Thomas1), b. at Friendship, Feb. 28, 1822; d. March 15, 1895. Richard Brush and Margaret Baxter had: +457 Mary Magdaline, b. at Ridgway, Pa., May 20, 1848; m. Martin Phalen.

+458 John Whitlock, b. at Summerville, Pa., Sept. 19, 1850; m. Margaret McCarthy.

+459 Vincent Kuckamose, b. at Summerville, Aug. 30, 1853; m. Sallie Henry.

+460 Francis Xavier, b. at Baxter, Pa., May 15, 1856; m. Tillie Steele.

461 Marian Susan, b. at Baxter, June 7, 1859.

+462 Josephine Clothilda, b. at Baxter, Feb. 18, 1862; m. Dr. Joseph Hoffman.

464 Bernard Bennett, b. at Baxter, Oct. 30, 1866; d. an

infant.

465 Catharine Bernice, b. at Baxter, Dec. 28, 1867. 466 Berton Benedict, b. at Baxter, March 26, 1870;

467 James Louis, b. at Baxter, March 25, 1874; d.

young.

354

MARY ELEANOR BAXTER (John W., John," Pettit," John,*

3

2

John, Thomas, Thomas1), b. Feb. 29, 1824, at Friendship; m. Jan. 1, 1846, Charles Henry. They had:

468 Bradford Henry, b. July 27, 1856; living at Bel

mont, N. Y.

355

2

6

4

RACHEL BAXTER (John W., John, Pettit," John, John,3 Thomas, Thomas1), b. Dec. 15, 1825; m. at Friendship, Feb. 20, 1849, to William H. Britton. They had:

+469 Jason N., b. Oct. 16, 1851; m. Mary Fuller, May 5, 1878; lives at Friendship, N .Y.

470 Mary A., b. July 28, 1857; m. Oct. 27, 1904, William F. Pasco.

+471 Ellen, b. Oct. 14, 1863; m. June 3, 1885, Harris

Wells.

356

SARAH BAXTER (John W.," John, Pettit," John,

2

John,3

Thomas, Thomas1), b. at Caneadea, March 2, 1828; m. at Friendship, Sept. 23, 1849, Francis Postel. They had:

472 Charles, b. 1852; d. in infancy.

473 Samuel, b.

357

6

DAVID BAXTER (John W.," John, Pettit," John, John,3 Thomas, Thomas1), b. at Caneadea, May 21, 1830; m. at Friendship, Sept. 23, 1849, Elizabeth Mix. They had:

474 John C., b. Oct. 7, 1856; m. at Ralb Co., Missouri, Sept. 2, 1884, Sara Ella Keeler, daughter of William S. and Amy Ellen Mitchell Keeler, b. Dec. 28, 1858; lives at Cat Springs, Texas.

+475 Charles D., b. Feb. 17, 1864; m. Aug. 5, 1886, Sarah T. Johnson.

476 Myra, b. Sept. 15, 1867; m. Jan. 1, 1890, Charles McCarthy; lives at Clearfield, Pa.