BeeLines - June 1, 2017
By Marybelle Beigh, Westfield Town & Village Historian
Another Early Settler - Dr. Alexander McIntyre & his Sulphur Springs, Westfield
While researching more about Abram Dixon, one of our early and important pioneers, several advertisements by Dr. A. M’Intyre were noted in issues of the Western Star, known to be one of the earliest weekly newspapers published in Westfield NY, and in Chautauqua County. The Western Star began the first issue of vol. I, on June 3rd of 1826, and the Patterson Library newspaper archives have the 2nd and 4th issues of June 10th and 24th of that year, as well as almost all issues through May 30th 1828.
Readers may ask, “So, who was Dr. Alexander McIntyre? And why should his ad attract the attention of your Westfield Historian?” Several answers are forthcoming, the first of which is that a recent set of messages exchanged with a former Westfield resident included memories of Oxbow Hill, Sulphur Springs Road, and questions about the legends of lost gold in a cave in Chautauqua Creek Gorge. (This legend will be the topic of an upcoming BeeLines, so please stay tuned!)
The mention of Sulphur Springs Road immediately brought memories of stories about one of our earliest “hospitals” based on supposed health benefits of mineral (sulfur) waters – M’Intyre Springs and its resident doctor – none other than Dr. Alexander McIntyre. This group of log cabins were located near Chautauqua Creek, somewhat north of where Minton Reservoir is now located, on what was first called Sulphur Springs Road, and now Mount Baldy Road.
Dr. McIntyre’s ads in some of the 1827 Western Star papers were notices stating “Informs the publick that he has again opened his hospital…at his mineral springs… just recovered from a long sickness… with the assistance of his son, he will be able to resume…” A search of 1826 Western Stars located a very long advertisement, including the following: “Dr. A. M’Intyre, Respectfully informs the public, that he gives his undivided attention to the cure of almost all diseases to which the human system is liable, at his celebrated mineral Spring, in the town of Ripley, county of Chautauque, about one mile and a half from the village of Westfield.—From a long residence among the Indians, and a close and accurate observation of their medical skill, in the treatment of diseases… Sustaining as they do, a life of most incredible hardships, they resort in the moment of sickness, to the indigenous plants of their own native forest…” McIntyre decries the use of medicines from plants foreign to where one lives, something which it seems our medical profession is now re-discovering… like it helps to eat honey made from the pollen from plants where one lives, to reduce allergies for example… The ad concluded with several testimonials.
In addition to sources such as Mayville Historian, Devon Taylor’s book on Chautauqua Gorge, another one of your Westfield Historian’s “backburner” history articles was located in her archives, from an August 1937 Westfield Republican, with the headline “INTERESTING LETTER OF EARLY SETTLERS.” Written to Arthur S Tennant by Ross Pier Wright, it refers to earlier “very interesting letters from Mrs. Frazier…” in which “She speaks of Dr. McIntyre, and I enclose a copy of a memorandum… which might have some bearing on the location of his grave.”
Wright’s memorandum refers to excavating the Indian Village on the James Mack Farm, at Westfield, and being told of a number of artifacts found on the farm adjacent to the Water Works Filter Station near Sulphur Springs. This was investigated, and some artifacts located that would indicate an Indian Camp in that vicinity. Also observed was a mound similar to an Adena Indian Mound, but of glacial origin; possibly used for Indian burials. When they started digging, about five feet down they located human bones but not as old as anticipated; and archeologist dated them no older than about 100 years.
Upon further digging, some iron cut nails were located, “which made it clear to us that we were digging up a grave of presumably a white person.” Wright then explains that they referenced a book entitled “The Conquest of Chautauqua,” by Arthur Wellington Anderson, published by the Journal Press of Jamestown, 1932, which contained data that, “might indicate the identity of the occupant of the grave.”
The data included that “Dr. Alexander McIntyre was the first white man to settle on Chautauqua Lake. Was brought up among the Allegheny Indian.” In 1803, he came from Meadville PA to Chautauqua Lake and built a log cabin. His son, Alexander McIntyre, Jr., was born in 1805. “About 1814 McIntyre moved to Sulphur Spring, Westfield, and erected six or eight small log cabins as a start for a sanitarium.” He soon had as many patients as he could handle. He also made syrups from roots and herbs. He advertised in local papers. “His advertising stopped in 1831, and it is assumed he died about that time. He was buried a short distance from his favorite spring, and rests there alone… amid the surrounding desolation and ruin of this once famous institution of the great Indian Physician…”
Wright’s memorandum concludes: “The Natural mound in which we found the skeleton is not much more than a good stone’s throw from the Sulphur Springs, and it is easy to assume that the grave we dug into might be that of Dr. McIntyre.”