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(continued)

The rumors continued to inflame patriots' suspicions throughout the west. Burr's military force, which historians estimate at best never totaled more than 30 men, traveled down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers toward New Orleans. Gen. Wilkinson, who was mentioned in some of the rumors, panicked and wrote a letter to President Jefferson purporting to confirm all of the worst allegations against Burr.

Jefferson ordered Burr's arrest, and he was returned to Richmond for trial on grounds of treason. The highly publicized trial was presided over by Chief Justice John Marshall. Despite the best efforts of the prosecutors, a jury found Burr not guilty on all charges. Harman Blennerhasset was also tried for treason and also won acquittal.

Thus ended one of the most curious episodes in the settling of the American West. Supporters of the conspiracy theory point to a letter later found in the British Archives written by Anthony Merry, the British minister to the United States. The letter, dated Aug. 6, 1804, reports that Charles Williamson had approached Merry with a plan allegedly at the request of Aaron Burr.

The letter claimed that Burr had offered to “lend his assistance to his Majesty's Government in any manner in which they might think fit to employ him, particularly in endeavoring to effect a Separation of the Western Part of the United States from that which lies between the Atlantik and the Mountains.”

Whether this hearsay account of Burr's plan is accurate, it is known that Williamson later returned to England and spent many years unsuccessfully trying to raise money to support Burr's schemes.

After Fort Burr was deserted, Abraham Franklin deeded it to his son, Henry. It was later used as a school house and a church. It burned in 1826, but was rebuilt the next year.

The northern acres were eventually sold to Josiah Crossman, who gave his name to Crossman's Pond on Fishers Road. Asa and Elizabeth Gaskil bought the southern portion of the property for farming. Their daughter, Rebecca, married Charles Fisher.

All that remains of Fort Burr are a few rusted guns, pistols and swords that are occasionally plowed up in the present Oakbrook subdivision fields off Fisher Road— That and the spirit of a man who dreamed great dreams.

Sheldon Fisher is the former Ontario County historian and a frequent contributor to Genesee Country magazine.