A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 70

Author: Minard, John Stearns, 1834-1920; Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Alfred, N.Y., W. A. Fergusson & co.
Number of Pages: 1102

USA > New York > Allegany County > A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York > Part 70

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Early Settlers .- Heman Parker came in 1821, Riley Parker in 1822, John and Henry Grunder in 1824, Rev. Frederick Closser and James Ewart in 1830, Harry Knight in 1833, Daniel Goelzer and Timothy Mabie in 1838, George F. Rogers in 1840, Sylvester S. Heath in 1843, Burton Bentley and Isaac C. Guy in 1844. Cephas B. Carter who was prominent in building up the dairy interests of Grove, erecting the town's first cheese factory in 1872, came in 1847. Many settlers came before 1850. The names of the earliest settlers are given in the list of names in the town's first official board, and Beer's (1879) History gives these names of settlers before 1844 who were living at that date: J. S. Barney, Samuel Brace, Daniel G. Brewer, Burton Bentley, J. W. Bennett, Chauncey Dodd, Michael Eiseman, James Ewart, John Gruber, John Grunder, Daniel Goelzer, C. L. and V. R. S. Havens, Thomas G. Haight, Moses March, Timothy Mabie, Asa and Heman Parker, George Swartz and D. Smith.

The town has been populated by a frugal and industrious people, who in an unostentatious way have wrought well in the work of civilization and many have acquired ample means from their industry. The air is pure, the water comes from springs and everything exists to give long life and good health to its residents. The town was most patriotic in the dark days of the Civil War that tried men's souls. The list of its soldiers is a noble one and eloquently tells Grove's devotion to the Union.

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Soldiers of 1861-5 .- Ist N. Y. Dragoons, William J. Emmons, Co. A ; William Holmes, Co. E ; Charles B. Fox, William H. Kelley, Co. F ; George Ames, Elisha G. Ames, Ziba E. Barney, Alonzo H. Bennett, John W. Booth, Robert C. Chapman, James Closser, Salmon Farr, Henry Fry, James H. Folon, Simeon Gaelser, Chancellor L. Havens, Elijah Harwood, George R. Harwood, Joseph Harwood, Ransom Haight, Mark W. Heath, William H. Niles, Milan Parker, Halsey Phelps, James Rogers, Byron D. Russell, Leonard P. Russell, Edward Smith, Godfred Smith, Henry Smith, Jesse W. Smith, Philip Smith, George H. Spoon, John L. Spike' Benjamin F. Town, John Threehouse, Sepherenus Ward, Seth H. Weed, Marcus W. Wood' Co. I. 33d N. Y., John M. Knight, Jacob Seager, Co. E ; Norton E. Bardwell, Eugene Beach, Charles Newman, Horatio B. Raynard, Co. F. 74th N. Y., Josiah I. Byers, Co. F. 85th N. Y., George W. Barney, John Barney, William S. Smith, Co. E. 89th N. Y., Edwin A. Bennett' Co. A. 97th N. Y., Harley H. Pierce, Co. K. 104th N. Y., Harlan Barney, Abram Folon, Carlos G. Lowell, William G. Masks, Hiram Passage, Randolph R. Weed, Daniel White, Elijah White, Co. A; Washington G. Bennett, John Weideright, Jay G. Young, Co. E ; Solomon Closser, William H. Culver, John Gruber, Jr., Daniel Swender, Co. F. 109th N. Y., Hiram F. Camp- bell, Co. K. 136th N. Y., Hiram Allen, Co. B ; Devillo A. Dodge, Co. E .; Jacob Steih, Co. F ; Patrick Ryan, Co. H; John Ryan, Co. I. 188th N. Y., James Clute, Co. B ; John Nichols, El- bert Sprague, Samuel Thornton, Co. G .; John Ames, Andrew D. Barnhart, Winslow H. Clark, George P. Fay, William S. Gibbs, Calvin L. Jenks, George W. Patterson, Lawrence Pender- gast, Sylvester H. Pickett, Jacob Pitts, James L. Sutton, Alva Thompson, Clark Thompson, Co. I. 189th N. Y., John Ryan, Co. F. Ist Vet. Cav., Hiram Brace, Austin Evans, George F. Rogers, Co. D. 2d Vet. Cav., George White, Co. L. 21st Vet. Cav., Obed A. Patterson, Co. K. N. Y. Heavy Artillery, Fourth Regt., Harrison W. H. Hovey, Co. D ; Albert Pratt, Mar- tin Pratt, Co. F. Sixth Regt., Harvey E. Derrien, Co. L. Eighth Regt., Henry Anthony, Co. H. Ninth Regt., Jacob Aylor, Daniel Gruber, Henry Swender, Co. A; Daniel Steih, Co. F. Six- teenth Regt., Harrison W. Bentley, Co. F. Charles Knight served in Co. I, 15th Mich., Wil- liam Mabie also in a Michigan company, John White in Co. I., 12th Penn. Cav., and Lafayette L. Wirt in Co. 1, 19th Mass.

Religious Bodies .- Methodism was early here, Rev. Cyrus Story, an itin- erant, preached at the house of his brother Methodist, John White, in 1820, and here the White's Settlement M. E. class was formed in 1821 with four members, Mr. and Mrs. White, Alexander Bailey and another. A church was built early in the town; as settlement changed the church was moved, from time to time remodeled, and is now situated between Brewer's Corners and the north line of Grove. The "White's Settlement" church, built in 1875, had a Rev. Mr. King for its first pastor. The present one is Rev. J. K. Underhill. The Sabbath-school has 35 attendants.

A German Evangelical church costing $500 was built in 1856 in the west part of the town. Rev. Jacob Waggoner was the first pastor. Rev. Ernest Gleason is now in charge. The Sabbath school has 75 members.

"The People's Church of Swains," built in 1889 is occupied by the Prot- estant Methodists. Rev. Alex. Manship was its first pastor; Rev. W. H. Marshall is now in charge. The Sabbath school has about 30 members.

From 1836 to 1840 a Presbyterian church existed here under the pastoral care of Rev. W. P. Kendrick.

There are ten school districts and ten frame school houses, and the assessed value of the school property is $5,500.

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GROVE.

The village of Swains is the business center of Grove. Here is located the steam saw, planing and feed mills of H. G. Shaw, the stores of Sedam and Bergen and F. S. Hark, the latter being the postmaster. These, with the Erie station (E. C. Merrill station agent) and a small population form a quiet hamlet in a picturesque valley. There are two portable steam saw- mills now located in Grove. M. Havens has one on the Burton Bentley farm where he manufactures hardwood and hemlock lumber, and J. L. Spike and Samuel Blakeley operate one about four miles west of Swains.

Harvey G. Shaw, son of Cyrus Shaw, was born in Dansville, Sept. 27, 1827. He was edu- cated at the common schools, married Sarah Eldridge, and has 2 sons and 2 daughters. In 1856 he settled in Grove and erected a sawmill at Swains, and manufactured and dealt in lum- ber, and where he now has a steam saw, planing, and feed mill. Politically Mr. Shaw is a Democrat and has been 10 times elected supervisor of the town with quite a large majority, the usual Republican majority being about 60. He has been thrice elected justice of the peace, has been postmaster 3 terms, was census enumerator one term, and is a member of Canaseraga Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 781.

Mark W. Heath, son of Sylvester S. Heath, was born Nov. 8, 1842, in Nunda. When Mark was a year old his father settled in Grove and there passed the remainder of his life. He married Catharine White and they had to children, 4 of whom are living. S. S. Heath died Jan. 2, 1892. Mark W. Heath enlisted Aug. 11, 1862, in Co. I, 130th Regt. N. Y. V., and served 3 years. He is a member of Seth H. Weed Post of Canaseraga. He has been constable for several years and was deputy sheriff in 1880. He married Dora D. Clark ; they have a daughter, Erma May Heath.

John L. Spike, son of Josiah Spike, was born in Naples, N. Y., Nov. 8, 1843. His father came to Grove in 1853, and is now a resident. John L. Spike enlisted in Co. I, 130th Regt. N. Y. V., and served 6 months, then re-enlisted in Battery D, Fourth U. S. Artillery, and served until discharged in August, 1865. He is a member of Seth H. Weed Post, No. 296. In 1866 he married Lucina J. Johnson and has 3 children. Since the war he has been engaged in farm- ing and is also a manufacturer of lumber. He has been town clerk for 9 years.

Grove had for years quite a fame as the residence of Frederick Decker, " the Ossian giant." He was born in Geneseo, May 9, 1836, son of John B. and Christiana Decker, people of slightly more than medium size. He how- ever grew to a height of 6 feet, 113 inches, with a weight of 300 to 350 lbs. He was on exhibition for years in many of the United States, and made his home in Grove in 1877 where he died March 21, 1886, and was buried at His Swains. Of ten children he was the only one exceeding normal size.

wife, formerly Mary E. Lane, whom he married Oct. 21, 1861, weighed about 105 lbs. and none of their children attained his proportions. His son Frank lives at Angelica and is a conductor on the C. N. Y. and W. R. R., his daugh- ters Viola and Flora married brothers named Nelson and live at Nunda, Nora married John Lanphear and lives near Fillmore. Mrs. Frederick Decker married second Israel Price and lives at Swains.

Stockbreeding is here quite an important branch of farming, and there are some quite extensive stockraisers and farmers. Among them are L. F. Windsor, proprietor Echo Bank stock farm, W. E. Swain, William Van Nos- trand, who formerly had a large heading mill here, Michael Gelser, John White and others.

540

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

Present Town Officers .- Justices of the peace, Edwin Mabie, Earnest R. Gelser, William Kelley, Elmer C. Merrill; assessors, Fletcher Pierce, James Ryan, Fred Ludwig; constables, James Ryan, John Bardwell, Ezra Ludwig, Chris. Mechenbacker; collector, C. L. Dunn; inspectors of election, E. W. Ludwig, N. P. Staub, Talman Johnson, Thomas Haight; excise commission- ers, John Carter, C. A. Stuart, Jacob Ludwig, Jr .; highway commissioner, James Aylor; overseers of the poor, Daniel Stee, A. Hinman.

Supervisors .- Isaac Van Nostrand, 1827 to 1832 ; Reuben Weed, 1833, '34, '38, '42, '43, '44, '45, '46, '48, '55 ; John Boughton, 1835 ; Joseph Platt, 1836, '37; Elisha Scott, 1839; John S. Culver, 1840 ; John Willard, 1841, '47 : Heman Parker, 1849, '50 ; William Kellogg, 1851 ; R. Lawrence, 1852 ; Alex. Bailey, 1853, '54; Sidney T. Derrien, 1856, '57, '58, '59; Jesse Brewer, 1860 ; Samuel Swain, 1861 to 1870; Goodwin S. Hovey, 1871 to 1873 ; Harry G. Shaw, 1874 to 1880, '86, '90, 91 ; Daniel C. Grunder, 1881 to 1885 ; A. J. White, 1889; C. C. Cronk, 1892, '93 ; C. K. Bacon, 1887, '88, 94, 95. (Mr. Bacon removed from town in 1895 and Ezra Ludwig was appointed to fill vancancy.)

WILLING.

CHAPTER XLIX.

BY O. T. PERKINS.

THE TOWN OF WILLING was formed from Independence and Scio Nov. 19, 1851, and is named in honor of Charles Willing, one of the original owners of the Willing and Francis tract. Alma was taken from its territory Nov. 23, 1854, and a portion of Wellsville Nov. 22, 1855, leaving 22,150 acres as its present area. It lies upon the southern border of the county and state, being town 1, range 1, Morris Reserve and Willing and Francis tract. Its first town meeting was held Mar. 2, 1852, when John A. Foland was elected supervisor; Ozias Yale, town clerk; Daniel P. Witter, Fielden Chapman and A. Hurlbut, justices; David Wilcox, superintendent of schools; Charles Rogers and Samuel B. Stebbins, assessors; George M. Arnold, Oliver Ackerman and Asa Parks, commissioners of highways; . Amasa Ellis, collector; George W. Cate, Charles Weed, David Dunham and L. A. Jenison, constables; Jabez Card, Wm. Wilcox and Ambrose Straight, inspectors of election, and Jared Stillman, overseer of poor. Of this list but two are now living (April, 1895,) viz. Geo. W. Cate and David Wilcox, the former still a resident of the town and the latter a county judge in Minnesota.

The Supervisors from organization of the town: 1852-53, John A. Foland; 1854-60, Amasa Ellis; 1861-65, Daniel P. Witter; 1866-67, 1873-74, 1879, L.

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WILLING.

H. Ackerman: 1868-69, 1875-76, O. L. Barney; 1870-71, James M. Parker; 1872, B. M. Phillips: 1877-78, Silas Stillman: 1880-81, A. J. Johnson; 1882-83, S. A. Beach; 1884-85. 1889-90. L. D. Witter; 1891-92, S. A. Beach: 1893-94-95, O. T. Perkins.

Town officers for 1895 are: Supervisor, O. T. Perkins; town clerk, E. S. York; justices. L. H. Ackerman. Elmer Parker, Phidello Wilson, John H. Trask; assessors, Philo Payne, Thomas Mapes, James T. Covel; commis- sioner of highways, A. L. Graves; collector, John H. Graves; overseer of poor, John W. Kelligan; commissioners of excise, (no-license) E. D. Perkins, Moses Miller, Fred Phillips; constables, E. B. Harris, Henry Brandes, Harold A. Seaver, John H. Graves.

The town lies upon the head waters of the Genesee river about two thirds upon the east and the remainder upon the west side of the river. The principal tributaries upon the east are the Hemlock, Sway and Rabbit creeks forming the Chenunda near Hallsport and the Cryder creek. Upon the west side Fords and Marsh creeks constitute the principal streams. These creeks are fed by innumerable spring runs and rivulets making the surface of the land very uneven. The W. C. & P. C. railroad passes up the Genesee valley in a southerly direction entirely through the town, having switches at Shays, Mapes and Graves, and a station at Shongo. The people are mostly engaged in farming being about equally divided between dairying and potato raising, the famous Beach Hill district being almost entirely devoted to potato culture while at Hallsport and Shongo flourishing cheese factories attest to the extent of the dairy interest. The cheese manufact- ured at the Hallsport factory has averaged 170,000 lbs. annually for the last fourteen years, reaching 189,000 lbs. in 1891 from 1,780,000 lbs. milk. Upon the west side of the river lumbering is still carried on to a limited extent, but the valuable hemlock timber and bark have mostly disappeared, leaving the land generally in a pretty poor condition, covered with the stumps and refuse from past lumber and bark operations.

There are five postoffices in the town, viz., Shongo, Stanard, Hallsport, Mapes and Stone Dam.

Shongo, a hamlet in the south part of the town upon the Genesee river, contains a flouring mill, sawmill, two blacksmith shops, wagon shop, one general store, a drug store and the postoffice, hotel, railroad station, has two physicians, a cheese factory, and a school, with about 175 people. The Shongo gristmill built by A. J. Forman and owned now by L. H. Acker- man has 3 runs of stone carried by waterpower. Mr. Forman also built a sawmill at this place which has capacity of 18,000 feet per day. The Shongo cheese factory was built in 1893 by R. C. Aylesworth. In 1894 80,000 lbs. of cheese were made from 270 cows. Tradition has it that the wife of old Chief Shongo of the Seneca Indians is buried here, hence the name.

Hallsport, the next hamlet in point of size, is located upon Chenunda creek in the northeast corner of the town, has a general store and postoffice, a cheese factory, a blacksmith shop, two wagon shops, one sawmill, one

542

HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.

shingle mill with planer and matcher, one feed mill, a school and about 150 population. This settlement was named for Calvin Hall, one of the first settlers.

Stannard's Corners (Stanard), upon the north border of the town, lies partly in the town of Wellsville. The portion lying in Willing contains a store and postoffice, M. E. church and parsonage, a blacksmith shop and about 100 people. This settlement was named after one John Stannard who kept the first hotel in the place.

Stone Dam, a postoffice upon the western border of the town, has two hotels and a few dwelling houses.

Mapes, upon the river near the center of the town, has a general store and postoffice, the large lumber yard of Duke & Co., a blacksmith and a wagon shop but no dwellings aside from the adjacent farm houses. It is a shipping point of considerable importance upon the W. C. & P. C. railroad as it is the outlet from Honeoye creek in Alma and the Eleven-mile in Potter Co. Pa., also for the Beach Hill section in Willing.

Settlers and Settlements .- As near as can be ascertained the wilderness was first broken by one John Ford, an Irishman from Connecticut, who came to Friendship in 1818 and the next year to lot 43 and also took up lot 44 in Willing. He was a Revolutionary hero and was said to be in every way qualified to battle with the forest and its denizens. After remaining until 1830 he sold his betterments to Asa Parks his son-in-law and moved to Ohio. In 1842 he returned to Willing and resided with Mr. Parks until his death in 1855 at the advanced age of 88 years. The next settler of which we have any record was Elijah Robinson, who came from Brookfield, Madison Co., in 1825. He settled upon the river close to the state line, built a sawmill (said to have been a few feet over the line in Pennsylvania). He remained here until about 1830 when he became deranged, left the town and we have no further record of him. In 1827 Davis Parks moved down the river from Genesee Forks just across the state line and located on lot 38. Four years later he removed to Andover and from thence to the west. In 1828 John Graves, a native of Harpsburg, Del., settled on lot 33 and in 1830 moved to lot 15 just across the river and remained there until his death in 1862. His son, Abner Graves, a very aged man, still lives in the town. His son Henry died recently. In 1829 Asa Parks moved from Independence and settled on lot 43. In 1833 he located on lot 82, and in 1836 took up his residence perma- nently upon lot 181 upon the hill east of the river. His article for lot 43 is said to be the first article taken for land in the town.

In 1830 Jeremiah and Seth Graves located on lot 32 and Hugh Burrows from Delaware county on lot 162. Jeremiah Graves came from Steuben county, Seth from Connecticut via Potter county, Pa. About eight years later Jeremiah Graves removed to Independence where he died in 1873 at a very advanced age. Seth Graves resided in Willing during his life. His son George still lives in the town. He says that in his youth it was not an uncommon day's hunt for his father to kill six to eight deer and he has

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WILLING.

known him to kill five bears in a day. The bears and wolves were very troublesome at times carrying off their sheep and shotes.

In 1831, Lot Harris and Henry Hagerdorn settled here. The former on lot 17 and latter on lot 18. In 1832 Stillman Rogers located on lot 12. He died in 1893. His son E. A. Rogers resides now upon a portion of the same lot. Ozias Yale, a native of Oxford, Chenango Co., settled upon lot 43 in 1833, and lived nearly or quite fifty years upon the same farm, dying but recently at the home of his daughter-in-law in Wellsville. General Jones the father-in-law of Mr. Yale made it his home with him for many years. He was a Revolutionary hero and is buried upon a beautiful mound upon the same lot. Nathan Woodcock was also a noted settler of 1833. He was a native of New Hampshire and settled upon lot 189 and resided in the town until his death in 1870. In 1834 D. T. Graves a native of Pennsylvania located on the river and in 1859 removed to Andover. Enos Gifford and Charles Rogers also came in 1834. Rogers locating on lot 38 where he reared a noted family; Eli, Lowell, and William becoming ministers of the gospel, Joel (who was killed at the battle of Antietam), Charles and Harrison, still residents of the town. It was the writer's fortune to lay under the same blanket with Joel the night before Antietam. He had just returned from a sick leave and was not yet strong but was very anxious to get to his place in the ranks before the battle was on.

Jacob Truax, a native of Albany Co., and Rev. John Walden, from Ot- sego Co., were settlers of 1835, the former upon lot 23 and the latter on lot 134. Augustus Beach from Genesee Co., was also a settler of 1835. He located upon lot 163 upon " Beach Hill " where he resided until his death in 1861. He was a pioneer in every sense of the word, as he had to cut a road a mile through the woods to get to his place. His two sons, Columbus and Azariah, are residents of the town, the former living upon the farm taken up by the father.

While these settlements were in progress upon the river and adjacent sections, there was a small colony of settlers locating upon the Chenunda creek in the northeast corner of the town now known as Hallsport. John Cline, from Steuben Co., came in 1831, then Calvin Hall, Jacob L. Bloss, John Wheeler, Thomas M. Perkins and others followed, mostly from Inde- pendence. They later cut a road along the river through to Stannard's Cor- ners, which was soon used as a mail route from Angelica to Knoxville, Pa. Calvin Hall opened a hotel in 1838, Thomas M. Perkins built a sawmill in 1839 or 40, and Jabez Card a store and ashery in 1841.

The settlement of the town after 1840 was quite rapid and in 1855 the census shows a population of 1,127 people; appearing again in 1875 at 1.713; since that time there has been somewhat of a decrease as the census of 1892 gives us but 1,360 people.

The first religious services were held by Rev. Seneca Fish in 1834. The first school was taught by Betsy Lovell in 1836. The first death was that of a child of Austin Butlers in 1837. Hotels were opened at Shongo and at

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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY. N. Y.

Hallsport in 1838. The pioneer store was opened by James R. Wood at Shongo in 1839. In 1894 Mr. Wood was still running a small store in Shongo.

The First M. E. Church was organized in 1871 by Rev. William Rogers who was its first pastor. A church edifice was erected the same year with seating capacity of about 250 persons. Its original cost was $2,500. It has since been repaired and remodeled inside, a parsonage has been erected upon the church lot and the society is now in a thriving condition. Its pres- ent pastor is Rev. F. S. Osborne. Methodist classes were organized at Stannard's Corners and at Hallsport in the early time of settlement but it is not possible to secure the names of the members.

The town of Willing sent many of her sons into the Civil War. It would be a pleasure to the writer (who was one of them) if he could place their names upon this printed page, but the town records of those days are miss- ing and if such record was ever kept it is not now in existence. In 1882 the survivors organized

Wesley Rolfe Post, No. 332, G. A. R .- It started out with 22 charter mem- bers, has increased to 54 members, but at this time has but about 40 mem- bers. The first officers were: Commander, O. T. Perkins; S. V. C., I. A. Keuson; J. V. C., John Lestner; Q., James T. Covel; Officer of the day, C. F Cline; Chaplain, Nathan R. Woodcock; O. G., L. Campbell; Adjutant, R. J. Fosbury; S. M., S. A. Livermore; Q. S., Henry Plants. The officers for 1895 are: Commander, O. T. Perkins; S. V. C., Wm. W. Moore; J. V. C., C. F. Cline; Q. M., James T. Covel; Officer of the day, L. Campbell; Chaplain, Nathan R. Woodcock; O. G., E. Allen Rogers; Adjutant, Wm. Donihi; S. M., Moses Miller; Q. M. S., Henry Brandes.

Rolfe Corps, No. 69., W. R. C .- Soon after Wesley Rolfe Post was formed the patriotic ladies of Stannard's Corners and vicinity organized this body which has been a faithful ally of the post. Its membership now is about 40. Officers: President, Mrs. Millie Peacock; S. V. P., Mrs. Frances Fosbury; J. V. P., Mrs. - Foster; Chaplain, Mrs. Rev. Osborne; Sect., Mrs. W. W. Moore; Treas., Mrs. Vina Kruson; Con., Mrs. Rose Donihi; A. Con., Mrs. Henry Williams; G., Mrs. Ruth Foster; A. G., Mrs. Olive Campbell.

Stannard's Corners has the honor of supporting the largest lodge of Good Templars in the county with Lewis D. Witter at its head. A flourish- ing lodge of K. O. T. M. has its headquarters at Shongo, also a large society of the E. A. U. is located at Hallsport.

Cyclone .- Upon Sunday evening, September 24, 1884, Shongo was visited by one of the most terrific cyclones that ever visited the county and perhaps state. Three persons were killed and 22 wounded, which comprised almost every person who passed through the terrible storm. Everything that came within its scope was destroyed, while buildings upon its borders were torn from their foundations and drawn in towards the terrible vortex. The track of the cyclone was less than 40 rods wide and in this track stood 26 buildings, every one of them was literally torn into splinters, and nearly all were car- ried away by the wind, lodging in some instances as far as 18 miles in Steu-

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ben county, with portions of them scattered upon the fields along its zigzag course through that whole distance in the higher current of air. So fierce was the wind that the village cemetery was not even spared. The Wellsville Daily Reporter of Sept. 29, 1884, says that but two tombstones were left standing in the cemetery some being carried across the street. An iron potash kettle holding 60 gallons was carried 40 rods and lodged bottom side up in an open field; a heavy lumber wagon was taken in the air and hurled against the ad- jacent hillside and smashed to kindling wood. The killed were Willis Gardi- ner. Mrs. Edgar Pratt and Ann Lancaster, all full grown and active people. Some of the injured are cripples for life. The little village nestles closely between the rugged hills of the upper Genesee river and is nicely protected from fierce winds, but the cyclone seemed to descend from the clouds, strike this small portion of earth and again rise and be no more heard of. It has been a matter of comment that no more people were killed outright of those caught in the whirlpool. Two stores together with their stocks of goods van- ished in the air, blacksmith and wagon shops. the village schoolhouse, fine residences, barns and all connected with them disappeared as by magic. The wind struck the earth at exactly 6.20 P. M. and was all past in less than two minutes. Some of the injured were not found until the next day.

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A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York, Part 70

Author: Minard, John Stearns, 1834-1920; Merrill, Georgia Drew Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Alfred, N.Y., W. A. Fergusson & co. Number of Pages: 1102

Author: Minard, John Stearns, 1834-1920; Merrill, Georgia Drew
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Alfred, N.Y., W. A. Fergusson & co.
Number of Pages: 1102