USA > New York > Allegany County > A Centennial Memorial History of Allegany county, New York > Part 73
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Henry McHenry settled in McHenry Valley. Walter Karr cleared the farm now owned by Orin Crandall. The first settlers were obliged to go to Bath for groceries and milling for several years. Margaret Karr, the mother of Walter, Joseph and Samuel Karr and Elizabeth Major, came with her fam- ily to Karr Valley in 1798, as near as we can learn. Her husband had pre- viously died in Luzerne Co., Pa. At the Wyoming massacre she stood by the door of their house (her husband being away) and told the Indians to take everything but spare her children. They took much of the furniture, killed the stock, and left the family undisturbed. She was a widow when she came to Almond, and lived with her children after coming here. Mrs. Karr was considered a very skillful nurse, especially in midwifery, and rode long dis- tances to attend the sick. Her mode of traveling was on horseback. There was then no physician nearer than Bath or Dansville, and people ten and even twenty miles away were considered neighbors. On one of her journeys her horse swam the Genesee river at Transit Bridge and she took a heavy cold and ever after was troubled with asthma. Joel Karr, her grandson, is now living, aged 86 years, and is no doubt the only person living who can re- member her. Her descendants are as the sands of the sea shore. It is said her maiden name was Kerr, and that she was a cousin of her husband. She was a peacemaker in the community. She died in 1820 at the age of 83.
Whitney Valley was first settled by a Mr. Putman and his two sons, Peter and Jacob, about 1803. They were followed by Tarbell Whitney in 1806, and Silas Stillman in 1807. The first permanent settler of North Val-
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ley was Solomon David, who located on the Hull farm in 1804. Elihu Knight. with Ardeno Cobb, and Wheeler Hinman settled in the lower part of North Valley about 1804. Benjamin Hayes, who had been in the Revolutionary War, settled on the Peter Lippencott farm in 1807. North Hill was settled by William Howe and Charles Cook and his father in 1808. Howe was a very prominent man in the town, and died about 1870, the oldest resident of the town. John and Jeremiah Van Vechten came from Montgomery Co. about 1817, and settled near Bishopville. Zenas Ward. grandfather of the Wards now living in North Valley, was one of the first settlers of that locality.
The first school was opened in Karr Valley by Joseph A. Rathbun in 1802 in a log schoolhouse on the hill, near the residence of L. A. Rathbun. The building was covered with bark. The first child born was Henry McHenry, son of Matthew and Anna McHenry, Feb. 1, 1798, although Sally Coleman, oldest child of Joseph and Mary Coleman, was born July 10, 1797 at Hor- nellsville. Her parents lived at Almond but were at Hornellsville when the child was born. The first marriage was that of Peter Putnam and Polly Waters in 1804, celebrated by Rev. Andrew Gray in Karr Valley. The first death was in 1801, that of Matthew McHenry, aged about two years. He was son of Matthew McHenry. Walter Karr was taken prisoner by the Indians at the Wyoming Massacre and was kept in captivity until the close of the war. The first log house was built in Karr Valley by Rev. Andrew Gray in 1796, and the first frame house in 1802 by the same gentleman. The first brick house was built by Rufus Whitney. Matthew McHenry and Joseph A. Rathbun died of fever in 1813.
The first annual town meeting was held at David Crandall's inn, in Karr Valley, the first Tuesday in April, 1821; Tarbell Whitney was moderator. The following persons were elected town officers: Supervisor, Silas Stillman; -town clerk, L. S. Rathbun; assessors, Roswell W. Knight, David Crandall, George Lockhart; commissioners of highways, Lawrence Clark, Joseph Karr and Daniel McHenry; collector, George Lamphere; overseers of the poor, Stephen Major and Henry McHenry; constables, George Lamphere, Carey Mckay, and Amos S. Maxson; school commissioners, L. S. Rathbun, William Howe and Henry McHenry; inspectors of schools, Roswell W. Knight, Sam- uel Karr and William Burdick. The 11 families who first settled in Karr Valley reared altogether 88 children who lived to be men and women.
Phineas Stevens was the first settler of what is now Almond village. George Stevens, his son, built the first mill about 1809. The whole of the land now occupied by Almond village, and much more, was once owned by the Stevens, and was later sold to the brother-in-law of George Stevens, the Hon. Joseph Corey. David Crandall kept the first tavern. William Rodgers opened the first general assortment store, with Joseph Corey as clerk for a number of years. A. L. Dawson was Almond's first physician and postmaster. Wm. R. Rodgers the second postmaster, and Joseph Corey the third postmaster. The first distillery was built by George Stevens in 1816. He also built a hotel where Whitwood's blacksmith shop
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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.
stands. The first store at the "upper battery " was built by George Stevens and Joseph Corey in 1827.
Hon. Joseph Corey was born at Luzerne Co., Pa., in 1802. He had three brothers, Rufus, Jenks and Ansell, who were killed in a battle with the Indians near Wilkesbarre. His father escaped by hiding under the river bank and was later killed in a fall in a gristmill at Almond when but 56 years old. Mr. Corey had a younger brother killed at Whitesville on a Fourth of July by the bursting of a cannon. Mr. Corey when a boy worked one half- month driving oxen and received a penknife and a vest pattern amounting to 50 cents for his half-month's work. Mr. Corey was a strong Democrat but strongly opposed to slavery. In 1850 he was elected to the legislature, and served one term. In 1862 a meeting of loyal citizens was called. Mr. Corey was elected chairman. He offered $5 to each man who would enlist, and $50 extra to the man who would go as his substitute. Ebenezer Lowe, aged 26, was the man who went in his place. In 1822 he opened a store for himself, and continued in the mercantile business at Whitesville and Almond until 1847, when he turned his attention to farming. He married Mary Smith in 1838 and had five children. She died, and in 1864 he married Elizabeth Wygant, of New York City, who survives him. He was a man of more than ordinary ability, and even in his last years could remember what had transpired in his early life. He died Jan. 10, 1893, aged 91.
The original settlers of North Valley with but few exceptions are all gone and have left but few descendants living there; some of the Wards are still there, descendants of the original settlers. Judge William Hawley lived in North Valley 60 or 70 years ago. He was the father of Miles Hawley of Hornellsville and Clark Hawley dec. The Van Vechtens, who were origi- nal settlers of North Valley, are all gone. Silas Stillman, an early settler of Whitney Valley, has two sons Joseph and Silas living in Whitney Valley who are old men. Daniel Stillman, another son, died the past year leaving his wife and two sons, Horace and Elisha, who live in Whitney Valley, and Dr. Stillman who lives in Andover. Horace is now postmaster at Almond. Benjamin Van Campen came here accompanied by his widowed mother who kept house for him until he married. She died an old lady about 80 years ago. Her husband was killed by the Indians when Moses was taken pris- oner. Mr. Van Campen kept the first tavern in town, and helped dig the first grave.
The Bath and Olean Turnpike, constructed by the agents of the Pulteney Estate, surveyed in 1808 by Oliver Miller, ran through the town nearly east and west, and was completed about 1811 or 1812. It was the great thorough- fare of immigration to Ohio and other western states.
For almost a generation no other fanning mills were used in Western New York than those made by Hon. George W. Patterson at Leicester. Doty's History of Livingston county says, "In the spring of 1821 Mr. Patter- son had much wheat in store at Almond where it could not be sold for ready money. The cost of taking it to Rochester, the nearest cash market, was 3
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shillings a bushel, and its price there not quite 32 cents, and it was traded for boards on the river at Olean. Seven bushels were given for 1.000 feet. Mr. Patterson became a raftsman, floated his lumber down to Cincinnati, sold it (after taking it out of the water and piling it on the bank) for $7 per M in wildcat currency, then worth 60 cents a dollar, but which depreciated ten cents a day until it was worthless. On arriving home his answer as to what he made was . I have saved myself.'" Mr. Patterson's successor in the manufacture of these mills was Henry G. Taylor, who moved the busi- ness to Wellsville, and met a sad death by freezing some years later in the north part of the county .- EDITOR.
In 1836 the New York & Lake Erie Co. commenced to grade at Almond on the first survey. It was then expected the divisions of the railroad would terminate here, but in 1850, when the road was re-organized, Hornellsville was made the division terminus.
Of the first settlers of Karr Valley, Matthew McHenry had seven chil- dren; one of them Henry McHenry, the oldest, was the first male child born in the town, Henry married Mary Rathbun, they raised two daughters, Ann and Irene, Ann married Attorney Milo H. Wygant and died long ago; Irene married Rev. Wm. Luke and is living. Philip, another son of Matthew McHenry, married Sally Karr. They had nine children. Five sons and three daughters are living in Almond, V. B. McHenry, Marion, Walter, Henry, Elizabeth Mack, Mary Mack and Julia A. Young. Joseph, another son of Matthew McHenry. died about two years ago. He has one son, Lewis, and one daughter, Rebecca. They both live on the old homestead in Karr Valley. Maria, a daughter of Matthew McHenry, married Joel Karr, who now lives in Karr Valley. Mr. Karr is now about 87 years old; his wife has been dead for many years. They have 5 children living (one son was killed in the army) Henry Karr, Mrs. Joseph Lockhart, Mrs. A. L. Litchard, Mrs. Dewitt Berry, Mrs. Henry Woodruff.
Joseph Coleman, one of the pioneer settlers, was born in Pennsylvania, married Mary Doderer and settled in Karr Valley in 1797, had four daugh- ters and six sons. Sarah, the first child born in the town, married John McIntosh. They had eight children, four sons and four daughters. Phineas now lives below the village of Almond. Hiram, who had been a prominent man in town for many years. died in 1894, and one daughter, Jane Lincoln, lives below the village. Ann, daughter of Joseph Coleman, mar- ried Peter Harman. They have two sons and one daughter now living, Amasa and George Harman, and Maria, wife of Nathaniel Perry, all living in or near Almond. Benjamin Coleman, a son of Joseph, married Nancy Ma- jor. He had one son, Stephen M., now living at Almond. Mr. Coleman has been a prominent man for many years, and to him we are under obligation for some of this family history. His mother, "Aunt Nancy " Coleman died the past year aged 85. Matthew Coleman, another son of Joseph, married Harriet Rathbun, daughter of Hon. L. S. Rathbun. They had one son, V. B. Coleman, now living at Belmont. John Coleman, another son of Joseph,
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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.
married Jane Marvin. For many years he drove stage in Allegany county. Two of his sons, Matthew and Chester, served honorably in the late war. Robert H. Coleman married Mary Karr. They had one son, J. W. Coleman, lately deceased. Joseph Coleman, another son, married Sally Charles, and had one daughter (now Louise Shephard) who lives on and owns the farm upon which her grandfather first settled. Irene Wakeman, another daughter of Joseph Coleman, is the wife of Dr. Joel Wakeman now living at Painted Post.
Samuel Karr married Margaret Lockhart. They had four sons and five daughters, none now living. Walter Karr, taken prisoner by the In- dians during the Revolutionary war, married Amy Neal and raised three sons and seven daughters, none living. Joseph Karr married Ann Lock- hart first and Sally Whitney second, raising two children, Margaret and Isaiah by the first wife and Lois, Joel and Joseph by the second. Isaiah and Joel were prominent men, both having held the office of supervisor of the town. Joel and Joseph are living in Almond. Two sons of Isaiah, Sam- uel S. and Charles still live in Almond. Samuel Karr's son James had three sons, William, Samuel and Wilson. Samuel and Wilson are still living. Wil- liam had one son Edward P., now a postal clerk, and two daughters, Gertrude and Anna (wife of Bert Dungan), all live in Almond. George and Hiram, sons of Samuel Karr, were deacons in the Presbyterian church. Hiram died a few years ago, leaving Fred, Walter and Alta, wife of S. S. Karr, who live in Almond, and George, who lives in Tennessee. Parker, son of Samuel, died several years ago, leaving one son, J. M. Karr, now living in Almond. He had two daughters now dead.
Joseph A. Rathbun had three sons and five daughters. The oldest son, L. S. Rathbun, was a man of prominence in town affairs and represented the county in the legislature two terms. John was a prominent music teacher in an early day; the eight children are all dead.
Stephen Major married Elizabeth Karr. They had five sons and one daughter, all dead. One of his sons, Samuel, married Susie McHenry. They had three children all long since dead; Thomas married Lydia Hyde, raised two sons and two daughters, Charles of Scio, John and Elizabeth of Almond, and Mary Hurlburt of Arkport. Walter married Henrietta King. John married Cyrena Rathbun, had two sons and four daughters.
George Lockhart, a pioneer settler, married Major Moses Van Campen's oldest daughter Mary, had five sons and two daughters. Joseph is living on the old homestead, Alfred is living in Washington, Mary Lockhart, a daughter, lives in Almond. One of the daughters now dead married Henry Crandall.
Silas Ferry married Jerusha Goss. They had four sons and three daughters, none now living. Elijah and Andrew, grandsons, are living here. Mr. Ferry dropped dead while fighting fire in the woods.
Christopher Saunders, born in Rhode Island, came here about 1814. He died not long after. His widow resided here with her family for several
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years. John and Billings Saunders, sons of Christopher, went to Genesee. Billings married Mary A., daughter of Rufus Green of Belfast, settled in Genesee, was a farmer and carpenter. He died in 1892. His children were Louisa, Eugene and Lois.
David Vincent, a son of Joshua, was born in Petersburg, N. Y., and came to Alfred when a boy with Judge Clark Crandall. He married Freegift, daughter of Christopher Saunders, and made his home in Almond on the farm now owned by his son Joseph. He was assessor several years. His sons Nathan H., Eli S. B., and John C. were soldiers in the Civil War.
Jesse Ferrin, born in Grafton Co., N. H., in 1807, married Angelina Sims and settled in Almond in 1841. He combined shoemaking and farming. His wife died in 1889 and he in September, 1892. They had three sons and one daughter.
Rufus Whitney, son of Tarbell and Lois Whitney, was born in Pennsyl- vania, came to Almond in 1806. His wife was Laura Pickett. Mr. Whitney was a well-known carriage maker. He was a deacon of the Presbyterian church.
Thornton F. Curry came from East Sparta to Almond early and settled on the farm now owned by his son, Rev. Amos F. and his grandson, Thornton F. Mr. Curry was justice of the peace several years, was postmaster at Almond many years. He was much interested in educational work. He died in 1887, his wife Sarah (Letts) Curry died in 1882.
Abel Hosley, son of Samuel, was born in Pepperell, Mass. He married Hannah Warner, came to Friendship about 1837, and about 1842 to Almond, and located on the farm now owned by his son, Levi W. He was a farmer and a cooper.
David Crandall came to Almond later than those mentioned above, and kept a store. He had two sons, Henry, who married Elizabeth Lockhart (who died many years ago), and Leonard, who married Frances, daughter of Charles Barnard. He also had three daughters, Sarah, wife of Hon. Alfred Lockhart of Angelica, Mary, wife of Horace Dart, and Elizabeth, who married a Terry and died many years ago. Henry now lives just below the village and Leonard in this village.
Karr Valley cheese factory was built by B. B. McHenry and H. Cole- man in 1866. In 1867 Walter McHenry purchased it and is the present pro- prietor. It can use the milk of 400 cows, was not running in 1895.
McHenry Valley cheese factory is owned by E. P. Fenner of Alfred. It uses the milk of 150 cows and 53,000 lbs. of cheese were made in 1894.
The Turnpike cheese factory was built in 1892 by I. N. Helmer. In 1894 John C. Vincent purchased it. The milk of 100 cows is used.
Bishopville cheese factory, built by A. L. McIntosh in 1891, uses the milk of 250 cows.
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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.
Supervisors .- 1821, Silas Stillman ; 1822, Asa Lee Davidson; 1823, George Lockhart ; 1824-26, Roswell W. Knight ; 1827, '28, David W. Crandall ; 1830, Elias Hull ; 1829, '31, '33, Jesse Angell ; * 1840, Samuel Major : 1842, '67, Isaiah Karr ; 1843, Elias Hull ; 1844, John Major ; 1846-48, P. A. Stebbins; 1847, Zabael C. Handy ; 1849, Joseph Corey ; 1850, '51, Asher C. Smith ; 1852, John Ferry ; 1853, '62, Charles B. Barnard; 1854, '57, '61. Benjamin Coleman ; 1855, Isaac Rawson ; 1856, A. E. Scoville ; 1858, '63, James W. Black ; 1859, Joel Karr ; 1860, Peter Lippencott ; 1864, '65, '66, Wesley Brown ; 1867, '68-70, John J. Upson ; 1871-73, Abram Wyant ; 1874, '78, Elias Hopkins ; 1875, '76, R. P. Sisson ; 1877, Charles S. Hall ; 1878, Elias Hopkins ; 1879, Charles Hall ; 1880, '81, John J. Upson ; 1882. '83, D. C. Hopkins ; 1884, '85, '86, Joseph Lockhart ; 1887, '88, Wesley Gibbs; 1889, Walter McHenry ; 1890, '91, Fred Halsey ; 1892, '93, W. C. Benjamin ; 1894, '95, E. E. Sisson.
Town Officers 1895 .- Supervisor, E. E. Sisson ; town clerk, W. H. Hagadorn ; justices D. A. Stebbins, J. A. Burdick, George Collins, A. J. Fenner; assessors, William Ostrander, Dart Hosley, William White ; road commissioners, Melvin E. Palmer, T. D. Kline ; collector, C. T. Emery, Charles Ferry ; overseers of poor, Ward Vincent, James L. Sisson, Milton Cottrell ; in- spectors of election, Ist district, Homer Emery, C. W. McIntosh ; inspectors, 2d district, Fred Wil- cox, Ward Prior : constables, Milo Tucker, Chas. Easterbrooks, Fred Smith, L. D. Kline, Myrton Spencer ; excise commissioners, John J. Upson, Abram Wyant, Albert Burdick.
Almond Village .- Disturnell's Gazetteer, published at Albany in 1842, says the village of Almond then contained about 400 inhabitants, 60 dwell- ings, 1 Presbyterian and 1 Baptist church, 2 taverns, 6 stores, 1 gristmill, 2 sawmills and 1 tannery. The present population is about 600. There are 3 drygoods and grocery stores, 1 restaurant, 1 drug store, 2 hotels, 2 grist- mills, 3 blacksmith shops, 1 wagon shop, 2 printing offices, 2 hardware stores, 3 doctors, 1 lawyer and 2 resident ordained ministers.
In 1868 a brick academy building was erected by a tax of $7,000 upon the property of the town and a subscription of $3,000, and a seminary was maintained for several years. Among the principals were Rev. Mr. Bing- ham, Prof. Crawford and Rev. Rufus King; owing to the bitterness which grew out of the taxation to build it the school never prospered and was closed and the building sold a number of years ago. The building is now owned by H. G. Stillman and used as a storehouse and hall.
Although at the breaking out of the Rebellion Almond was about half Democratic, under the leadership of such Democrats as the Hon. Joseph Corey she sent her full share of soldiers to the front. Among the old sol- diers who live in this town now are S. S. Karr, who was a long time in prison and very severely wounded; George W. Stearns *; Milo Tucker, now deputy sheriff; Charles W. McIntosh, Walter McHenry, who has been supervisor of the town; Matthew McHenry, Joseph W. Emery, Walter B. Amidon, J. W. Wilner, C. M. Jones, Charles Brink, Sylvanus Whitford, Walter C. Knight, Jackson Ayers, H. D. Palmer, Marion McHenry, Charles Humphrey, Col- lins Burdick, Mr. Lincoln, John Vincent, Martin Carpenter and William Flint, who live in the north part of town, and perhaps others.
*We have not the names until 1840.
* George W. Stearns, son of Calvin and Laura (Howell) Stearns, was born April 26, 1846. His father came to Almond with his parents in 1820. George W. enlisted in Co. H, 130th N. Y., Feb. 6, 1864, and was discharged in June, 1865. He has been deputy sheriff 6 years. His brother, Calvin L. Stearns, was killed at Gettysburg.
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Jesse Angel came to Almond from Dansville about 1828. He taught school and read law in Dansville and was a prosperous merchant here for years. He married Elizabeth Coon. They had four children, all dead ex- cept Elizabeth, and Maria A., wife of F. G. Hall, both of Dansville. Mr. Angel moved to Dansville in 1855, and died in 1866 about 66 years old.
Charles S. Hall, son of Justin, was born in Dansville. Nov. 15, 1833. His parents died when Charles was 9 or 10 years old and he went to live with his uncle Hiland S. Hall, father of F. G. Hall of Dansville and H. S. Hall, a former resident of Almond. He came to Almond in 1851, was in the employ of Mr. Angel until 1860, and then went to Dansville as his partner. He was one of the executors of Mr. Angel's will. and later came to Almond and spent the balance of his life. He married Lucy Perine of Dansville, was super- visor of Almond two or three years and represented the county in the as- sembly two years.
E. W. Ewers, for many years a merchant in Almond, came from Warren Co., Pa., in 1847. He was a deacon in the Presbyterian church and post- master and merchant for years. His first wife was Ann Hunter. They had two children, one now living in Nebraska. In 1867 he married Mrs. Saman- tha Kennedy. Mr. Ewers died several years ago, his wife is still a resident of Almond.
Elias Hopkins was born in Luzerne Co., Pa., in 1817. came to Almond with his father, Daniel, in 1831. He was engaged in the carriage manufac- ture for some years. He married Lucinda Forbes and died several years ago. His wife lives with her son Daniel C. Hopkins. Mrs. Alvin Berry is his daughter. Daniel C. Hopkins, son of Elias, lives on a farm just below Almond in Hornellsville but still owns the farm owned by his father in Al- mond and runs a nursery and fruit farm. He was born in Almond and has represented it on the board of supervisors. He married Sarah, daughter of Henry W. Crandall.
Manufacturing Interests .- The first mill was built in 1808 or 1810 by Stephen Webb, and sold in 1812 or 1813 to Joseph Corey, Sr., who repaired it, and, at his death in 1816, it was sold toa son-in-law of Mr. Corey, Benja- min F. Hayes, who rebuilt it and sold it to Jesse Angel in 1830. Mr. Angel sold it to Evan Davis who was a very successful miller. Edward Halsey owned it at one time and sold it to J. M. Wetherby who sold it to Ira Cutler. It is now gone. It was also owned by Mr. Rudiger and by W. Slingerland and also by Wm. Richardson. The Gibbs gristmill was built in 1868 by Isaac Rawson, Hiram McIntosh and Joel Farnsworth. It was burned and was rebuilt by Wesley and Jesse Gibbs, and is now owned by O. W. Roby. It has 2 runs of stones and 2 double sets of rollers. The upper or red grist- mill has been built a long time and is now run by Mr. Shull. A woolen mill was built in the south part of the town by Elisha Potter. It was owned by N. G. Hadsell for several years and was burned six or eight years ago. The first woolen mill in this vicinity was built in the lower part of the village just back and a little below Bennett's hotel, by a man named Fuller, he sold to
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HISTORY OF ALLEGANY COUNTY, N. Y.
Alexander Heard, and Heard sold to Hiram Cutler about 1822. A large tannery was built in 1850 by Chase, Rushmore, Stone & Co. It was converted into a mowing machine factory by Isaac and David Rawson and afterwards re- moved to Hornellsville. The building is now used by Charles Humphrey as a planing mill. The Richardsons built a large three-story building about 1860, and employed a large number of men there in shoe manufacturing and in tanning for several years. The business was moved to Hornellsville by William Richardson who still continues the business there. Thomas Richardson from Utica located in West Almond in the thirties, buying a farm on Jersey Hill and was a shoemaker. In 1843 he came to Almond, de- voted himself to shoemaking, and by 1850 developed quite a manufactory which was conducted by himself and sons William, Washington and A. J., with ever increasing capacity for over 30 years. A large tannery was also operated by them. The factory is owned by A. J. Fenner and used as a general store. The postoffice is now kept in this building. There are lodges of Maccabees, E. A. U. and Equitable League of America in existence here.
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