Genealogical and family history of northern New York : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Volume II, Part 24

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847- ed
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : Lewis Historical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 994


USA > New York > Genealogical and family history of northern New York : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation, Volume II > Part 24


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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66


( II) David, descendant of William Nel- lis in the third or fourth generation, was born at Herkimer. New York. December 14. 1809. and died May 6, 1867. He mar- ried Barbara Small. born 1806, died No- vember 11. 18SS.


(III ) George W., son of David Nellis. was born May 30. 1835, at Herkimer, and died October 27. 1906. He was a farmer nearly all his life in his native town, and a citizen highly esteemed by all who knew him. He married Melinda Witherstine. born March 1. 1836. daughter of David Witherstine. ( See Witherstine ). She is living in Herkimer. in good health. She joined the church in 1854, and her husband in 1863. Children: 1. Irving Orlando, Lorn July o. 1856. mentioned below. 2. Byron David, June 27. 1858, married Ada Casler. 3. Clara Margaret, July 7. 1860.


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4. Emma Elnora. August 4. 1862: died November 17, 1865. 5. George W., Jr., June 30, 1865 ; learned the printer's trade in the office of the Herkimer County Record, of which he is now editor and proprietor : married Anna Post, of Middleville: child. Aubrey. 6. Walter W., born June 14. 1870, died August 5, 1872.


(IV) Dr. Irving Orlando Nellis, son of George W. Nellis, was born at Herkimer, New York, July 9. 1856. He received his elementary education in the public schools of his native village. and prepared for col- lege at the Fairfield Seminary. He was a member of the Calaeopeaon fraternity in the seminary. He studied his profession at the University of Vermont, from which he was graduated with the degree of M.D. in 1882. He was marshal of his class at commencement. He began to practice im- mediately after graduation in his native town, and has been very successful, and has taken high rank as a physician. He is a member of the American Medical Associa- tion, the New York State Medical Society. the Herkimer County Medical Society, and was coroner of the county from 1884 to 1887 and 1890 to 1892. During his first term he held the famous Druse inquest into the crime known as the "Druse Butchery", the most horrible on record. He was a member of the sewer commission that con- structed for the village what is probably the most complete system of sewerage to be found in the state. outside of the large cit- ies. He was health officer of the village from 1884 to ING4. and is now president of the village board of health. Largely through his initiative, supported by the whole board. Herkimer now has sanitary regulations that are so complete and effect- ive that they are being used as models by other municipalities of the state. These regulations provide for the removal and disposal of garbage of all sorts. for clean- ing the streets. for plumbing and sewer con- nections, etc. One very useful provision gives the board of health power to install


the necessary plumbing and connections with sewer in cases where owners of house- neglect to do so, charging the cost against the property. Dr. Nellis was chosen under sheriff of the county of Herkimer by Sheti Joseph W. Baker. He was candidate ? ! the assembly in 1908, of the Democr .: party, and reduced the normal Republic ...! majority by at least five hundred votes. D): Nellis is a member of Bethel Lodge. \ 572. and Encampment No. 166. I. O. O. F ... of Herkimer, and of the Empire State S- ciety of the Sons of the American Revolu: tion, by virtue of the services of his ance- tor, John Witherstine. his great-grand- father. He and his family are communi- cants of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Herkimer, and in the religious and social life of the community hold high position- He married, October 30. 1885. Jennie . 1. Pierre, of Herkimer, born May 28. 28 .. daughter of Charles Pierce, born 1837. 1 brilliant soldier in the civil war, and Jate (Dixon ) Pierce, born 1840. Both pare. .. are living in Herkimer. (See Pierce) Children of Dr. and Mrs. Nellis: 1. M ... Irene, born December 31, 1886; gradu.t . oi Herkimer high school, class of 1905. Mai of Syracuse University, class of 1910. 2 Walter Irving, born February 25. 1804. now a student in Herkimer high school.


Dr. Irving O. Nellis is a descendant : the fifth generation of John Christi." Schell (1), the celebrated Indian fight whose son was John (2). who was father Margaret (3), who was mother of Mali. (4), the mother of Dr. Nellis (5).


Heinrich or He.


WITHERSTINE Witherstine was 1 . in Germany in 1 ;.- and died in Herkimer. New York, Ants 5. ISTI, and was buried in the obl F Herkimer churchyard in German F . The proper spelling of the German surn appears to be Wiederstein, but it has 1 Americanized to Witherstine in this i try. Ile settled early in the Mohawk V


Irving O. hellip.


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ley. He married Barbara While out in the fields one day at work alone, she was surprised by hostile Indians, scalped, and left for dead. but revived and was re- stored to health. Heinrich was a soldier in the revolution. His name is spelled Wilder- stein and Witterstein on the revolutionary rolls. He was in Captain Herter's com- pany, Colonel Bellinger's regiment. New York militia, in the revolution. His name appears on a pay roll dated at Fort Dayton, January 24. 1781. for service in July, Au- gust and September. 1779. His name ap- pears also on the rolls of Captain Frederick Frank's company, same regiment, for ser- vice in 1780. It is known that he took part in several battles, and late in life received a pension. His widow Barbara received the pension after his death for many years. Children: John, mentioned below ; Nicho- las ( ?) was of New York City in 1790.


(II) John, son of Heinrich Witherstine, was born at Herkimer, New York, July 12, 1762, and died June 19, 1835. He mar- ried Margaret Casler, and resided in Shell's Bush, Herkimer county. She died June 16. 1848, aged seventy-eight years, four months. nine days. "He was one of the sturdy farmers who came to this town to make a home for himself and family. He was used to the frontier life, and. like many others of the farmers of that day, when he went to cultivate his fields, he went with a hoe in one hand and a gun in the other, not knowing whether he would return alive again. After the declaration of war against England, and while quite young, he entered! the American army and served with honor until the close of the war. He was in the Third Regiment, Continental Line, and was at Valley Forge with Washington, and was more fortunate in the supply of cloth- ing than many others of his comrades. His mother made him a buckskin suit through- uit, which he wore and which protected him from the cold and storms of that terrible winter. This suit was brought home by him and kept for some time, and finally


made up in gloves and mittens. Where his gun is we do not know, but the bayonet to it is now in the possession of Dr. H. H. Witherstine, a grandson. of Rochester, Minnesota. It was used for many years for the purpose of shelling corn. Another relic in the shape of a little leather trunk, probably two hundred years old, and which came from Germany, is now in the posses- sion of Mrs. George W. Nellis, a grand- daughter".


"In excavating for the foundation of the chapel of the Reformed church of this vil- lage. the remains of many of the old mem- bers of the church were taken out and re- moved to Oak Hill and other cemeteries, and among those who joined the old church in the eighteenth century, and probably among the founders of the same, were John Witherstine. John Adam Hartman and John Schell, soldiers and patriots of the revolution, who fought not only for the in- dependence of their country, but also to pro- tect their homes from the savage red men who then infested this part of the country. The remains of John Adam Hartman were taken by Mrs. Broomhall, of Mohawk, a granddaughter, and buried in the cemetery at Mohawk. The remains of John Schell were taken and buried in the old cemetery back of the Methodist church in this village, by Jacob Philip Schell, a grandson. The remains of John Witherstine and Margaret Casler, his wife, and David Witherstine and Margaret Schell, his first wife, and Henry Witherstine and Abram D. Witherstine. sons of David Witherstine, were taken up and buried in Oak Hill cemetery by William Witherstine and Peter Witherstine, sons of David Witherstine".


Children of John Witherstine: 1. John, settled in Steuben. Oneida county. New York: married Catherine Harter: twelve children. 2. Henry. 3. Melchert: had children: Christopher C., Joseph, Gaylord and George. 4. David, mentioned below. 5. Abram, always lived in Herkimer; mar- ried Eliza Folt -: children : Frank. Mary,


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Lucy, Matilda and Lucinda. 6. Catherine, joined the church in 1803 : married George Fulmer, of Columbia. 7. Margaret, joined the church in 1800: married Frederick Folts, of Alder Creek. 8. Anna, joined the church in 1807; married Harvey Colvin. 9. Elizabeth, married James Stevens, of Little Falls. 10. Mary, married Abner Reed, of Watertown.


(III) David, son of John Witherstine, was born in Herkimer, December 16, 1803. He was a farmer by occupation. He and his wife both joined the church in 1823. and he was a member to the time of his death, April 8. 1864. He was elected one of the deacons in 1849 and an elder in 1852. In 1834. when the present church was built. he was one of many who drew brick from Utica for the church, and helped largely with his time and means to build the same. On February 5. 1835, at the first sale of pews, he purchased one, and it was occupied by him and his family down to 1875, when the pews were taken out and the inside of the church remodeled and new ones put in. He married ( first ) Margaret, daughter of John and Anna | Casler ) Schell. The im- migrant ancestor was Christian Schell, who probably came in 1722 with the Palatines from Germany, and was a distinguished pioneer and Indian fighter. His first wife died May 25. 1841. aged thirty-seven years. six months. twenty days. He married (second) December 23. 1817. Margaret Pe- trie. a granddaughter of Dr. William Pe- trie. one of the founders of the church. She was born in Herkimer. March 7. 1819. and died October 18. 1898. the youngest daughter of Frederic and Catharine (Thumb) Petrie, of Herkimer, who were married January 1, 1803. Her father died February 10. 1851: her mother July 21. 1846. David died April 8, 1864. and was buried in Oak Hill cemetery at Herkimer. Children of first wife: 1. John; married Nancy Harter, and has Henry, and Mary. who married George W. Mack. 2. Peter married Cynthia Small and had Eugene,


Margaret and Fred; he was a wagon maker. 3. David, married Clorinda Chr :.. man, and had Fannie, and Homer. .. . married Nettie Hall. 4. Abram, marri Lucinda Nellis, and they had Hattie. 1 .... ward and Adam; he was a soldier in :l. civil war, and died from illness contract. . there, August 22, 1862. 5. Henry, di : August 22, 1846, aged nineteen years. Elizabeth, married Malcolm Christman, av. had Walter. Herman, Webster. ITele :.. Mary and Ada Christman. 7. Mary, mar- ried Jacob Nellis, deacon of the church : che! dren : Charles. Harvey and Martha Nel- lis. 8. Nancy, married Adam Small. and had Byron, Mary and Edward. 9. Meling :. married George W. Nellis (q. v. ). 10. Anda. married Jacob Christman, and had C: Christman. Children of second wife: il Charles, born November 12, 1848: died January 14. 1879. 12. Horace, born .\pri 14, 1850: went west in 1872 on account of lung trouble, and located at Rochester. M :: nesota ; taught school and studied me - cine. graduating from Rush Medical Chi- lege. Chicago, and practiced at Rochester of which he was mayor several terms. af : state senator : married Amelia Hatfield, a: had William. Vernon, Glen and Doroti .. 13. William, mentioned below. 14. Ma. - garet, born August 27. 1855: married | - cob Small, son of John J. Small : children Ruby. May. Nancy. James. Charles Dorothy. 15. Martha, born at Herkins August 23. 1858; married David C. Wo :. children : Leland. Raymond and Walter.


( IV) William, son of David Withers :.. was born at Herkimer. September 25. IN5: He attended the public schools of his na; town and Fairfield Seminary, from w. he was graduated in June. 1878. taught school for a number of years. began the study of law in the office of il John D. Henderson, of Herkimer, and c tinued as a clerk in the office of Smrin: Steele. He was admitted to the bar tober 10, 1884. and began to practice in native town. He was soon recognized


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an able and safe counselor, and has taken a leading place in the profession. He was elected justice of the peace of the town for several years, and served the town faithfully on the town board. In 1892 he was elected president of the village, and his administra- tion was characterized by wisdom and econ- omy. He served several terms in this im- portant office. In 1893 he was elected su- pervisor of Herkimer. He has filled many other offices of trust and responsibility in the community. He is interested in the subject of education, and has served several terms on the board of education. He is president of the Emergency Hospital eor- poration, and since 1900 has been a trustee of Oak Hill Cemetery. He is a member of the Bar Association of Herkimer County, and of the Herkimer County Historical So- ciety. In religion he is an active and use- ful member of the Reformed church of Herkimer, of which he has been a deacon many years and for several years an elder. His interest in local history was especially manifested at the Old Home Week and Centennial Celebration held at Herkimer on August 7, 1907, during which time he was president of the village, and took an active interest in making the occasion a success.


He married. December 25. 1878, Mary H. Western. of Norway, New York, born December 13. 1856. daughter of Jason L. and Malida ( Comstock) Western. She is a graduate of Fairfield Seminary. She and Mr. Witherstine joined the Reformed church in 1882. Children: 1. Charles J., born in Herkimer. March 5, 1881 ; attended the Herkimer high school. from which he was graduated in June, 1899: studied elec- trical engineering at the Clarkson School of Technology. Potsdam. New York, and is now electrical engineer in the employ of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, Syracuse, New York. 2. Emma, born at Herkimer. January 22, 1887 ; grad- uate of Herkimer high school. and Syracuse University: member of the Reformed church of Herkimer.


The MeEwen surname has MCEWEN been variously spelled - by different branches of the family even in the present generation. It is often spelled McCune. and a branch of the Scotch family using that spelling is liv- ing at the present time in county Antrim, north of Ireland. The MeEwan or Mc- Ewen family is identical with the Ewing or Ewen family which was established in Scot- land very early in Aberdeenshire and Edin- burghshire. It is very numerous in the United Kingdom and in America.


(I) Robert McEwen, immigrant ancestor, was born in Scotland in 1660, at Dundee. There is a tradition that he came with two brothers, George and John, but the records prove that he came alone. The tradition is very common in New England and is usually without foundation. John. Robert and George were children of Robert, how- ever. Robert McEwen was a Presbyterian. and for refusing to acknowledge the su- premacy of the English sovereign in reli- gion was fined, imprisoned and persecuted. Finally he was banished and with a hundred others sent to the plantations of Virginia. They sailed from Perth, Scotland. in 1685. but the vessel encountered rough weather and was driven to New York. The pas- sengers were landed at Perth Amboy, New Jersey. December 18, 1685, and they called the place Perth after the Scotch city. They had been poorly fed and overworked at the pumps of the leaky ship. The hardships had cost the lives of about half of their number. McEwen remained at Perth Am- boy for a time. then located at Stratford. Connecticut. He was a tailor by trade. and his account book, with details of work done and the charges, is still in the possession of descendants. He died February 24. 1730- 40. aged seventy-eight years. He married. June 20. 1695. Sarah, daughter of Timothy Wilcoxson. Children : John. born Sep- tember 23. 1607 : Elizabeth. November 7. 1699: Robert. March 7. 1701-02: George. 1703. mentioned below : Sarah. November


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5, 1704; Timothy, March 11, 1700-07; re- sided at Stratford: Gershom. April 7, 1711.


( II) George, son of Robert MCEwen, was born in Stratford. 1703, died January 18, 1786, in his eighty-fourth year, accord- ing to his gravestone. He came from Stratford to New Milford, Connecticut, about 1742, and became a prominent citizen. He was a founder of the Protestant Epis- copal church there in 1743 and a zealous supporter of that church. He married. December 25. 1739, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Beardsley. She died December 16, 1792. in her eighty-eighth year. They had several children, of whom John is men- tioned below.


(THE) John, son of George McEwen, was born about 1730. He married. April 30. 1754. Elizabeth Hall, of Fairfield. Chil- dren, born at New Milford : George, March 13. 1755. mentioned below: James. April 25, 1757: William. September 18. 1759: John, January 9, 1762: Robert, April 24. 1764: removed to Hinesburg, Ver- mont : Elizabeth. February 18. 1768.


(IV ) George (2), son of John McEwen. was born March 13. 1755, died in 1813. He removed to Shaftsbury, Vermont, before the revolution, and about 1781 located at Hinesburg. Chittenden county, Vermont. In the census of 1790 George "McCune" is reported as having four sens under sixteen and two females in his family. His brother Robert was also of lline-burg and had two sons and two females in his family. He married and had seven children, all of whom lived to maturity and married.


( V) Captain Carlton, son of George (2) MeEwen, was born in Fine burg. March ' 25. 1701. He married (first ) February. 1816. Wealthy Calkins, born at Hinesburg in 1797. died May 10. 1826. in Lawrence- ville. New York. He married (second) March 11. 1833, Phebe Millington, born in Fairfax, Vermont. September 27. 1799. died in 1878 of paralysis. He was edu- cated in the public schools of his native town. He served in the state militia when


a young man and took part in the battle vi Plattsburgh in the war of 1812. He came from Vermont to St. Lawrence county in 1826 and bought land of D. Lynch Law- rence in what is now Lawrenceville, Nen York. He was a pioneer in this section. He cleared his farm and lived there the re- mainder of his days. His first purchase was four hundred and fifty acres. He was a very industrious, enterprising and pros- perous farmer. He was a prominent mem- ber and deacon of the Free Will Baptist Church, and was succeeded as deacon by his son George. In politics he was a Whig. He was strongly anti-slavery, however, and when the political parties of the country were reorganized he joined the new Re- publican party. He held many offices of trust and honor. For many years he was a member of the town board as justice of the peace or supervisor. He was at ore time the candidate of the Abolitionists for the assembly. He was captain in the New York state militia and always known by the title of captain. He died February 2, 1866. Children of first wife: George, Wealthy R., child, died young ; Narcissa. . Children of second wife: Augustus E., born 1834. mentioned below; Harriet E., Robert H .. grain dealer at North Lawrence, New York.


(VI) Augustus E., son of Captain Carl- ton McEwen. was born in Lawrenceville. New York, January 17. 1834. died Decem- ber 13. 1902. He was educated in the dis- trict schools of his native town, and ha- always followed farming there on the homestead, living in the house built by his father and ow ning the homestead. He was a prominent Republican. He was elected supervisor in 1875 and served two years. He filled other offices of trust and responsi- bility. He married Martha Witherell, ni Hopkinton, New York, March 14. 1800 She was born in Orwell. Vermont, October 7. 1841. daughter of Joel Witherell, of Hopkinton, New York. Children : Tay died August 27, 18,6, aged thirteen years :


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Guy C., lives at Potsdam; Wright, lives at Lawrenceville; Clyde Augustus, mentioned below.


(VII ) Clyde Augustus, son of . Augustus E. McEwen. was born at Lawrenceville. St. Lawrence county. New York, August 15, 1880. He attended the public schools at Brasher Falls. the Stockholm high school and the Franklin Academy at Malone, New York. He traveled extensively in the west- ern states from 1904 to 1907. He owns the homestead at Lawrenceville.


Three brothers of this name DOMINY emigrated from England early in the eighteenth cen- tury. One settled in New Jersey, another located on the west side of Long Island. and the third. whose christian name was Nathaniel, became a resident of East Hamp- ton. Long Island. The Beekmantown branch of the family, mentioned below, is descended from the latter. The History of East Hampton states that the Dominys are of Irish origin, that their character has been positive and that genius for invention has long prevailed in the family, as attested by patent office records.


(I) Nathaniel Dominy was born July 14. 1684: came to America when young, and settled at East Hampton, where he died. May 5. 1768. He married. November 24. 1706, Annie Corey, born February 8. 1678. died August 8. 1748. Their children were : Mary. Annie. Phoebe. Nathaniel. John. Lydia.


(II) Nathaniel (2). son of Nathaniel (I) and Annie (Corey ) Dominy, was born at East Hampton. December 3. 1714. died . March 30. 1778. He resided at Three- Mile Harbor. His wife was before mar- riage Elizabeth Evers, born April 9, 1717. died September 1. 1781. Children: Na- thaniel. William. Elizabeth. Deborah, Henry, Eliza.


(III) Henry. son of Nathaniel (2) and Elizabeth (Evers) Dominy. was born at East Hampton. December 15. 1746. died


January 23. 1817. He married. November 4. 1773, Elizabeth Dayton, and her death occurred January 23, 1814. Children : Na- thaniel. William, Elizabeth, Deborah. Henry, Eliza, Mary Ann, John.


(IV) Henry (2), son of Henry (1) and Elizabeth ( Dayton ) Dominy, was born at East Hampton, December 26. 1776. In 1796 he went from Long Island to Beek- mantown, Clinton county, New York, where he purchased from the patentees a tract of wild land containing six hundred acres, and settling there as a pioneer he cleared a por- tion of his land. becoming a prosperous farmer. His brother John also settled here, locating in the easterly part of the town. Henry was one of the first land surveyors in that section of the state, and possessing an aptitude for study he became well versed in mathematics and the science of naviga- tion. As one of the first settlers in Beekman- town he readily perceived its advantages and future possibilities, and was largely instru- mental in developing its splendid agricul- tural resources. Henry Dominy married Charity Hubbard. Children: Elizabeth, Henry L., Ezekiel, Mary G., Jeremiah. Alonzo.


(V) Henry L., son of Henry (2) and Charity ( Hubbard) Dominy, was born in Beekmantown. July 15, 1807. Having learned the blacksmith's trade. he followed it in connection with farming, and, with the exception of two years spent in Chazy, New York, his entire life was passed in his na- tive town. He was a public-spirited citi- zen. highly esteemed for his sterling integ- rity and other commendable qualities, and was for many years an elder of the Presby- terian church. For ten years he officiated as town clerk, and in that capacity rendered unusually efficient service. He married Sophronia Hickcock, a native of Shoreham, Vermont. Children: Alanson, Sullivan H. Mary .A., a highly estimable lady resid- ing in Beekmantown: Joel Martyn, Lois. Ezra. Martha H .. Emma. Henry L. Dom- iny died April 27, 1898, aged nearly ninety-


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one, and his wife died in the following Sep- tember in her ninety-third year.


(VI) Alanson, son of Henry L. and So- phronia ( Hickcock ) Dominy, was born in Beekmantown, July 7, 1830, died there in the prime of life. August 19, 1863. He married Nancy. born in Plattsburgh, New York, daughter of Peleg T. Stafford, and only three of their children grew to matur- ity: Ada M., Mary Elizabeth, married William P. Lombard; Alanson T.


(VII) Alanson T .. son of Alanson and Nancy ( Stafford : Dominy, was born in Beekmantown, November 14. 1863. He received a public school education, and in early life engaged in mercantile pursuits as a member of the firm of Dominy & Walker, who conducted a general store in Beekman- town. In 1887 he was chosen town clerk. retaining that office for two years; was sub- sequently for twelve years one of the town supervisors and served as chairman of the board for one year. Elected sheriff of Clinton county in 1901. he served in that capacity for the years 1902-03-04. during which time he resided in Plattsburgh, and upon his retirement from office he returned to Beekmantown. For the years 1907-08 he represented Beekmantown in the New York assembly, serving upon the commit- tees on fisheries. game. state prison, sol- dier's home and agriculture, and while a member of that body he labored diligently in forwarding the interests of northern New York. Mr. Dominy died September 9. 1908, thus ending in the full bloom of a vigorous manhood an honorable and useful career, and his loss was deeply regretted by the entire community.




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