USA > New York > Erie County > Gowanda > Historical sketch of the village of Gowanda, N.Y. : in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of its incorporation, August 8, 1898 > Part 5
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A vote of thanks was tendered to Mr. Josephs for his elegant present.
An excursion was extended to the young ladies, who acted as wait- resses, to Buffalo, as the guests of the railroad company ; it was accepted, and they went to Buffalo the following Monday, and, of course, had a very pleasant trip.
Married, in Hamburg, on September 30th, William G. Van Ostrand of Gowanda and Julia Rathbone of Hamburg.
At Dansville, N. Y., October 18th, Truman P. Allen of Gowanda to Jennie L. Wheeler of Richmond, N. H.
Died, in Gowanda, October 26th, John H. Lemon, aged 52.
In Gowanda, October 25th, George Urban, aged 72.
November 14th .- Died, in Persia, November 12th, Elihu Russell, aged 70 years.
December 19th .- Rev. J. C. V. Nellis is the new pastor at the Presbyterian Church.
January 2, 1875 .- Married, in Forestville. December 22, 1874, Myron L. Gardner of Gowanda to Miss Emma M. Barber of Forest- ville.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
January 9th .- Married, in Gowanda, by Rev. E. A. Rice, W. E. Kenyon to Mary E. Springer.
January 16th .- Died, in Collins, January 14th, Stephen A. Sisson, aged 53 years.
January 23d .- Died, in Gowanda, January 19th, Dan G. Bassett, aged 74 years.
In Gowanda, January 21st, Mrs. Ellen Dawson, aged 30 years.
April 17th .- Died, at his residence near this village, April 14th, Samuel T. Munger, aged 70 years.
On the 15th, Rev. Asher P. Wright, missionary on the Cattaraugus Reservation.
In Dayton, on the 15th, Daniel D. English, aged 67 years.
April 24th .- Married, in Collins, on March 14th, Mr. Mark Stock and Miss Jennie Cherry.
May 8th .- Died, in Gowanda, May 4th, Timothy Smith, aged 81 years.
May 29th .- Died, at Gowanda, May 21st, Gottfried Brennenstuhl, aged 55 years.
June 19th .- H. H. Parks has been admitted to the bar as at- torney. ...
June 26th .- Died, in Gowanda, June 20th, Jeremiah Jolls, aged 70 years.
August 14th .- Married, in Gowanda, August 9th, Mr. J. H. Selden to Miss Lora Blackney, all of Gowanda.
September 11th .- Contains a column and half article on the mur- der of Charles W. Blackney.
October 2d .- Mr. J. M. Congdon has purchased the office and books of the late C. W. Blackney, and will succeed him in the prac- tice of law.
October 16th .- Contains a long account of the 835,000 fire which destroyed the Barker House and block, H. N. Hooker's store and house, the Hanford drug store, and much other property.
October 23d .- Married, in this village, on Wednesday the 20th inst., by Rev. J. V. C. Nellis, Mr. J. E. VanDeusen and Miss Ella M. Hooker, all of this place.
Died, at his residence in Perrysburgh, October 17th, Charles Green, aged 78 years.
RESIDENCE OF W. H. BRITTON, JR., CHAPEL STREET.
B
A
RESIDENCE OF MRS. ALBERT GAENS LEN, CENTER SIKELL.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
October 30th. - The editor heads his local column with a rooster, on account of the voting of a new $15,000 school house for Gowanda.
November 13th .- Judge Woodbury and Hudson H. Parke have formed a legal co-partnership.
November 27th. - Died, in Dayton, November 16th, Hiram Austin, aged 80 years.
December 18th .- Homer Woodin died at his home in Perrys- burgh last Sunday. He was born July 6, 1806.
January 8, 1876 .- New Year's day was extremely mild, and was ushered in with a fantastic parade by the young people.
January 15th .- Married, in Otto, December 28, 1875, at the resi- dence of D. N. Brown, Dwight J. Norton, Jr., of Washington, Ia., to Miss Ellen F. Brown of Otto.
Gowanda Enterprise, Vol. I., No. 1, March 30, 1877.
Died, in Gowanda, March 17th, Halsey Stearns, aged 69 years.
Mr. A. W. Popple of Dunkirk, formerly of this village, died last Friday evening.
April 6th. - Mrs. A. W. Popple has been appointed postmistress at Dunkirk to fill the unexpired term of her husband, lately deceased.
April 27th .- Married, in Gowanda, the 27th inst., Jacob F. Gur- ney and Miss Emma L. Farnham, both of Gowanda.
May 4th .- A column, headed with a rooster, announces that the Diamond Petroleum Co., composed mostly of Gowanda men, has struck oil.
Died, in Gowanda, April 29th, L. W. Toepp, aged 40 years.
May 11th .- The Murphy temperance movement has struck Go- wanda and the editor is rejoiced thereat.
May 18th .- Died, in Ruggtown, May 12th, Jonathan G. Rugg, aged 82.
August 10th. - Married, in Gowanda, August 4th, by Rev. Titus Roberts, Benjamin J. Allen of Persia and Miss Ellen E. Doley of Stockton, N. Y.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, M. Y.
August 17th. - Died, in Gowanda, August 15th, Mrs. Florilla R. Smallwood, widow of the late Wm. T. Smallwood, and daughter of Titus Roberts, aged 52.
In Gowanda, August 14th, Mrs. Julia Sanborn, aged 22, wife of Rev. J. W. Sanborn.
August 31st. - Died, in Gowanda, August 28th, Elizabeth, wife of William A. Fish, aged 42 years.
In this village, August 26th, Aimira Cole, aged 66 years.
September 7th .- Married in Cattaraugus, September 4th, Miss Mary Mi. Johnson of Cattaraugus and Wells H. Fuller of Gowanda.
Died, in Dayton, September 2d, Cora, daughter of Jonathan Allen, aged 17 years.
September 14th. - Harmon Gaensslen was severely injured on Thursday afternoon, by explosion of powder while blasting rocks.
October 19th .- Died, in Little Valley, October 12th, Edward Van Dake, aged 84 years.
October 26th. - Henry F. Allen of this village has been nomi- nated for member of assembly in the Fifth Erie District.
I. R. Leonard of Dayton has been admitted to the bar.
November 2d .- Married, in Dunkirk, at the residence of the bride's father, A. R. Sellew, Benson H. Roberts of North Chili and Miss Emma J. Sellew of Dunkirk.
November 9th .- Died, in Dayton, November 2d, Eliza M. Brand, aged 27 years, and in Dayton, November 8th, Avery Parke, aged 77 years.
November 16th .- Married, in Gowanda, November 3d, Lawrence Schrott of Perrysburgh and Miss Susie Benton of Dayton.
November 23d. - Married, in Persia, N. Y., November 19th, by Rev. J. W. Sanborn, Edward M. Bartlett and Miss Harmony R. Allen.
Died, in Gowanda, November 14th, Serusia Herrick, aged 92 years.
December 14th .- Rev. J. V. C. Nellis has resigned as pastor of the Presbyterian Church.
Married, in Perrysburgh, November 28th, Eva M. Titus of Dayton to Frank Hall of Gowanda.
December 21st .- Died, in Gowanda, December 14th, Dorothy Dawson, aged 74.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
January 18, 1878 .- Sarah Rice has been appointed postmistress.
February 15th .- The funeral of Charles Trunk was held in the Presbyterian Church last Sunday and was largely attended.
Married, in Versailles, February 3d, Miss Emma Weigand and Hiram Pierce, both of Gowanda.
At the same time and place, Miss Eva Bowers and Killian Storms, both of Gowanda.
In this village, on the 13th inst., by Rev. J. W. Sanborn, Gen. David S. Forbes- of Fredonia to Miss Sarah J. Starr, formerly of Gowanda.
In this village, February 3d, Mr. A. L. Peaslee and Miss Mary C. Miller of Gowanda.
March 8th .- Died, in Gowanda, March 8th, Caroline M., wife of G. C. Carpenter, aged 35 years.
March 15th .- Died, in Little Valley, March 14th, Mrs. Esther Howe, relict of Zimri Howe, aged 72 years.
April 5th .- Died, in Perrysburgh, April 4th, Eri B. Woodin, aged 34 years.
May 2d .- The Erie Railway has become the New York, Lake Erie & Western.
May 17th .- Died, in Dayton, May 9th, Joshua Markham, aged 89 years.
May 24th .- Died, in San Francisco, April 13th, Mrs. Ann L. Waterman, formerly of this place, aged 55 years.
June 14th. - Married, in Gowanda, June 11th, by Rev. J. W. Sanborn, Dr. W. C. Proctor and Louisa C. Beach, all of Gowanda.
(This issue contains a long account of the explosion of the boiler in Henry Wolf's saw mill at Dayton on the 11th, at which four men lost their lives. )
July 26th .- Died, at Valisca, Ia., July 23d, Vincent Torrance, aged 3 months, child of Geo. S. and Fanny Torrance, formerly of Gowanda.
Died, in Gowanda, June 18th, Mrs. Abigail S. Bassett, aged 70 years.
August 30th .- The Vosburgh House has been sold to Fischer & Gerber of Buffalo.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDI, N. Y.
September 12th .- Married, in Elmira, September 5th, Rev. J. W. Sanborn of Gowanda and Miss Minnie S. Decker of Elmira.
September 26th .- Married, in Gowanda, at this date, by Rev. J. W. Sanborn, Henry R. Gaensslen and Miss Frances Storm, both of Gowanda.
October 10th .- Henry F. Allen of this village has received the Democratic nomination for county judge of Erie County.
Contains an account of the re-union of the 64th Regiment, N. Y. Volunteers, at Gowanda.
October 17th .- Married, in Gowanda, October 16th, by Rev. W. W. Nason, John Ritz and Miss Ida Irish, both of this village.
November 7th .- Married, in Collins, October 29th, B. W. Law of Havana, Cuba, to Miss Docia E. Willett of Collins.
November 21st .- DeWitt C. Hoover of Cortland, N. Y., has bought the Gowanda Flouring Mills of C. C. Torrance.
January 2, 1879 .- E. A. Edgerton has sold his photograph gallery to Mr. Chase.
February 6th .- Married, in North Collins, January 30th, J. Quincey Tucker of Brant and Miss Susie Smith of North Collins.
Married, in Perrysburgh, February 5th, Miss Lottie C. Cooper, daughter of Ezra Cooper, and George B. Taylor of Gowanda.
May 22d .- Mr. E. A. Edgerton leaves Gowanda this week for Michigan, where he takes charge of a photograph gallery.
August 29th .- J. M. Congdon has been nominated for member of Assembly for the 2d Cattaraugus district.
November 28th .- Contains an account of a prize-speaking contest. at which H. W. Allen took first prize and Mary E. Jacobs, second.
December 12th .- Contains the obituary of Harmon A. Gaensslen. who died December 8th, aged 21 years.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
THE POST-OFFICE AT GOWANDA.
IT SEEMS that at an early date the office was Aldrich's Mills. In 1829, R. Plumb, postmaster, advertises letters uncalled for at Collins Post-office (Lodi). For many years after that, and until Octo- ber, 1848, the post-office was Persia, but in October of that year was changed to Gowanda, and has since been known by that name.
During the term of John B. Wilbor the office was probably in his building, on the bank of the creek, just above the bridge.
At the time of the fire, in 1856, D. N. Brown seems to have been postmaster, with the office in his building, in the Mansion House Block, probably near where Eaton & Son's meat market is now.
In May, 1862, it was moved to No. 2 Water Street, Welch Block, into what is now a part of the Commercial Hotel. In October, 1862, as was stated at the time, it was moved to the building on Jamestown Street, formerly occupied by J. Stamm's clothing store - probably in or near the building now occupied by Joseph Keifer.
In June, 1864, it was moved to a room in what was called the variety store, now occupied by Mentley & Press, next to Roller's meat market (now Eaton's), with entrance on Main Street. About 1868 it was located in the store now occupied by F. E. Redfield.
During all or a portion of W. H. Stuart's term it was located in the Union Block, in the store now occupied by A. T. Johnson's grocery. Later for a number of years, and down to about 1882, it was back in the building on Jamestown Street, when it was again changed to the new brick building, then just built by H. F. Henry, on the north side of Main Street, now occupied by DeLong & Kerr and R. C. Holmes, where it remained until 1894, when it was loca- ted, as at present, in the Hooker Block, on the north side of Main Street.
The office occupies one of the three stores in the Hooker Block, in size 20 x 60 feet, is well lighted front and rear, and has recently been · supplied with a modern set of call and lock boxes.
It is not claimed that the list of postmasters here given is complete, or that their full term of service is given in many cases, but the fol-
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDI, N. Y.
lowing were postmasters here during all or some portion of the years indicated :
BENJAMIN WATERMAN, 1822.
RALPH PLUMB,
1829.
PHINEAS SPENCER,
1832-39.
AMASA L. CHAFFEE,
1840, '41.
RALPH PLUMB,
1842, '43.
JOHN B. WILBOR,
1848.
WILLIAM WOODBURY,
1851, '52, '53.
D. N. BROWN,
CHARLES HENRY,
1861, '62, '63, '64.
1869.
GEORGE W. HANFORD,
1871, '72.
W. H. STUART,
1873, '74, '75, '76, '77, '78.
SARAH RICE,
1878, '79, '80, '81.
BYRON G. HILL,
1882-1885.
MILLIN T. HILL, .
1886-1890.
SILAS H. ARNOLD,
1891-1894.
FRANK L. MATTOCKS,
1894-1898.
WILLIAM N. WALLACE,
1898.
1854. '56, '57, '58, '59,'60.
ORVILLE BISHOP, .
POST-OFFICE, 1834.
"THE OLD BRICK OFFICE."
GOWANDA U'NION SCHOOL ..
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HISTORICAL SKETCHI OF GOWANDI, N. Y.
THE GOWANDA UNION SCHOOL.
PRIOR to 1844 what is now comprised in the Union School Dis- trict was in several districts.
At about that time a school was held in a building near the site of the present M. E. Church ; another, in the upper story of what was then called the " Eagle Tavern," now the Gowanda House.
. Prof. Sedgwick was, at or about the time of combining the districts, a teacher here, and was the first principal in the school house, built in 1844 on the present site.
When the consolidation of the districts took place, $175 was voted for the site, which was purchased of E. W. Henry, and $1,200 to build the school house.
It would seem that the plans proposed by Dr. John F. Allen were adopted for the new building.
December 6, 1866, it was determined, by a vote of 106 to 49, that the school become a union school, under the name of the " Gowanda Union Free School."
The house built in 1844 was burned on Sunday morning, August 9, 1874, and the present brick building was built by Silas Vinton, con- tractor, in 1876, at a cost of about $18,000, on the lot bought in 1844.
The school now has a registered attendance of about 500 pupils, with ten teachers.
It is impossible to give all the teachers who have taught in the school, but the following have been principals during all or portions of the years given below :
William L. Haven, 18 -; E. E. Williams, A. M., 1 : Prof. Sedgwick, 1844 ; Dr. Allen, 1851; H. B. Pierce, 1852 ; Samuel G. Love, 18 --; Judson Sibley, 1857; A. C. Tefft, 1859-60-61 : Prof. Powers, 1862; Chas. E. Swett, 1864; Prof. Long, 1865: Wm. H. Rogers, 1866 ; Dr. Holcomb, 1867; T. R. Green, 1868-9; Hubert H. Merrill, 1863-64-69-70; G. A. Bates, 1870: C. A. Young, 1871 : . George T. Quimby, 1871 : F. A. Winnie, 1872 ; George W. Gillette. 1873 ; J. H. Selden, 1874: Prof. Weeks, 1875; J. W. Willis, 1875 ; M. J. Griffin, 1876 ; Fred Dick, 1877-8-9; R. R. Rogers, 1880 : ' W. ). Ball, 1881 ; Frank S. Thorpe, 1882-3-4-5: J. H. Selden, 1886-7-8-9-90; Charles A. Black, 1891 to 1898.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
---
The present corps of teachers is as follows: Charles A. Black. A. M., Principal ; Mrs. Charles A. Black, Preceptress ; Velma C. Brown, Nettie B. Ranson, Sara Ryder, Grace Higbee, Josephine A. C. Groat, Cora Halstead, May C. Richards and Veva Higbee.
Board of Education, 1898 : Asher C. Stafford, President : Samuel G. Keyes, Dr. A. D. Lake, Edward Etsler, Edgar A. Shaw, Henry R. Gaensslen ; Charles S. Howland, Clerk.
By the will of the late C. C. Torrance, the school received a legacy of $1,000, the income from which was to be used to procure prizes for two pupils of the graduating class in each year, to be known as the C. C. Torrance prizes. The Board of Education, by unanimous vote, on August 6, 1889, accepted the very generous gift of Mr. Torrance. in accordance with the conditions suggested by him.
The school at the present time is in a very prosperous condition. many foreign pupils being in attendance each term. The school building, erected in 1876, which was then considered more than suffi- cient for many years to come, has already become too small for the school, and the Board of Education has been compelled to rent addi- tional accommodations.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOW.INNDI, N. Y.
PUBLIC OFFICIALS FROM GOWANDA.
THE citizens of this village who have held official positions, other than those of a local character, are as follows. The dates given are those when the persons were elected or appointed to the office, except as to Members of the Assembly, in which cases the year is that in which the person served :
COUNTY JUDGE.
CHESTER HOWE, . Cattaraugus County,
November, 1851.
WILLIAM WOODBURY, .
Cattaraugus County, . November, 1859.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
CYRENIUS C. TORRANCE, Erie County, November, 1862.
JOSEPH M. CONGDON, .. Cattaraugus County, .
November, IS95.
While Mr. Torrance was District Attorney of Erie County his assistant was Grover Cleveland, who later became Sheriff of Erie County, Mayor of the city of Buffalo, Governor of the State of New York, and twice President of the United States.
SHERIFF.
RALPH PLUMB, Erie County,
November, 1843.
GEORGE W. WHITE, Cattaraugus County,
November, IS43.
WILLIAM W. HENRY, Cattaraugus County, November, 1873.
It will be observed that in 1843 the sheriffs from both counties were elected from the village of Gowanda (then Lodi).
COUNTY CLERK.
ENOS H. SOUTHWICK, . Cattaraugus County, . November, 1852 58 67.
SAMUEL C. SPRINGER, . Cattaraugus County, . November, 1504.
WILLIAM W. WELCH, . Cattaraugus County,
November, IS;o.
.
SCHOOL COMMISSIONER.
HENRY S. STEBBINS. . Third District, Erie County, About November, 200.
.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWAINDAA, N. Y.
MEMBERS OF ASSEMBLY.
PHINEAS SPENCER,
Cattaraugus County, 1824.
ALBERT G. BURKE,
Cattaraugus County, 1835.
RALPH PLUMB,
Erie County, 2d District, 1835.
PHINEAS SPENCER,
Cattaraugus County, 2d District, 1837-
CHESTER HOWE,
Cattaraugus County, 2d District, IS41.
SETH FIELD, .
Cattaraugus County. 2d District, IS45.
MICHAEL H. BARKER,
Cattaraugus County, 2d District, 1853.
JOSEPH H. PLUMB,
Erie County, 4th District, 1 860.
FRANKLIN PHILBRICK, .
Cattaraugus County, 2d District, IS6I.
JOSEPH II. PLUMB. .
Erie County, 5th District, 1867.
WILLIAM H. STUART,
Cattaraugus County, 2d District, 1869.
HENRY F. ALLEN,
Erie County, 5th District,
1878.
JOSEPH M. CONGDON, . Cattaraugus County, 2d District, ISSO-SI.
It will be noticed that in 1835 this village had two representatives in the Assembly, one from each county in which the village is located.
CORONERS.
JAMES KAVANAUGH, Cattaraugus County, .
November, ISS7-90.
GEORGE W. HOWARD, . Cattaraugus County,
November, 1892.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDAI, N. Y.
MILITARY HISTORY OF GOWANDA PRIOR TO THE REBELLION.
F ROM 1818 to 1822 as a part of the State militia was the 198th Regiment, probably composed wholly of Cattaraugus-county men. Among its officers, with date of taking the oath of office, were the following :
Colonel, Benjamin Waterman, July 5, 1822; Captain, Simon Waterman, July 6, 1821 ; Lieutenant, Heman Waterman, June 9, 1821; Ensign, Edwin Farnsworth. July 6, 1821.
Col. Benjamin Waterman resigned in 1827 and was succeeded by James McGlashen.
There seemed to have been a reorganization in 1830, and Cattar- augus County became a part of the militia district comprising the 54th Brigade, 26th Division, which also included Collins and Con- cord in Erie County. The brigade was composed of seven regi- ments, and Jehiel Hill was colonel of the Gowanda Regiment. James McGlashen was brigadier-general. In 1838, Col. Jehiel Hill became brigadier-general on the promotion of Gen. McGlashen to major- general.
Among Gen. Hill's aides were Byron Cochran of Springville and Thomas J. Parker of Gowanda ; Dr. Levi Goldsborough, surgeon, and John P. Darling of New Albion, and Enos Austin of Otto.
Thomas J. Parker enlisted September 12, 1833, in a uniformed company of riflemen, under Howel W. Parker, captain, attached to the 198th Regiment. Col. Hill's successors in command of the 198th were Col. Sylvenus Cook, Col. Joseph H. Plumb, Col. George S. Hickox and Col. Titus Roberts. Among the independent uni- formed companies attached to this regiment was a company of rifle- men, commanded by Captain Amasa L. Chaffee.
For many years there were held, usually in the month of October, what were officially known as the annual regimental musters, but , which were commonly known as " general trainings."
In 1846 was held the last general training or muster under the old compulsory law.
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HISTORICAL. SKETCH OF GOWIND.I, N. Y.
The first and only militia organization in the county prior to the Rebellion was the 64th Regiment, 30th Brigade, 8th Division, com- manded by Col. Thomas J. Parker of this village. Col. Parker was commissioned December 16, 1852, and recruited and mustered his regiment at Gowanda in August, 1853. Daniel G. Bingham was commissioned lieutenant-colonel and Enos C. Brooks, major, in July preceding.
From the adjutant-general's report it appears that in 1857 the 64th was composed in part as follows :
Co. A, 38 men. infantry, Capt. Levi W. Strope, succeeded by Capt. Corydon C. Rugg, who was commissioned September 12, 1857 : lieutenants, Marvin F. Crandall and Henry W. Johnson. Recruited in Persia.
Co. C, 43 men, infantry, Capt. Julius B. Maltbie, commissioned September 10, 1853, then of Otto, but now of Gowanda.
Parades were held at Gowanda as follows ; June 4-6, 1855, and June 22-24, 1858.
The 6-4th was reorganized as a volunteer command in 1861, and among the other companies were the following :
Co. A, Capt. Rufus Washburn, 82 officers and men ; Co. C, Capt. Julius B. Maltbie, 84; Co. D, Capt. Phipps Lake, and Co. K, Capt. William Fancher, 83 each.
This brings the military history of this locality down to the time of the Rebellion, the participants of which more fully appear in the article in this volume under that head.
RESIDENCE OF W. R. SMALLWOOD, CHAPEL STREET.
1
1
RESIDENCE OF R. P. JOHNSON, CENTER STK: L.L.
71
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF GOWANDI, N. Y.
THE PART TAKEN BY GOWANDA
AND THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
BY NEWTON A. CHAFFEE.
IN ATTEMPTING to write a history of the past and the part the citizens of this town and village took during the days of the Rebellion, to give even an imperfect statement of the sacrifices and contributions of its men and money, I fully realize this fact : that proper credit and justice cannot be given to the town and the noble, patriotic men that enlisted and saw service during the war, in the short space and time that has been allotted for this purpose.
The truth is, that this town contributed liberally, and always re- sponded promptly, and more than filled the demands made upon it for men and money by the government.
The remembrance of the stirring war speeches and strong appeals made by patriotic men and orators, and the strains of music from those war meetings still linger with us - for this country was then stirred as it never was before or since, and all were made to fully realize that a blow had been struck at the life and existence of our nation ; and those who passed through those years and realize the full realities and cost of serving our nation at that time will hope and pray that those conditions will never be seen and felt again.
We may succeed in obtaining a partial list of the men who went to the front at that time, and the amount of money raised may perhaps be computed, but who shall tell of the sadness, the heart aches and the tears that were shed by mothers, sisters and lovers as they were called upon to give up those most dear to them on earth.
The romance of war.soon passed away and instead it became a sad reality. While men made sacrifices of homes, pleasant friends and all the bright pictures of ambitions and life itself for their country, who · shall estimate the sacrifices, the ministrations of women's hearts and means to sick and dying? They placed their all upon the altars of our country, that our nation and liberty might live.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHI OF GOWANDA, N. Y.
How many have watched and listened for the footsteps of those who never returned ?
Many of the men that went from this town deserve more extended tribute and record of the brave, heroic services they rendered than we are able to give. Who shall describe the misery and privations endured and the sad and cheerless death that some of Persia's men suffered in Southern prisons ?
There were some very marked and brilliant records made by some of Gowanda's sons, but, as their history has been partly written by others, and the causes that led up to the Rebellion, its long years of bloody struggle and the final victory that crowned our army, have been told over and over again, we shall not attempt in this short space to go over that again, but shall content ourselves by giving as far as possible a roster of the men who enlisted from this vicinity, the num- ber of their regiment, wherever possible the causes and date of their muster out, and, if living, their present residence.
It would be impossible to tell the place of burial of all those who are dead ; even their comrades and friends in many cases never knew. Go, look at the rows of over 900 graves at Gettysburg, with head- stones marked unknown. The fires that swept over the fields of Chancellorsville and the Wilderness without doubt consumed many too badly wounded to escape; down upon the Peninsula, in the swamps of the Chickahominy, many of them lay ; if we had the power to ascertain, we would find beyond a doubt many of them in every National cemetery among the graves marked unknown ; from the prison pens of Libby, Belle Isle, Salisbury, and Andersonville many of them were carted away upon wagons piled, dead upon dead, like cordwood and all buried in a common grave.
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