USA > New York > Livingston County > Conesus > History of the town of Conesus, Livingston Co., N. Y. : from its first settlement in 1793, to 1887, with a brief genealogical record of the Conesus families > Part 7
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Conesus, contained 169 Acres. The part in Canadice, contained 19.80 Acres. No record of the first settlements.
Lot No. 49. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 443.25 Acres. Was settled by James Henderson, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1793.
Lot No. 50. No name on the map, to whom it belonged. It contained 83.72 Acres. It was settled by - Mudge, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1809.
Lot No. 51. A Harriet Mumford lot, con- taining 117.41 Acres. By whom it was set- tled, we are unable to say.
Lot No. 52. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 62.42 Acres. Was settled by Jacob Durham, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1813.
Lot No. 53. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 92.65 Acres. No account of its settle- ment.
Lot No. 54. Belonged to the Canandaigua Academy, and contained 167.80 Acres. Was settled by Jacob Wells, who built the 1st Log House, in 1810.
Lot No. 55. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 154.41 Acres. Was settled by
Green, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1812.
Lot No. 56. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 166.04 Acres. Was settled by Joshua Gates, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1815.
Lot No. 57. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 258.54 Acres. This lot was divided in two parts by the Hemlock lake. The part now in Conesus, contains 154.44 Acres. The part in Canadice, 100.10 Acres. Whom it was set- tled by, we liave no record.
Lot No. 58. A John M. Bowers lot, con- taining 112.13 Acres. Was settled by Her- culus Willianis (a Colored Man,); yet we have no date.
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THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
. Lot No. 59. A William Pulteney lot, and had 198.01 Acres. Was settled by Elezur Alby, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1817.
Lot No. 60. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 134.76 Acres. Was settled by Heman Janes, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1810.
Lot No. 61. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 170.95 Acres. Was settled by Jacob Durham, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1795.
Lot No. 62. A John M. Bowers lot, con- taining 180.56. Acres. Was settled by Henry Mann, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1816.
Lot No. 63. A John M. Bowers lot, con- taining 166.94 Acres. We have no record of its settlement.
Lot No. 64. A Mary Campbell lot, con- taining 147.72 Acres. Was settled by Armstrong, but what year we have no date.
Lot No. 65. A Mary Ann Duane lot, con- taining 149.94 Acres. Was settled by Joel Bullock, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1816.
Lot No. 66. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 174.61 Acres. No record of settle- ment.
Lot No. 67. A Harriet Mumford lot, con- taining 154.21 Acres. No record of settle- ment.
Lot No. 68. A Mary Ann Duane lot, con- taining 222.85 Acres. Was settled by
Nash, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1818.
Lot No. 69. A John M. Bowers lot, con- taining 156.42 Acres. Was settled by Micah Spencer, who built the 1st Log House, in 1817.
Lot No. 70. A Harriet Mumford lot, con- taining 112.25 Acres. Was settled by John McNinch, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1803.
Lot No. 71. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 146.89 Acres. Was settled by Paul
Sanborn, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1816 or '17.
Lot No. 72. A John M. Bowers lot, con- taining 147.80 Acres. Was settled by Stephen Cole, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1815.
Lot No. 73. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 168.56 Acres. Was settled by John H. Cole, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1814.
Lot No. 74. A Mary Campbell lot, con- taining 146.48 Acres. Was settled by Thom- as Freeman, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1815.
Lot No. 75. A Rebecca Scott lot, contain- ing 197 Acres. No record of its settlements.
Lot No. 76. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 167.84 Acres. No record of its settle- ments.
Lot No. 77. A William Pulteney lot, con- caining 153.56. Acres. No record of its set- tlement.
Lot No. 78. A John M. Bowers lot. con- taining 204.64 Acres. Was settled by Samuel McNinch, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1813.
Lot No. 79. A Harriet Mumford lot, con- taining 258.36 Acres. Was settled by Ira Young, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1816.
Lot No. 80. Belonged to the Canandaigua Academy and contained 167.63 Acres. Was settled by Samuel G. Campbell, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1838.
Lot No. 81. A Harriet Mumford lot, con- taining 156.23 Acres. Was settled by Joseph Allen, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1806.
Lot No. 82. A Mary Ann Duane lot, con- taining 10.23 Acres. Was settled by Reubin Rogers, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1833.
Lot No. 83. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 163.79 Acres. No record of its set- tlement.
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THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
Lot No. 84. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 146.32 Acres. We have no record of its settlement.
Lot No. 85. A Mary Campbell lot, con- taining 151.62 Acres. No account of its set- tlement.
Lot No. 86. A Mary Campbell lot, con- taining 156.69 Acres. We have no account of its settlement.
Lot No. 87. A John M. Bowers lot, con- taining 142.54 Acres. We have no record of its settlement.
Lot No. 88. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 218.34 Acres. Was settled by Mat- thew McNinch, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1815.
Lot No. 89. Belonged to the Canandaigua Academy, and contained 206.96 Acres. Was settled by Zenas Whitening, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1816.
Lot No. 90. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 208.43 Acres. Was settled by Simpson, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1816.
Lot No. 91. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 153.68 Acres. Was settled by James McNinch, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1805.
Lot No. 92. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 151.43 Acres. Was settled by Stephen Bunker, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1820.
Lot No. 93. A Harriet Mumford lot, con- taining 170.38 Acres. By whom it was set- tled, we are unable to say.
Lot No. 94. A Harriet Mumford lot, con- taining 147.15 Acres. Was settled by William Rice, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1816.
Lot No. 95. A Mary Ann Duane lot, con- taining 152.82 Acres. Was settled by Derius Moor, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1814.
Lot No. 96. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 154.88 Acres. Was settled by -- Hinsdale and Clemons Clark, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1834.
Lot No. 97. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 124.51 Acres. Was settled by -- Hinsdale and Clemons Clark; we have no date of settlement.
Lot No. 98. A Rebecca Scott lot, contain- ing 176.99 Acres. Was settled by Jacob Collar, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1796.
Lot No. 99. A Rebecca Scott lot, contain- ing 163.85 Acres. Was settled by Elias Steel who built the 1st. Log House, in 1816.
Lot No. 100. A William Pulteney lot, containing 103.42 Acres. Was settled by Amos P. Sweet; yet we have no date of its settlement.
Lot No. 101. A John M. Bowers lot, con- taining 155.80 Acres. Was settled by Samuel and Matthew McNinch, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1806.
Lot No. 102. A William Pulteney lot, containing 153.32 Acres. Was settled by Johnson Pellon, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1827.
Lot No. 104. A Mary Campbell lot, con- taining 169.70 Acres. Was settled by James Munn, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1814.
Lot No. 104. A Harriet Mumford lot, con- taining 143.48 Acres. The first clearings was made by William Williams, and the 1st. Log House was built by Nathaniel Cole, in 1815.
Lot No. 105. A Mary Campbell lot, con- taining 192.68. Acres. No record of its set- tlement.
Lot No. 106. A William Pulteney lot, containing 154.30 Acres. Was settled by Erastus Wilkenson, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1836.
Lot No. 107. A Mary Campbell lot, con-
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THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
taining 147.08 Acres. Was settled by John Bevins, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1841.
Lot No. 108. A William Pulteney lot, and had 200 Acres. Was settled by Hector McKay, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1795.
Lot No. 109. A Mary Ann Duane lot, con- taining 158.32 Acres. Was settled by Jessie Collar, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1796.
Lot No. 110. Belonged to the Canandaigua Academy and contained 134.88 Acres. Was settled by Daniel Wharpool, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1816.
Lot No. 111. A Rebecca Scott lot, contain- ing 158.19 Acres. Was settled by James McNinch, who built the 1st. Log House, in the Fall of 1806.
Lot No. 112. A William Pulteney lot, containing 149.93 Acres. Was settled by Winter Allen, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1820.
Lot No. 113. A John M. Bowers lot, con- taining 147.88. Acres. Was settled by John Ewalt and - - Hale, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1815.
Lot No. 114. A Harriet Mumford lot, con- taining 121.43 Acres. Was settled by --
Curtis, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1816.
Lot No. 115. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 101.60 Acres. Was settled by Ezra Whitney, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1822.
Lot No. 116. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 164.17 Acres. Was settled by
Curtis, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1812.
Lot No. 117. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 109.62 Acres. Was settled by Charles Wood, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1840.
Lot No. 119. A Mary Ann Duane lot, con- taining 105.83 Acres. Was settled by Ransler Doty, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1850.
Lot No. 119. A John M. Bowers lot, con-
taining 121.97 Acres. Was settled by Anasa Lancton, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1815.
Lot No. 120. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 101.56 Acres. Was settled by Sam- uel Morris, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1832.
Lot No. 121. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 163.26 Acres. Was settled by Evans, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1812 or '14.
Lot No. 122. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 113.37 Acres. Was settled by Henry Lutes, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1840.
Lot No. 123. A Mary Campbell lot, con- taining 118.07 Acres. Was settled by George Johnson, but the date of the year, we have not.
Lot No. 124. A Mary Ann Duane lot, con- taining 126.01 Acres. Was settled by · Ebe- nezer Lincoln. In what year we have no record.
Lot No. 125. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 115.26 Acres. We have no record of its settlement.
Lot No. 126. A Mary Ann Duane lot, con- taining 110.08 Acres. Was settled by
Allen, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1810.
Lot No. 127. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 116.64 Acres. Was settled by Sam- uel Millen, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1812.
Lot No. 128. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 95.99 Acres. Was settled by Thomas Clark, but in what year he built the 1st. Log House, we can not say.
Lot No. 129. A John M. Bowers lot, con- taining 136.68 Acres. Was settled by - Ashley, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1812 or '15.
Lot No. 130. A Mary Ann Duane lot, con- taining 119.82 Acres. Was settled by Charles
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THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
Shumway, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1815.
Lot No. 131. A Rebecca Scott lot, con- taining 96.91 Acres. We have no account of its settlement.
Lot No. 132. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 147.72 Acres. Was settled by John Ingles who built the 1st. Log House in 1817, or '18.
Lot No. 133. A Rebecca Scott lot, contain- ing 107.30 Acres. Was settled by Moses Collar, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1806.
Lot No. 134. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 99.60. Acres. Was settled by Charles Thorpe, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1812.
Lot No. 135. A William Pulteney lot, con- taining 97.60 Acres. Was settled by Will- iam Oaks, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1807.
Lot No. 136. A Mary Campbell lot, con- taining 187.42 Acres. Was settled by Fran- cis Richardson, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1803.
Lot No. 137. A William Pulteney lot, and had 90.78 Acres. Was settled by Thomas Young, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1811.
Lot No. 138. A Harriet Mumford lot, con-
taining 137.73 Acres. Was settled by Will- iam Cummings, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1825.
Lot No. 139. A Rebecca Scott lot, con- taining 123.23 Acres. Was settled by Charles Wood, who built the 1st. Log House, in 1830.
WATER LOTS.
As we have now given a record of the set- tlement of the lots, we will now turn our at- tention to the south part of the Hemlock lake, which we find upon the map to have been laid off and surveyed into lots, by the Bowers fam- ily, and numbered from 1. to 5., as follows ;-
Lot No. 1. Belonged to Mary Campbell, and contained 143 Acres.
Lot No. 2. Belonged to Harriet Mumford, and contained 143 Acres.
Lot No. 3. Belonged to John M. Bower, and contained 143 Acres.
Lot No. 4. Belonged to Rebecca Scott, and contained 143 Acres.
Lot No. 5. Belonged to Mary Ann Duane, and contained 143.38. Acres.
The above lots, comprised nearly two-fifths of the Lake. What was the object of the own- ers, we can not say, only that they claimed them for water privilege.
The First Log House in Conesus.
CHAPTER VII. -
The Log Houses, Customs, and Manners of the Early Settlers.
&T the present day there are left in the Town of Conesus but a few log houses, to mark the spot that was once the home of her Pioneers. A few years more, and they will all be gone; and in their places, are now seen some of the finest mansions, sourrounded by the latest improve- ments of our times.
The Houses of the Pioneers, were of rude construction ; built from round logs, notched at both ends, and laid up in a four square man- ner, as they were cut from the trees that sorrounded the sight of their domain. A few years afterwards, some of the early settlers having more taste than others, hewed the logs into square timber, and laid them up in the same way. Some of the houses were larger than others, and more or less of them were di- vided off into two or more apartments. Some would have a second floor, which they would use as a chamber, and was constructed by placing timbers across from side to side, about six or seven feet from the lower floor, and then covering them over with split logs or shake, for the floor, in place of boards.
Between the logs, they drove a long wedge shaped strip of wood, and plastered over the
same, to keep the cold out. For the construc- tion of the roof, they used two kind of materials, straw, shakes or barks.
The former being made of straw, was thatched and held to place by poles; the latter, were made of shakes, cut about three feet in length, and split from logs, and bound on by poles, pinned down, to keep them in their place. The floor was mostly made from split bass- wood logs, by placing the round side down, and the flat side up, and then hewing them off to an even surface.
After they had raised their houses, their first thing was to cut a hole for a door or window. Sometimes for doors, they would hang up a blanket. Others would obtain enough boards to make the same. For windows, and window- glass, which could not be obtained, they would use greased paper or tanned skins of animals, hung up to let the light in. Their chimneys in the first houses, were built of wood, laid up similar to the style of their houses, and plas- tered over in the inside with mud. Many times these frail structures would take fire, causing them much trouble. A few years af- terwards, they built them of stone, which proved more substantial. In the construction of the
59
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THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
same, they would have a large fire-place, big enough to roll a large log into it. These chimneys, were mostly built on the outside of their houses, for the want of roon inside.
In raising their houses, it was the custom of the settlers to go far and near, to aid each other. Sometimes the ladies would accompany their husbands, and while the men was at work rais- ing the house, they would spend the day in assisting the hostess in quilting, spinning, or some other kinds of work. We are endebted to Mr. Alexander Patterson, (diseased) for an account of one of these raisings, which took place upon Turkey Hill, near the residence of Jotham Clark, in the year of 1814. We will relate the same, as Mr. Patterson gave it to us, as follows :-
" While I was residing with the family of Mr. Jabez Lewis, a few weeks after I came here, I had the pleasure of being invited by Mr. Asel Clark, to assist him in raising a log house. As soon as Mr. Clark had got ready to raise his house, he asked his neighbors to help him, while his wife, invited the ladies to aid her in quilting at his father's house, which was near by, where they were staying, until they could prepare a home for themselves."
" Having business at Avon, that prevented me from attending in the day time, I did not reach home until nearly dark, and being a stranger here, and the country new, I reflected a long time about starting out alone, for fear of being lost. Gathering up good courage, I resolved to make the attempt. So taking the directions given by my friends, I set out ; and after losing my way several times, I at last saw at a distance, a light, which I resolved to ap- proach, and learn where I was. I approached the same, and to my glad surprise, I found I had arrived at my destination."
" On my arrival, I found that the men had
assembled in the morning, and through the day had raised the house, and laid the floor which consisted of bass-wood logs, split and laid down on the ground with the flat side up, and with a pair of adz, they had hewed them off smooth as they could, where the edges and ends came together. When I arrived I found only the en- trence to the building, was through a hole in the side, which they had cut for a window, through which they had entered, having not the time to cut a hole for a door, Here I found the ladies who had assisted Mrs. Clark through the day, and the gentlemen engaged in a so- cial dance, in whichi I was made welcome."
"The twilight hours of night gradually wore away, and the time came for us to go home. Now was a trying time for me. A stranger in an unknown wilderness to me, and a night as dark, as dark could be, no road except a path marked by marks on the side of trees, I knew not what to do. While I was meditating as to the best course to pursue, a Young Lady, (Miss. Richardson,) who resided near the present sight of the Baptist Church at South Livonia, ap- proached me, and asked how I came, and if I thought I could find my way home again. 1 soon told her my experience in coming, and then she volunteered to escourt me liome, which I gladly accepted. We soon set out on our way, and as we passed along through the forest, I was soon startled with fear, by the sound of wolves ; but she laughed at my fears, and we soon reached what is now the main road between Southı Livonia and Conesus Center, near the present residence of S. E. Sherwood, where we turned, and she accompied me until we saw a bright light through the forest, at the residence of Mr. Lewis, then she bade me good night, and set out alone for her home, which was nearly three-fourths of a mile dis- tant."
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THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
THE CUSTOMS OF THE EARLY SETTLERS.
The customs of the Early Settlers, at the , first settlement of the town, was entirely differ- ent than those of the present day. Their house- hold duties, social relationship and religious gatherings were more on an equal footing. The poor and the rich enjoyed each others so- ciety, without any distinction. All that was required of either sex, was a good character ; and a person of a bad standing, was discarded with all of their dignity.
The settlers table was not laden with de- licious food, such as pies, cakes, puddings and other eatables of the present day, but such as johnny-cake, baked beans, potatoes, and wild meats from the forest. Some were able to keep cows, which supplied them with milk, which furnished many families more than half of their living. Their tables was not the rich- est piece of furniture, but often a box or chest, or a substitute made of poles, and covered with boards, and often without a table cloth. Their dishes also ranked in the same comparison ; made principally of pewter, or brown clay. Their spoons of brass or some other cheap kind of metal. Their knives were of steel, but of a ruder quality then those of the present day. In many instances, the children were not allowed to come to the table, until they had arrived at a certain age. Often they were fed by plac- ing a pan of milk with bread in it on the floor, and each child given a spoon so they could help themselves. Oftimes the children would be- come angry at each other, fearing that one was getting more than the other.
In many cases their bed-steads were made unmovable, being made in the corner, or the side of the room, by boring into the logs, and sharpening poles and sticking one end of them in the holes, and the other end resting' on a corner post, and then winding across from
pole to pole, strings made of bark or skins, and placing their bedding on top of them, which oftimes among the poor class, consisted only the skins of animals.
Their chairs were constructed from split logs by boring holes in them, and placing round pieces of poles in the holes, for legs, in shape of a stool. Their cooking was done, by pots or kettles, suspended by a chain hung down from a crane or cross-stick in the chimney. Their bread they baked in stone or brick ovens built out-doors. When ever a family wished to use it, they would fill it full of dry wood and set it on fire, when the same was consumed they would rake the coals and ashes out, then place their bread or whatever they wished to bake in it, and the heat of the oven would accomplish the purpose. A few years after- terwards, they improved this mode of cooking with less labor, by baking-pans. These pans was made of tin, about two feet jong, with a bot- tom, back and ends, and in these they would put whatever they wished to bake, and place it up before the fire. A short time after this, the stoves of the present day came in use.
Their fire-place,-as we have said,-was made large enough, so they could go forth into the forest and cut a log, a foot or more in di- ameter, and six or eight feet in length, for a back log, and then place a smaller one in front, and the small wood in the center, for their fire. Oftimes they built their doors large enough to admit the use of a horse, to draw the log into the house with. These back logs would often last for several days, and then they would have to be replenished.
Cups or dippers to drink out of, they were made mostly from gourds, (a kind of squash,) by scooping out the inside when ripe. For pans to hold their milk, they used dishes made of earthen, while the poorer class used wooden
62
THE HISTORY OF CONESUS.
utensels
When the first settlers came here, on the ac- count of being no grist-mills near them, they were obliged to grind their corn by hand. This they would sometimes accomplish by selecting a large stump, and burning a hole in the top of it, and poring the corn in it, and pounding it fine, then scraping it out and sifting out the finest to make their bread of. In after years they obtained iron morters with a pestle, and they considered this a great improvement.
Their clothing as a class, was generally very scanty and made mostly of flax. This was spun and wove by the women. The hum of the old spinning wheels could be heard in every household. When-ever they went a visiting, they would take their wheels under their arms, which would resound with their songs and con- versation. So many knots was a days work. And then at sunset, each would take baby and wheel, walk home, get supper for a large fam- ily, "and wasn't much tired after all."
For want of shoes or boots, the most of them went bare-footed. No boots or shoes of any kind were kept for sale, until of recent date. Shoe-makers went from house to house with a kit of tools, and made shoes for the older per- sons. Small children had none. Baby shoes was not known. Shoes for women and girls, was made of cowhide, with thick souls project- ing. I have heard old people say, "So that a mouse could run on the rim." Women that were able, sometimes had calf-shoes. Oftimes when they went to Church, they would take their shoes in their hands, and just before they reached the Church door, put them on, and on their return, take them off again.
If a man wanted a plow, he was obliged get to a carpenter to make the wood-work, and a black-smith to put on the irons, and many times very clumsy. The first of the plows had
but one handle ; then they improved them by two. The plows cosisted of a heavy beam a- bout seven feet long, with a wooden mol-board. Then they had a blacksmith to make the shaire point, and wings. When they became dull, they were taken off and conveyed to the black- smith shop, to be re-sharpened. Over the mol-board, oftimes they would nail iron or tin to keep them from wearing out.
Every artisan had a certain hardship and inconvenience in his work then. The weaver, the fuller, the tanner,-each had the clumsiest machinery, and had to do a vast amount of hard work. "Labor-saving machinery " was hardly known. Blacksmiths used to do what they do now; but also made scythes, axes, hoes, and nails. Every bolt was made by hand, and every nail came from the anvil. Black- smiths, eighty years ago, used to go from farm to farm and shoe oxen where wanted. They would catch the ox, lead him into the barn, throw him down on some straw, turn him onto his back, cross his legs and tie them : and then and there the shoes were put on. The " ox- swing" is of a recent date.
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