Articles

This obituary was found while I was doing family history research. Unfortunately it was submitted without identifying the source. While Mr. Lenoard is described as an East Otto native son, it should be noted he lived in the Towns of Mansfield and Little Valley as well as several states.

November 2, 1934, East Otto:  The body of Sidney Leonard 89, last survivor of East Otto's native sons who took part in the Civil War was brought to the East Otto cemetery Thursday for burial, preceded by funeral services at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Bell Blackman, New Albion.

The following story about Samuel Harvey’s journey to Mansfield is taken from "The History of Cattaraugus County, NY", published 1879 by Everts, edited by Franklin Ellis.

The picture is representative of an early homestead, not necessarily from the Great Valley Area.

          The Holland Land Company purchased over 3 million acres of land west of the Genesee River during the 1790s.  Joseph Ellicott (1760-1826) was appointed as the Holland Land Company local agent out of Batavia, NY. Joseph was trained as a surveyor by his brother Andrew who had surveyed Washington, DC.

Peter Ten Broeck, without an heir to his fortune, and having passed the meridian of his life, had for a long time contemplated and finally planned to bestow his wealth so that it might do the greatest good to the greatest number, and establish imperishable honor to his name.  As fast as his estate could be turned into ready means, he had decreed that the balance be expended in an endowment and construction of a literary institution known as “Ten Broeck Free Academy.”  In his last will and testament, after providing certain sums of money to relatives and friends, the balance of his estate am

    “In 1843 Wm. Hurd Eddy braving the dangers of the wilderness moved his family of six by ox-team still further into the country. Six children including Frances, in her mother’s arms, crowded in the wagon, three were girls, two were boys [and Frances held by Mama] making six children in all. Later in life the girls married becoming Mary Eddy Harvey, Nancy Eddy Simmons, Lydia Eddy Harvey Bowen. The boys, William Henry Eddy married Lucy Pratt, James Wyman Eddy married Jane Harvey. William H.