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picture of a haunted house
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Folklore
Tag Municipality:
Hinsdale

Folklore:  Paranormal/Hinsdale

photo of a black panther
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Folklore
Tag Municipality:
Machias

Folklore: Machias

 

 

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National Registry Historic Site
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Ellicottville

Baker Leonard was contracted by the Holland Land Company to build an inn to accommodate prospective purchasers in Ellicottville, NY. When finished in 1817 the Holland Land Company refused to accept the building. It was deemed to have cost too much to build. The excessive cost came from the fact that the lumber used in the construction had to be hauled from a saw mill in Kill Buck, eleven miles away. The trail was marked by blazed trees. There were no bridges to use and the "road" was obstructed with fallen trees, swampland and rough ground.

Picture of Ted Nickolas
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People
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Allegany
Olean

Theodore Nicholas killed his uncle retired doctor, Andrew Mead in Allegany, NY in December 1869.

In his eight decades of life, Andrew Mead proved himself a remarkable individual -- saw-mill builder, doctor, jurist, town supervisor, church leader, fraternal lodge founder, and storekeeper. The Hornelville Tribune of Dec. 24, 1869 (as quoted by the New York Times on Christmas Day, 1869) described him as "a resident of the county for the last fifty years, a very respectable and influential citizen."

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Folklore
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Limestone
Carrollton

The following submission is from the website managed by Bruce Gleanson: 0

Photo of Gideon Caskey
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Industry
Lumber
People
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South Valley

    This gentleman is the oldest son in a family of three sons and two daughters of James and Rebecca (Chrisman) Caskey.  He was born in Worcester, Wayne Co., O., Nov.

Photo of John F. Fenton
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People
Themes
Lumber
Tag Municipality:
South Valley

In early life, before he arrived at majority, he commenced to purchase and ran lumber to market, investing the proceeds in timber lands in Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., near the Allegany River, where he soon removed, and continued to purchase lands, manufacture lumber, and run to market, till, at the time of his death, he owned about five thousand acres of land, for which he had been offered two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

Photo of John Napier
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People
Industry
Miscellaneous
Tag Municipality:
Machias

Mr. John Napier, resident of the town of Machias, NY and a well-known local stone cutter was hired in 1868 to build the County's new building. Prior to this project Mr. Napier had gained skill working on such national projects as the dam across the Merrimac River in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the aqueduct across the Genesee River at Portageville, the bridge spanning the Mississippi River at St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Old State Capital building at Springfield, Ill.

Photo of Philo Markham
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People
Military
Civil War
Tag Municipality:
Dayton
Perrysburg

 

1st Photo:  Leonard Hunt

2nd Photo: Philo Markham

Philo Markham a member of the 154th New York, prisoner of war has been sent to a parole camp in Annapolis, Maryland. After his arrival on August 21, 1863 Philo meets other members of the 154th. Among them he locates his friend, Leonard Hunt from Perrysburg, NY.

Philo Markham
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People
Military
Civil War
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Dayton
Perrysburg

1st Photo:  Philo A. Markham enlisted in Dayton, NY

2nd Photo: Leonard Hunt enlisted in Perrysburg, NY

 

Mill along the shore of Lime Lake
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Rt. 16
Themes
Industry
Recreation
Tag Municipality:
Machias

Recreation has long been a focal point for this body of water. Now the people who enjoy the clear waters are owners of property along its shore. In this century Lime Lake is a private recreational body of water.  There was a time when the area surrounding the water was filled with public entertainment opportunities. 

Daniel Frederick Bakeman; the last soldier of the American Revolution
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People
Military
Revolutionary War
Tag Municipality:
Freedom

In 1915 the Daughters of the Amercian Revolution were making preparations to place a bronze tablet at the grave of Daniel Frederick Bakeman.  He was the last soldier of the American Revolution which made him quite a distinquished character.  He died in April 1869 at the age of 109.  During the later years of his life he received a pension of $500 from the government.  He was buried in the Sandusky Cemetery.  Originally only a small white marker without any inscription marked his final resting place.

Submitted by Maggie Frederickson

Merlin Mead with wife Polly and son Eddie
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People
People of the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
Tag Municipality:
Franklinville

Note:  Before his death Alfred Rice revealed Merlin Mead as a conductor, station keeper on the Underground Railroad. 

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People
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Cadiz

I am William McNall, son of John and Mellison Washburn McNall.  I was born February 23, 1806 in Stafford Springs, Connecticut.  When I was 10 years old my family decided to make the 30 day journey and settle in Cadiz, New York.  I traveled most of the way by foot with a goad in my hand to guide the ox-drawn cart with our household effects.

Living in the wilderness I only managed to obtain a common school education.  But by perseverance and natural talent, I became a farmer, carpetner, joiner, mason, wheelwright, millwright or blacksmith depending on what was needed.

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People
People of the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
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Cadiz

Many of the inhabitants of Cadiz will remember the little white house and shop at the crossing of Main Street and the Ischua Creek in the Village of Cadiz where for twenty years lived and wrought William B. White, the blacksmith.

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People
Women
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Cadiz
Franklinville

My name is Beatrice Van Dressen and I was born in the Old Hotel in Cadiz to Maggie and Milton Van Dressen on October 13, 1876.  My grandfather was Joseph Ransbury.  We later moved to Frankfort, New York but would often come back to Franklinville to visit.

George Leonard White
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People
People of the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
Tag Municipality:
Cadiz

Abolitionist

George Lenoard White was born in Cadiz on September 20, 1838.  His father Willam was the village blacksmith and his small white house and shop were located on Main Street at the crossing of Ischua Creek.  His father was a devoted Baptist who often led village prayers.  He believed in the Temperance Movement (prohibiting the use of alcoholic beverages) and was proud to proclaim himself as an Abolitionist.

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People
Military
Civil War
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Farmersville
Franklinville

Marvin Older was born in Middletown, Delaware on August 22, 1810.  He was one of 16 children born to William and Hannah Older.  The family moved to Otisco in Onondaga County where they remained for 3 years.  Marvin used to say that during that time in his life nothing notable happened "except that I invariably stood at the head of the class in district school, from the fact that there were but two in the class, and one of them at least was lamentably underwitted, which of course was the other fellow".

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People
Tag Municipality:
Cadiz
Franklinville
Hinsdale

Benjamin Howard was born in 1817 in Schoharie County and first came here in 1842.  He settled in an old hotel on the northwest corner of the crossroads at Cadiz.  For several years he ran this hotel.  This was a highly traveled stagecoach route for stages between Pike and Ellicottville and from Olean Points to Buffalo.  His house was one of the principal stops along the way.  It was not unusual for 40 to 50 teams loaded with goods to stop there daily.

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People
Tag Municipality:
Mansfield

James M. Smith was the son of Amasa and Mercy Burroughs Smith. He was born in Marcelllus, NY on September 5, 1813.  When James was 15 years old his father moved the family westward.  Amasa had been a soldier in the War of 1812 and moved to Mansfield, NY settling on Lot 39 in 1828.  Amasa served as justice of the peace as early as 1834. He died on November 24, 1846. 

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