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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES FROM THE

HISTORICAL GAZETTEER
AND
BIOGRAPHICAL MEMORIAL
OF
CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NY


TOWN OF GREAT VALLEY


 

Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 695

Surnames:  BONSTEEL, SQUIRES, FORDICK, ROWLAND

Nicholas BONSTEEL, son of Philip, was born in Columbia, NY, Aug. 24, 1797.  His first wife was Polly SQUIRES, who bore him five children.  In 1829 he settled in East Otto and the next year married Angeline, daughter of Solomon FORDICK, of Boston, Erie county, by whom he had four children, of whom three are still living:  Edwin, Ursula D., and Morris T.  March 25, 1844, Mr. BONSTEEL removed to this town and settled where his children now reside.  Edwin BONSTEEL married Eliza A., daughter of John ROWLAND; children:  Arthur U., Ernest L., Orrin J., Dora L., and Anna B.  The BONSTEELs in America are descended from Nicholas BONSTEEL, who came from Germany to Kinderhook, N. Y., before the Revolutionary War.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 695

Surnames:  BROWN, SENTER

David M. BROWN, a native of Londonderry, N.H., was born March 10, 1793.  He removed thence with his family to Napoli in 1832 and erected a saw-mill the following year.  His wife was Polly SENTER;  children:  Lucinda, Sheldon P., Sarah, Mary, Lorane, Quincy A. and Andrew J.  In 1842, while on a visit to brothers on the coast of Maine, Mr. BROWN secured the carcass of a whale 48 ft in length, which he had prepared and transported on wagons and canal boats, exhibiting it throughout the country.  He finally sold it for $8000, and it is still exhibited as a curiosity.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Pages 695 & 696

Surnames:  CARVER, GIBSON

Solander CARVER was for many years a respected resident of Great Valley.  He was a son of Parley G. CARVER, who came to the town from Smyrna, N. Y. in 1832, settling on the farm where died three years later.  Solander CARVER acquired a modest competence by the slow process of accumulation of the surplus income from a small farm and dairy.  His word was as good as his bond.  He married Rebecca GIBSON, who survives him.  He died Feb. 14, 1893.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 696

Surnames:  CHASE, WALWORTH, COLWELL, ESTEY, McINTOSH

Nathaniel CHASE came from French Mills, N. Y. to Springville, Erie county, in 1812, and built the first grist-mill in that town.  He returned to Plattsburgh that year and removed to Great Valley in 1816, making the first settlement on the farm now owned by Walter WALWORTH, Sr.  Mr. CHASE was a millwright by trade and assisted in the erection of nearly all the early mills in the town.  His first wife bore him two children, Reuben and John. His second wife was Sophia COLWELL;  children:  Moses, Robert, Ira, Jacob, Martin, Lucend, Marinda, Naomi, and Eunice.

Robert CHASE was born in Vermont and served in the War of 1812, being present at the battle of Plattsburgh.  In 1818 he came to Great Valley, where in 1827 he was injured by a falling tree; he died in 1834.  Mr. CHASE married Sally ESTEY; children:  Harley, Julina, Lorenzo, Joseph and Susan.

Reuben CHASE, from Wayne county, came to Great Valley in 1827 and bought of Nathan Howe the farm now owned by Thomas Lounsbury.  He married Hannah ESTEY and had two sons, Lyman and Orrin.  Orrin CHASE came to this town in 1845, and with him came three sons - Alexander, Reuben, and Augustus - and one daughter, Clarissa; another son, James, was born in Great Valley.  Alexander CHASE married Mariette McINTOSH; children:  Orrin, John E., Ruloff, Adeline, Annie, and Clara.  John E. CHASE was supervisor of Great Valley in 1884.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 696

Surnames:  CLEAVELAND, EDDY, LEARN, WALWORTH, BUTLER, DAGGERT, WHEELER

Brainard CLEAVELAND, son of Aaron and a native of Connecticut, came with his parents in 1825 to Wyoming county and thence the same year to Machias.  In 1833 he removed to Humphrey, and in 1865 came to Great Valley to reside with his son, Aaron.  He married Betsey EDDY;  children:  Andrew, Aaron, Alonzo, Joseph, Isaac, Mary A., and Mariette.  Aaron CLEAVELAND married Catharine, daughter of Joseph LEARN, of Humphrey; children:  Laura L. (Mrs. N. D. WALWORTH), Nettie A.(Mrs. Eli BUTLER), Mary C. (Mrs. P. J. DAGGERT).

Alonzo CLEAVELAND was born in the town of Machias.  He married Lydia, daughter of David WHEELER, one of the first settlers of Humphrey, and has had seven children, of whom three are living:  Brainard, Isaac, and Joseph A.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 696

Surnames:  CRAMER, MORTON, HICKS

Frederick S. CRAMER, son of Sebastian, was born in Saxony, Germany, May 2, 1839.  His parents died while he was young and at the age of fifteen he came to America, settling in Tonawanda, where he was engaged as a clerk until 1869, when he removed to Great Valley and bought the store now owned by William MORTON.  Here he was in trade and had the post office for six years, when he began the avocation of farmer.  He married Margaret HICKS.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 696

Surnames:  CULLINAN, KERNEY, CARR

Edward CULLINAN, born in County Clare, Ireland, came to America about 1840 and settled first in Elmira.  He subsequently removed to Pennsylvania and in 1856 located in Great Valley, where he cleared a farm on which he now lives.  By his wife, Ann KERNEY, also of County Clare, Ireland, he had eleven children, only one of whom survives.  Their son, Michael H. CULLINAN, married Sarah, daughter of John CARR, of Cattaraugus; children:  Mary, Margaret, and Teresa.  He served as supervisor of this town in 1877 and 1878.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Pages 696 & 697

Surnames:  FLINT, WILLOUGHBY, KELSEY, PARKER. FAY

Nicholas FLINT became a settler in Great Valley in 1828, coming from Cherry Valley, NY.  He married Phebe, daughter of Ebenezer WILLOUGHBY; children:  Weston, Orville, Agnes (Mrs. K. KELSEY), Esther (Mrs. Lewis J. PARKER), Sarah (Mrs. Adrian FAY), and Irving.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 697

Surnames:  FOLTS, HESS, MILLER

Henry FOLTS, son of Sylvanus, was born in Frankfort, N. Y. and came to Ashford in 1840, where he followed farming until 1855, when he removed to Great Valley and bought the farm where his family now resides.  He married Mary E. HESS; children:  Daniel H., William H., Marietta (Mrs. C. G. MILLER), and Georgianna.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 697

Surnames:  GREEN, SIMMONS

Judge Francis GREEN about 1812 removed from New Hampshire with his wife, seven sons and two daughters to Great Valley, and located on a large tract of land which (except the old homestead) was afterward apportioned to several of his children.  And a singular coincidence is that Judge GREEN, his wife, and all of his children except one daughter lived and died upon that tract of land, and are buried in the same cemetery located thereon.  The last survivor of the family was Benjamin, who died January 23, 1892, aged eighty-one years and four months.  Benjamin GREEN was for about thirty-five years a consistent member of the M. E. Church.  His wife, who survived him, was Harriet SIMMONS; children:  Joseph, John, Mary, and Demon.  James GREEN was supervisor of Great Valley in 1818 and 1819 and John served in that position in 1832.  The latter was also magistrate four years and postmaster at Great Valley nine years.  He died Sept. 4, 1874.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 697

Surnames:  HALLADAY, BENJAMIN

Reuben HALLADAY came from Black Creek, N. Y. to Humphrey in 1852, and removed to this town two or three years later.  He married Irena BENJAMIN and had eleven children.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 697

Surnames:  HESS, FRANK, CLAPSADDLE, FOLTS, WALKER, BENSON, EDIC

George HESS was a son of Capt. Honyorst H. HESS, a captain of eight years in the war of the Revolution, and was born in Herkimer county Dec. 18, 1788, and served in the War of 1812.  He came to Ashford in 1841 and settled on the farm now owned by Andrew FRANK; he married Mary CLAPSADDLE; children:  Joseph, Mary E. (Mrs. Henry FOLTS), Nancy (Mrs. Jedediah WALKER), Michael E., and George W.  Elias W. HESS was drafted March 17, 1865 in Company I, 65th N. Y. Infantry, and was discharged June 28th following; George W. HESS enlisted from Ashford.  The family trace their ancestry back to John HESS of Hesse Castle, Germany, who came to America in 1710, settling in Palatine, N. Y.  His son Augusdenus, born in 1719, married Mary BENSON; children:  Christina, Honyost, Nicholas, Conrad, Henry, Daniel, and Eva.  Augusdenus was killed by Indians at Fort Herkimer in 1782.  Honyost was born Nov. 3, 1758, and married Catherine EDIC; children:  Nancy, George, Catharine, Elizabeth, Polly and Margaret.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 697

Surnames:  HICKS, McCURDY, BONSTEEL

Abel HICKS, born in Providence Saratoga County, NY., June 14, 1795, was for several years a captain on Lake Ontario and subsequently lived in Geneva, N. Y., where he married Jane McCURDY.  In 1825 he came to Lyndon, where he lived forty years.  He had eight children.  In April, 1865, he came to Great Valley and kept hotel for two years, retiring finally to a small farm, where he died Jan. 20, 1872.  His son Myron W. was born in Lyndon, Oct. 16, 1836, and came with his father to Great Valley in 1865.  He was for some time a merchant, postmaster, and supervisor, holding the latter office in 1872, 1873, 1875 and 1883.  His daughter Sophia is the wife of Ernest BONSTEEL.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Pages 697 & 698

Surnames:  HOWE, MUDGE, BATEMAN, NILES, HARRIS

Nathan HOWE, son of Capt. HOWE, was born in New Hampshire and came to Great Valley with his father when a small boy.  The family settled at Kill Buck.  Nathan married Nancy, daughter of Philip MUDGE, of this town, and about 1822 moved to Humphrey, where he was the first settler on what is now known as HOWE hill.  He had seven children, of whom four are living:  Mary (Mrs. Eli BATEMAN), Wilson, Cythia (Mrs. Alonzo NILES), and Emily (Mrs. F. J. HARRIS).  Mr. HOWE was a strong anti-slavery man and was active in the operations of the underground railroad.  Wilson N. HOWE was supervisor of Great Valley from 1879 to 1882 inclusive.

Malancthon J. HOWE, son of Joel, was born in Lyndon in 1848 and on Sept. 5, 1864 enlisted in Company B, 1st N. Y. Dragoons, serving until the close of the war.  He was taken prisoner near New Market by Mosby and was confined three and one-half months in Libby prison, his weight during this time being reduced from 160 to 80 pounds.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 698

Surnames:  LAWTON, ROY

Isaac LAWTON came to this town in 1827 and located on Great Valley creek on the farm now owned by Alexander ROY, where he built the second saw-mill in the town.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 698

Surnames:  LEGGETT, CULLEN

James LEGGETT, born in Dublin, Ireland, came to America in 1850, settling in Cattaraugus  county.  In 1866 he moved onto the farm he now occupies.  He married Sarah CULLEN; children: Lizzie G., Effie M., Nellie, James, and Frederick.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 698

Surnames:  MARVIN, DOTY, FRANK

Enoch MARVIN, son of James and native of Otsego county, came to Ellicottville in 1820, where he followed his trade of millwright.  He married Frances DOTY and had seven children.  A son, Ferdino, was a soldier in the Rebellion, is a carpenter, and married Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob H. FRANK; she was the first white child born in Ashford.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 698

Surnames:  McNAMARA, CAREY

Patrick McNAMARA, son of Dennis, was born in County Clare, Ireland.  Coming to America in 1850 he settled in Great Valley, which has since been his home.  He married Mary CAREY;  children: Elizabeth L., John F., and Peter C.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 698

Surnames:  MORTON, LINDSEY, SIMMONS, RAY, SCOTT, GREEN, WEAGER, STEVENS

Hugh MORTON, son of Hugh, was born in Scotland, married Jane LINDSEY, and had born to him eight children, of whom six grew to maturity, viz.:  Eliza, Hugh, Peter, John, Robert and Gaven.  His second wife was Sarah SIMMONS, who bore him twelve children.  Mr. MORTON came to America in 1839 and to Great Valley the following spring, settling at Peth.  Hugh MORTON married Maria RAY and has five children:  John, Eva, Frank, Hugh and James.

William MORTON, son of Hugh MORTON, was born in Killbride, Scotland in 1816.  At the age of twenty-one he moved to London, where for fifteen years he was engaged in mercantile business.  In 1854 he came to America and located in Great Valley on the farm he still occupies.  He married Margaret, daughter of John SCOTT, of Scotland, and to them have been born seven children, only three of whom are living:  William S. and Robert W., both merchants, and Mary M. (Mrs. Joseph GREEN).  William S. MORTON was born in 1858 and in 1884 he formed with his brother, Robert W., a partnership in the mercantile business.  He married Ella WEAGER, of Randolph, and has one son, Howard D.  Mr. MORTON was elected supervisor in 1891 and re-elected in 1892 and 1893.  Robert W. MORTON was born in 1860 and married Lana, daughter of Asa STEVENS;  children:  Gilbert A. and Lester L.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 698

Surnames:  NOBLES, DEMMING, RYAN

Jonathan NOBLES was an early settler in Great Valley, and with him from Angelica, N. Y. came his son Spencer T., both of whom settled at Kill Buck.  Spencer T. married Betsey, daughter of Luther and Sally DEMMING; three of their five children are living:  Daniel, Stelbert E., and Nellie (Mrs. M. T. RYAN).

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Pages 698 & 699

Surnames:  NORTON, BACON, WILLIAMS

Ira NORTON was born in Goshen, Conn.  His sketch appears in Hinsdale.  His son Andrew L. NORTON, born on the farm on which he now lives April 27, 1818, married Polly A. BACON and has six children.  He is now the only survivor of the early settlers living in that section.  He was postmaster for several years and in 1863 and 1864 was supervisor of this town.  Mrs. WILLIAMS, daughter of Ira, resides at Corydon, Pa.  E. D. NORTON, the youngest of Ira's sons, born in Great Valley in 1825, is a resident of Yorkshire.  The first twenty-five years of his life were spent in Great Valley; he then removed to Bradford, Pa., where he lived fifteen years, where he was honored by his townsmen by important positions and was a member of the Board of Commissioners that, under a special act of the Legislature, issued the bonds of the town to pay soldiers' bounties.  Afterward for four years he was a resident of Owatonna, Minn., where he served one term as member of the city council.  He returned to this county and settled in Yorkshire in 1877.

William W. NORTON was born at Great Valley in 1822.  Although reared on the farm, and having only the limited advantages for an education in those early days, at the age of thirty he commenced his preparation for the ministry in the Congregational Church.  His first charge was in Ashford, where he remained two years, when he removed to Otto and was pastor of that church ten years.  He went thence to New Richmond, Wis., and subsequently organized a church in Alexander, Minn., where he remained five years.  The last few years of his life he spent in Northfield, Minn.  Considering the educational advantages of those early days his ministry was remarkably successful.  Money was not plenty then and books were expensive, and in this family of  nine children one copy of the old English Reader went down through the whole line, and that book is now in the possession of E. D. NORTON, of Yorkshire.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 699

Surnames:  OSTRANDER, MANDEVILLE, NOXON

Horton A. OSTRANDER, son of John B., was born in Dryden, Tompkins county, Dec. 22, 1840.  Working in the saw-mill of his father until 1856 he then went to Lake Simcoe, where he followed lumbering until 1859, when he returned to Dryden.  From 1864 to 1871 his energies were spent in the pineries of Michigan; he then came to Kill Buck and took charge of the mill of which he is now proprietor.  Mr. OSTRANDER married, first, Jane MANDEVILLE, and, second, Mary R. NOXON, by each of whom he has a daughter, Bella and Edna.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 699

Surnames:  POTTER, McINTYRE, WILLIAMS

John POTTER, born in Gainesville, N. Y., April 1, 1815, came to the town of Otto in 1835, where he married Mary A. McINTYRE.  He was a farmer and a carpenter, and in 1842 removed to Great Valley, where he lived until 1844, when he went to Ellicottville, where for several years he ran a sash and door factory.  In 1861 he returned to this town, following since the carpenter's trade and farming.  Mr. POTTER had an only child, Charles B., who enlisted May 13, 1861 in Company I, 37th  N. Y. Infantry Volunteers, going out as third sergeant and being promoted to second lieutenant.  This was the first company to leave Cattaraugus county for the war of the Rebellion.  Charles B. was assigned on September 13, 1862 to Company I; was made first lieutenant Dec. 2, 1862, and assigned to Company H; and after the battle of Chancellorsville was captain of Company K, holding the position until July 1, 1863, when he was mustered out.  Re-enlisting Feb. 16, 1865, he was commissioned captain of Company F, 194th N. Y. Infantry, and was again mustered out May 3, 1865.  He married Frances WILLIAMS.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 699

Surnames:  RANDALL, PRINDLE, SEELEY, FRANK, RUST, WASHBURN

Jonas RANDALL was a native of Genessee Co. N. Y.  He subsequently resided in Concord, Erie county, and in 1840 thence came to East Otto.  He married Mary PRINDLE, who bore him two children, Leonard and Martha (Mrs. William SEELEY).  Leonard RANDALL was born in Batavia and came to Cattaraugus county with his father.  March 17, 1865, he enlisted in Co. K, 65th N. Y. Vols and served until the close of the war.  In 1866 purchased and moved to his present farm in Great Valley.  He married Julia, daughter of Jacob FRANK, of Ashford; children:  Ida (Mrs. Theron RUST), Eva (Mrs. Clarence WASHBURN), Cora (Mrs. Daniel WASHBURN), and Charles.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 700

Surnames:  ROHRICH, BROWN, EHMAN, DIETRICH

John G. ROHRICH is a son of John ROHRICH, of Ellicottville, and was born in Wurtemberg, Germany in 1841.  Emigrating to America in 1850 he located in Ellicottville in 1852, where he resided until 1885, spending, however, some ten years of that time on the lakes.  Mr. ROHRICH held several town offices and in 1880 constructed the first iron bridge in the town of Ellicottville.  In 1885 he came to Great Valley and purchased his present farm, being also engaged in lumbering.  He married Anna M., daughter of John G. BROWN, who came from Germany in 1852.  Children:  Ida (Mrs. John EHMAN), Charles, Emma (Mrs. Ernest DIETRICH), Carrie, and George

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 700

Surnames:  ROY, CLARK, ADAMS, RICKARDS, MORTON, BLODGETT, BARKER

Alexander ROY came from Scotland to Wyoming county in 1833 and thence to Humphrey in 1839, locating there on the farm now owned by Henry CLARK.  In 1858 he moved to Great Valley.  He married Celestia DENNIS; children:  Marion (Mrs. Augustus ADAMS), Jane (Mrs. Israel RICKARDS), Maria (Mrs. Hugh MORTON), Ellen (Mrs. Edwin BLODGETT), and Anna (Mrs. Jacob BARKER).

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 700

Surnames:  RYAN, DUNLAY, NOBLES, CASE, SMITH

Michael T. RYAN was born in Bradford, Pa. on the 4th of Oct., 1858.  He is the son of James and Margrette (DUNLAY) RYAN, who moved into Hinsdale in 1859 and in 1871 removed to Great Valley, where they afterward resided, respected residents and esteemed citizens.  Mrs. RYAN died in April 1883.  On Feb. 25, 1889, Michael T. RYAN married Miss Nellie A. NOBLES.  He has been town clerk and was postmaster of Great Valley during Mr. Cleveland's first term.  Feb. 22, 1883, in partnership with C. A. CASE as M. T. RYAN & Co., he succeeded H. J. SMITH in the general mercantile trade at the village.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 700

Surnames:  SEARL, WOOD

Arza SEARL, son of Gideon (see Franklinville), was born in Whitehall, N. Y., and at the age of twenty-two came to Franklinville.  The next year, 1825, he removed to Great Valley, thus becoming one of the earliest settlers of the town, where he spent his life and died in 1884, aged eighty-three years.  His wife was Ann, a daughter of Stephen WOOD, by whom he had eight children.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 700

Surnames:  SNOW, AVERY, DU BOIS, MANHART, SIBLEY

Caleb SNOW was one of the early settlers of Great Valley, coming to the town from his native State - Vermont - about 1830, and making the first settlement in what is now called Bear Hollow.  He married Polly AVERY; children:  Abigail, Lydia, Roxana, Hiram (drowned while young), and Levi.  The latter was born May 12, 1825, married Jane DU BOIS, of Humphrey, and was the first settler on the farm where Frank SNOW now resides, and where he died.  Children:  Frank, Kate (Mrs. F. MANHART), and Sarah (Mrs. Horace SIBLEY).  Frank SNOW, born Dec. 22, 1851, was elected supervisor each year from 1886 to 1890 inclusive, and has served as justice, etc.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 700

Surnames:  WILCOX, SARGEANT, CHAMBERLAIN, HINMAN, KEAN, RIDER

Seamour WILCOX came from Bath, N. Y. to Hinsdale in 1829.  Until 1836 he resided in various places, but in that year he came to Great Valley and settled on a farm.  He married Sally, daughter of Enoch SARGEANT, who bore him ten children, of whom these are living:  Emma (Mrs. William CHAMBERLAIN), Augustus, Isaiah C., Edwin, Mary (Mrs. Byron HINMAN), Melvin, and Melbourne.  All these sons served in the Civil War, also Hiram, who died there.

Melbourne WILCOX was born in Humphrey, Jan. 25, 1842 and soon afterward his parents moved their family to Great Valley.  Oct. 30, 1861 he enlisted in Company I, 6th N. Y. Cavalry and served three years.  At the battle of Gettysburg, Mr. WILCOX was wounded in the head by a mini-ball, fracturing the skull so seriously that five pieces of bone and about a spoonful of brains were extracted.  He married Amanda, daughter of Harvey KEAN;  children:  Leona A. (Mrs. John RIDER) and Albert M.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Pages 700-711

Surnames:  WILLIAMS, STAUNTON

Mark WILLIAMS came from Chesterfield, Mass. to Ellicottville in 1829, and by occupation was a carpenter.  He married Polly STAUNTON, of Massachusetts.  Children:  Dexter, Samuel C., Royal, Frank, Almina, Theresa, Martha, Aurelia, and Mary.

Charles WILLIAMS came to Ellicottville from Chesterfield, Mass in 1832, bringing with him 6 sons and 2 daughters, viz.:  Charles, Spencer, Amasa, Lyman, Horace, Hiram, Eliza, and Sarah.  Another son, Burton, was born to him in Ellicottville.  Spencer WILLIAMS came to Great Valley in 1847 and purchased the saw mill owned by John. W. STAUNTON, near the north town line.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 701

Surnames:  WILLOUGHBY, GIBSON, CHURCH, WRIGHT, FLINT

Ebeneezer WILLOUGHBY, son of Rev. Ebeneezer WILLOUGHBY, of Kingsbury, N. Y., came to Great Valley in 1823 and purchased of Matthew GIBSON the farm now owned by Mark CHURCH.  He married Esther, daughter of Abraham WRIGHT, and had three children, of whom Phebe is the widow of Nicholas FLINT.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 701

Surnames:  WITHERELL, LOCKWOOD, CROSS, KNORR

George WITHERELL settled in Great Valley in 1835, coming from Java, N. Y..  In 1838 he removed to Ellicottville, but in 1840 he returned to this town, buying the farm now owned by C. B. Potter.  He married Mary E. LOCKWOOD and had born to him four children, only one of whom, George J. is living.  George J. WITHERELL came to Kill Buck in 1852 as clerk for J. W. Phelps.  In 1874 he engaged in mercantile business for himself.  He has been postmaster for eleven years and has held various other offices of trust.  Mr. WITHERELL married Margaret A., youngest daughter of John C. CROSS, an early settler of Otto.  Children:  Mary E. (Mrs. William KNORR), Giles H., George and M. Gertrude.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 701

Surnames:  WOOD, CAMPBELL, COLTON, HALL

James WOOD came to New Albion from Utica in 1851 and died there 3 years later.  He married Eunice CAMPBELL;  children:  James F., Wallace, Gilbert, Fidelia (Mrs. Reuben COLTON), Sarah, Mary J. (Mrs. Adelbert HALL), and one deceased.  James F. WOOD enlisted Sept. 11, 1861 in Company F, 64th N. Y. Infantry Volunteers, and served three years, being discharged Sept. 11, 1864.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of Great Valley - Chapter XXX (30)
Page 701

Surnames:  WRIGHT, GUY

Abraham WRIGHT, son of Dea. Abraham, was born in Cambridge, N. Y., Dec. 20, 1778.  His wife was Lydia GUY, whom he married March 23, 1815, and their son John G. enlisted Sept. 3, 1864 in Company A, 188th N. Y. Volunteers, and was discharged July 11, 1865.  Another son, James, served in the 6th N. Y. Cavalry and died in Wellsville, NY, July 6, 1873.  Abraham WRIGHT came to Great Valley in 1819.  His brother, Col. Richard WRIGHT, came to Cattaraugus county about the same time and held several offices of responsibility.  He qualified as associate judge of the County Court on March 23, 1836, and was elected sheriff of Cattaraugus county in 1837; he was supervisor of Great Valley in 1830 and of Burton (now Allegany) in 1836.

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