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Subsequent to incorporation. "The Cattaraugus Whig" was commenced in Ellicottville in 1840 by Delos E. Sill who had started the "Ellicottville Republican" in 1833 adn sold out in 1835. For 21 years it ws the vigorous exponent of the principles of the Whig party. About 1854, the name was changed to "The Cattaraugus Freeman". In 1864, it passed into the hands of C. D. Sill and C. M. Beecher. The paper was discontinued in 1966 and the office sold to J. T. Henry.

Small town newspapers during the 19th Century were very different in format from modern newspapers. In this era devoid of radio, and other means of fast communication, newspapers served the complete informatioinal needs of the local populace for national and international news, some regional news, and local legal notices and advertising. Everything but local news. Yes, local newsworthy items were very rarely published as the assumption was made that you knew or shoudl know, everything going on in the communtiy. Paper stock with major national and international news, poetry, serial stories, insturctional material in every subject imaginable from how to get rid of bees to baking bread, already printed, would be furnished by major suppliers to small publishers who inserted what was essentially local legal notices and advertisements. Local obituaries were rarely printed and there were no headlines, no pictures, nor classified ads.