NEWSLETTER. A Call for Websites. Mark Your Calendars! Our upcoming NTLGC meetings are as follows:

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1 NEWSLETTER A Call for Websites I d like to collect a list of our Club s favorite genealogy websites to share between us and as a gift to the library for their reference tables. Please e mail me (jsheliga@me.com) your favorite websites or bring a list to our next meeting. Thanks! JIM S TIPS: MILITARY RECORDS War, it s been a part of the United States since the beginning. In fact, our nation began with a war. In her storied history, Americans have fought in a number of wars, battles, skirmishes and conflicts.! The information found in military record is an often over-looked gold mine for genealogist. The information you can glean from pension records can enable you to piece together your family. No one kept better records than the U.S. Government and when it comes to military records they left no stone unturned. Military records come in three major categories; Service Records, Pension Records, and Military Histories. Service Records Service Records cover the period of time your ancestor was actually in the service. Service records will contain your ancestor s name, beginning rank, his highest rank or ending rank, and the unit they served in. Things that are also unique to your ancestor can be found in the service records, such as furlough papers and medical records. NARA (National Archive and Records Administration) has microfilmed a number of indexes of service records and muster records. One thing you will find about military records is that although they vary in quality and quantity depending upon the war, they also vary depending on when they were created, the amount of information contained, number of Mark Your Calendars! Our upcoming NTLGC meetings are as follows: September 10th, 11:00 am October 1st, 11:00 am November 5th, 11:00 am December 3rd, 11:00 am You are always welcome to bring a friend to our meetings. If you have any questions, please contact me at: or jsheliga@me.com - Jeanette Sheliga records that survived and their availability all get better the more recent the conflict. Pension Records Pension records cover the post service period when your ancestor, or their next of kin, may have received veteran s pensions. Pension records give the most amount of information. Whether they received the pension or not the application for the pension will be on file and have information on it that is useful.... continued on Page 2! PAGE 1

2 JIM S TIPS: MILITARY RECORDS CONT. They had to prove they were in the military and where they served, neighbors, relatives and comrades had to testify that they served and of their service. Having a rejected pension application is not a bad thing. These usually generated more information, and more affidavits as the person was trying to prove he deserved the pension. The first step in learning whether your ancestor has a pension record or not is to consult the pension indexes which are on microfilm for every war. For the revolutionary war, war of 1812, Mexican War is separate, but records from 1861 to 1934 are a single consolidated index. These indexes on microfilm can be found at your local Family History Center, NARA website, or Ancestry.com. Pension records also give physical descriptions of your ancestor. Military (or Unit) History Unit histories are often written by veteran s groups and add historical background that really helps you understand the conflict and your ancestors roll in it. It s not uncommon for a unit historian or another individual to collect information from soldiers and to create a unit history. Nowadays many people are taking it upon themselves to create unit histories. A good example of this is the Virginia Regimental Services where almost every Virginia regiment in the Confederacy has a small unit history with a description of the involvement of the unit and even a roster of men in the unit and a little bit about each man that served. A great way to learn about military histories is to join a lineage organization. A group of people whose ancestors shared a common bond, like service in a war or conflict, DAR, and Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War to name a few. These societies keep large collections of military histories. Where to Begin First of all, identify an ancestor you think may have served in the military. Then decide what you want to learn and determine (if possible) what branch of the military they served. Investigate the war years that would coincide with you ancestor. Now look up records on Ancestry.com, Archives.gov or visit your local LDS Family History Center. Also, consider joining a patriotic society that may yield further results.... This article is part of a series called Jim s Tips. NTLGC member Jim Lawson is a local Professional Genealogist whose company can be found at: JOIN OUR NTLGC GROUP ON FACEBOOK If you would like a place to collaborate in between our monthly meetings, you can join our new NTLGC Facebook group! Do a search for NTLGC or click on the hyperlink below: PAGE 2

3 EARLY HISTORY OF THE TONAWANDAS The article from June s newsletter titled Genealogy was actually part of a much larger article that seems to have appeared twice in the Tonawanda News. I found the original and complete article on Fulton in a 1923 issue. The article is titled Early History of the Tonawanda s by George W. Millener. I will over the next few newsletters be giving you that entire article. It seems to have been broken down into parts in 1941 and it is some these parts which appear in my mother s scrapbooks. As you will note there is a word in the first sentence that I was unable to read and I m not sure I have the name of the French missionary correct, both were very faint in the Fulton article and I wasn t able to enhance them enough to do much with them. I think there will be two possible three more installments on this, it s fascinating reading. There is one usable photo and I ll try and include that next time. Marlene Early History of the Tonawandas Territory Embraced in the Tonawandas Once Possessed by Eries, An Indian Tribe, Afterwards Defeated By the Senecas; A Block house Built In 1811 At Mouth of Tonawanda Creek Was Burned By British in (by George W. Millener) I shall not go into a lengthy introduction of my subject, but will at proceed to talk of the Tonawandas as they were in the early days. Paulon (may not be correct spelling) an early French missionary visited this section in 1627 and preceded to the Neuter nation of Indians in the territory now comprising Erie and Niagara counties. Indian Occupation The Eries, a nomadic tribe of Indians, were the first recorded possessors of the territory now comprising the City of Tonawanda; although archeologists reason, from the weapons, utensils, and implements found in this vicinity, more ancient peoples must have journeyed through this locality even if they did not leave traces of a more permanent occupancy. The Senecas, a tribe of the Iroquois, defeated and destroyed the Eries about 1654, and in 1780, established the first Indian settlement in this vicinity, on the banks of Buffalo Creek. (The next two headings in the original article are Political Division and Evolution and they comprise the Genealogy that was the June 2011 article) Settlement In 1811 A block house was built at the mouth of Tonawanda Creek and in August 1812, it was garrisoned by sixteen soldiers; about this time several hundred Indians appeared on the shores of Grand Island opposite Tonawanda, the guard of sixteen soldiers with citizens of the vicinity paraded in full view and the Indians did not venture to cross the river. In 1813 Everything of value along the river as far as Tonawanda including the Block House was destroyed by the British and Indians on their march from Youngstown to Buffalo, except one house. In that house was Mrs. Francis, a daughter of Robert Simson, who was ill in bed. Three times her dwelling was fired and each time she struggled from her couch and extinguished the flames. At the same time, except one house, Black Rock was destroyed by fire as were all but a few houses in Buffalo. During these years the male settlers of this region were, almost without exception, engaged in the military service, the women remained at home to care for the stock and children and to hide out with both when it was rumored the enemy approached. When flour or meal was needed as there were few grist mills and no roads, the grain necessary was loaded on board a flat bottomed boat this manned by two women, floated down Ellicott and Tonawanda Creeks to Niagara River thence with the current to Niagara Falls where it was ground returned to the boat, and the home journey commenced. Although the women of this vicinity were good boatmen and could handle an oar with the best, the boats of those days were heavy and the current was strong, so the women used their brains, tucked their skirts and while one walked along the shore and aided by a long rope towed the boat the other with an oar kept it off the bank. It is hard to realize the hardships our pioneers were compelled to endure. About 1816 A school was opened at Tonawanda, the teacher being Ephriam Kelsey. Methodism in Tonawanda dates from 1816, when John Foster preached the first sermon at the home of Robert Simson. In 1830 A. H. Tracy donated a lot on Canal... continued on Page 4! PAGE 3

4 Street on which a Union Church was built. The cornerstone of our community was laid in Tonawanda in 1816, a church and a school were then established. The first steamer to navigate Niagara River and Lake Erie was built at Black Rock in On completion it was found her engines lacked sufficient power to force the vessel up against the swift current of the river, but with the aid of ten or twelve yoke of oxen she succeeded in reaching Lake Erie and Buffalo. Block Rock at this time had considerable lake cables to tow the vessels up Niagara River to Lake Erie, they sailed down without difficulty. In 1823 A log tavern was kept by Peter Taylor on the south side of Tonawanda Creek and another was dept on the north side of it by Garett Van Slyke, who also maintained a rope ferry across the Creek. Erie Canal Act of April 15 th, 1817 This is the original Canal Act and in the beginning recites as follows: Whereas Navigable Communication between Lakes Erie and Champlain and the Atlantic Oceans by means of canals connected with the Hudson River will promote etc. The construction of the Erie Canal gave existence to quite a collection of buildings. Wilkeson & Johnson, contractors were building the dam and authorized by act of the Legislature built and operated a toll bridge across Tonawanda Creek and opened a store on the North side. An Act was passed in 1827 relating to the duties and powers of the Canal Commissioners. Chapter 247 Laws of 1838, among other things provides as follows: The Canal Commissioners are hereby authorized and directed to improve and secure the navigation of the Tonawanda and Ellicott Creeks and of the Erie Canal west of the same, as in their judgment shall best promote the navigation and security of these streams as connected with said canal. And in section No. 2 of said act the said Commissioners are also authorized and directed to make such embankments and ditches and sluices and conduits, upon, leading out of, and under either or both of said streams and the Erie Canal, and into Niagara River or its tributaries, as well most effectually drain or prevent from inundation the lands now overflowed or otherwise damaged by the waters of the aforesaid creeks or their tributaries or the Erie Canal west of Tonawanda Village as soon as convenience will permit, the cost of the same to be defrayed out of the Erie Canal and Champlain Canal Fund. Chapter 333 of the laws of 1844 This act provides that The Canal Commissioners are authorized to maintain and keep in repair the dykes, ditches, bridges and other works made and erected in the vicinity of Tonawanda and Ellicott Creeks in pursuance of an act of the Legislature of this state to further secure the navigation of Tonawanda Creek and other purposes posed April 18, 1838 the expense and maintaining and repairing these works shall be paid out of the fund used for canal repairs. Location Tonawanda is situated on the east bank of Niagara River at the conflux of Tonawanda Creek with that stream, wholly on the south side of Tonawanda Creek and at its junction with Ellicott Creek. Assembly Document No (1838) Contains a report of Alfred Barrett, engineer made pursuant to the act of May 12, 1837 and in it he proposes three plans for the remedy of the (local) floods. In the plan No. 3 he proposed to remove the present dam, make a dam six and one-half miles up Tonawanda Creek and then construct the canal along valley of Wrights creek to Ellicott Creek at a point three and three eights mils above its mouth and among other things he said And render it (Ellicott Creek) navigable by extending a towing path along its south bank, and construction a dam about 30 chains from its mouth sufficiently high to sustain the Erie Canal. From the dam we form a canal along the bank of the Creek and connect with the Erie Canal near the present guard lock. Ellicott Creek is sufficiently capacious for a canal, and has a great a depth of water as the Tonawanda. This plan was not adopted. Tonawanda Creek, at is junction with Ellicott Creek at Tonawanda to Pendleton is used as a part of the Erie Canal. On the banks of Niagara River in 1679 LaSalle, the illustrious French Explorer, built and launched the Griffon, a vessel of sixty tons burden, the first ship, other than an Indian canoe, to said the waters of the Upper Lakes.... continued on Page 5! PAGE 4

5 Then was the first commercial enterprise inaugurated on our Great Waterway, for LaSalle, in addition to being a noted explorer was a shrewd fur trader. Next we find Niagara River used as a link of transportation for merchandise and supplies from Quebec and Montreal to the West. In the report of the Canal Commissioners submitted to the Legislature in 1820, the following will be found. Experience is decidedly against making use of natural channels or streams as part of canals, BUT TO ABOVE OBJECTIONS THE TONAWANDA AFFORDS AN EXCEPTION, AS IT WILL HAVE MUCH MORE THE CHARACTER OF A QUIET NARROW BAY OR ARTIFICIAL CANAL. Also stating. Expense of projected lock at Tonawanda, to facilitate navigation to Schlosser as $10, This report signed by. DeWitt Clinton Stephen Van Renselaer Samuel Young Myron Holley Henry Seymour This article is part of a series called Mother s Scrapbook. NTLGC member Marlene Miller has been scanning her mother s scrapbooks and will be sharing interesting local articles that she comes across. Many of the newspaper clippings are not dated, so if you can help determine a date or have an ancestral tie to the article, please share by contacting Marlene at our next monthly meeting or via e mail: itismar@localnet.com. UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 2011 Thursdays in August and September at 10:30 am Buffalo Tours will lead Buffalo River History Tours on the new Queen City Ferry at 10:30am every Thursday in August and September. Tickets are sold by the Queen City Ferry Company and are first-come, first-serve. Meet us at the Erie Canal Harbor for the 90 minute trip. Adults $14, Children $10. Thursday, September 1st - 6:30 pm Decorate the library display cases with our NTLGC items!! Saturday & Sunday, September 3rd & 4th War of 1812 Encampment at Old Fort Niagara (2 Scott Ave., Youngstown). American and British forces recreate the War of 1812 on the Niagara Frontier. Programs daily from 10 am - 4 pm and a night battle depicting the British capture of Fort Niagara on Saturday at 7pm. Fort Admission $10. Saturday, September 4th - 12:30 pm Pan-american Walking Tour at Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society (25 Nottingham Court, Buffalo). $10 Reservations requested (716) x301. Saturday, September 10th - 11:00 am NTLGC monthly meeting at NT Library!! Wednesday, September 28th - 7:00 pm The Spanish Influenza of 1919: Impact on Niagara County Families at Niagara County Historical Society Museum (215 Niagara St., Lockport) by Niagara County Genealogical Society. Session open to members - annual membership $15. Please share any upcoming events that you think may be of interest for our club members: jsheliga@me.com! PAGE 5