This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kYQ.2ACIB/160 Message Board Post: Indian Relic Collector Dies Fred H. CROFOOT, 87, and one of the foremost collectors of Indian relics and curios of the long ago in the Genesee Country, passed away at his home in Mt. Morris recently. Fred H. CROFOOT obtained his education in the public schools and LeRoy academy. He engaged in farming until April, 1896, when he became supervisor of the division of male patients at Craig Colony, holding this position until his retirement some years ago. Mr. CROFOOT had in his possession one of the finest collections of Indian relics to be found in this part of the state, and he was considered an authority on matters pertaining to the Red Men who roamed the Genesee Valley before the arrival of the white people. On numerous occasions he was consulted about Indian villages and camp sites, and in order to prove his statements he prepared a map showing the exact location and name of all Indian villages in Livingston county. There were some 80 sites on the map, as drawn to scale by him. He started his collection of Indian relics in his boyhood days, adding to it throughout his long life, and it is believed that this collection will now be turned over to the Livingston county Historical society. When Mr. CROFOOT started his collection, the field was new and his relics grew rapidly in number. He said that he often dug up as many as 200 stone implements used by the Indians in a single day, being able to tell by the lay of the land where he might expect to find the implements or arrow-heads. Sold 10,000 Stone Implements. Among his relics was a cannon ball fired at Pultneyville in the War of 1812, and a powder horn carried in the Sullivan expedition through the Genesee Country in 1779. Back in 1913, he sold 10,000 stone implements used by the Indians to the State museum at Albany, he having collected all of these during his long search. Another rare collection is a string of brass buttons which he gathered at different points at Livingston county many years ago. He claimed the brass and shiny buttons were taken from early settlers by Indians in their raids and worn by them as ornaments until lost. Probably the oldest relics of white manufacture to be found in western New York are those of Jesuit make found in Groveland and vicinity by Mr. CROFOOT during the years he was connected with the Craig Colony. In his varied collection, taken from newly plowed soil in Livingston, were tiny metal bells of the sort which history records were brought into western New York from 1600 to 1700 - a century ahead of occupation by white pioneer farmers. These tiny bells resemble in shape the earlier variety of sleigh bells, except that where the latter are from one inch up, these Jesuit bells are no larger than a pea. Indian girls found gratification in sewing them to their clothing. [Northern Allegany Observer obituary, transcribed by Louise Y. Mills, 2003, from Cora Lahr's scrapbooks, Fillmore, NY]]