Dear Group, Oh, I wish you could view the videotape that I started to watch this evening! It was an Oral History that was taped over the past few weeks by Danny Schisler of Youngstown as he interviewed Cora Gushee, our Town of Porter Historian. Cora is 97 years old, by the way. Now I must admit that I watched only the first 15 minutes of it, but knowing Danny and knowing Cora, I know that the rest of the tape will be filled with the same marvelous historical information that Cora told in those first 15 minutes. At Danny's prompting, Cora told how Niagara County was formed and how Town of Porter was separated from Town of Cambria in 1812. Danny asked her about the early settlers around Fort Niagara before the War of 1812 and the subject was brought up about the cattle drives from New Jersey to supply the Fort with beef. Danny questioned Cora when she commented that Isaac Swain provided beef for the Fort. She said that he had "dressed" them. She then had to explain that dressing beef meant that the cattle had to be slaughtered, aged, and then cut up. Yes, maybe the soldiers themselves dressed them, but our records do show that Isaac Swain furnished "beeves" for the fort and that the earliest settlers around here tended to settle around the fort because they might provide the fort with needed supplies. I'm so excited right now as I realize the historical value of the videotape. I know Cora and I know the intense interest that Danny has in local history. Cora has so much to tell and Danny knows the right questions to ask of her. I can't wait to watch the next segment of their conversation! Maybe I can write down the next "episode" that I view and let you know what happens next. You might say that this is history being recorded--even at this late date. vee from Youngstown