Debbie suggests we talk about books, and mentions a few: > thought I'd throw them out and see if any of you know of them.. and > can comment on their value to you... >> Niagara County by Edward T. Williams. 850 pgs. 2 volumes. 1921. Williams, Edward Theodore (b. 1868). _Niagara County, New York: a concise record of her progress and people, 1821-1921, published during its centennial year._ Chicago: J.H. Beers & company, 1921. (2 v. front., plates, ports. 28 cm. Paged continuously.) Contents: I. Historical. II. Biographical. [F127.N5W7] This is one of the books I found in the University of Chicago Library stacks, lo, these many years ago! It's informative, and helpful in an old-local-history sort of way -- lots of detail piled on in no particular order. :) Here are some of the other books I pulled from the stacks years ago when I was first doing Niagara County research. All were reasonably helpful, though none stands out in my mind: Turner, Orsamus. _Pioneer history of the Holland Purchase of western New York: embracing some account of the ancient remains, and a history of pioneer settlement under the auspices of the Holland Company; including reminiscences of the War of 1812; the origin, progress and completion of the Erie Canal, etc., etc., etc._ Buffalo: Jewett, Thomas & Co., 1850. (670 p., [19] p. of plates: ill., maps ; 24 cm. Includes index.) [F127.H7T9] (The Holland Purchase covered what's now Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Niagara counties, and parts of Genesee, Allegany, Wyoming and Orleans. It was extremely important to the history of the county, and is a subject for required reading if you have any early settlers.) Horton, John Theodore; Edward Theodore Williams (b. 1868); Harry Stevens Douglass (1909-). _History of northwestern New York: Erie, Niagara, Wyoming, Genesee and Orleans Counties_. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co., 1947. (3 v. illus., ports., maps. 28 cm.) Vol. 3: Personal and family history. "Notes and authorities": p. v. 1, p. [445]-489. [F119.H8] Loker, Donald E., compiler. _News of the day -- yesterday_. (Drawings by Barbara Whitman Torrence; preface by John and Michael Walsh.) Lockport, NY: Niagara County Historical Society, 1971. (xi, 94 p. illus. 26 cm.) Series: "Occasional contributions of the Niagara County Historical Society", number 20. [F127.N5L83] It's hard to understand Niagara County history without covering the history and geography of the Falls. Books on that subject include George W. Holley's 1872 _Niagara, its history & geology, incidents & poetry_, and G.K. Gilbert's 1895 National Geographic Society monograph _Niagara Falls and their history_, though I'd be surprised if there weren't *much* more recent works available. Other subjects I'd recommend delving into include: the Erie Canal; Canadian settlement patterns; the War of 1812, particularly the 1814 Battle of Lundy's Lane (also known as "the Battle of Niagara Falls"; there are a number of books just on that one battle!). I can dig up titles if necessary, though you can probably find 'em with Bibliofind or a similar service too. While I'm thinking about it, I've just run across a listing for this: Good Beginnings Inc. "A map of Niagara County, NY: includes maps of Lockport, the Tonawandas, and Niagara Falls: map & guide." Rochester, NY: New York Media Communications, Consultants, Inc., c1986. (Scales differ. 4 maps on 1 sheet: both sides, col.; 66 x 55 cm. or smaller, sheet 101 x 71 cm., folded to 21 x 10 cm. Includes text, indexes, and advertisements.) [G3803.N5 1986 .G60] Contents: Niagara County and inset maps -- Niagara Falls -- The Tonawandas -- Lockport. County map insets: Youngstown -- Map of Wilson -- Map of Newfane -- Map of Barker -- Map of Gasport -- Map of Middleport. Vee, or other locals: do you know if this map is still for sale in Niagara County? -- Ellen Keyne Seebacher elle@pobox.com

I really appreciate this discussion of books and thank you so much Ellen! Here in VA we don't have much on NY county or regional history so this helps me to know what to even ask for from an interlibrary loan!! Sara Stevens Patton ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ellen Keyne Seebacher" <elle@pobox.com> To: <NYNIAGAR-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2000 3:35 AM Subject: Re: Local History Books > Debbie suggests we talk about books, and mentions a few: > > > thought I'd throw them out and see if any of you know of them.. and > > can comment on their value to you... > > >> Niagara County by Edward T. Williams. 850 pgs. 2 volumes. 1921. > > Williams, Edward Theodore (b. 1868). _Niagara County, New York: > a concise record of her progress and people, 1821-1921, published > during its centennial year._ Chicago: J.H. Beers & company, > 1921. (2 v. front., plates, ports. 28 cm. Paged continuously.) > Contents: I. Historical. II. Biographical. [F127.N5W7] > > This is one of the books I found in the University of Chicago Library > stacks, lo, these many years ago! It's informative, and helpful in an > old-local-history sort of way -- lots of detail piled on in no particular > order. :) > > > Here are some of the other books I pulled from the stacks years ago > when I was first doing Niagara County research. All were reasonably > helpful, though none stands out in my mind: > > Turner, Orsamus. _Pioneer history of the Holland Purchase of > western New York: embracing some account of the ancient remains, > and a history of pioneer settlement under the auspices of the > Holland Company; including reminiscences of the War of 1812; the > origin, progress and completion of the Erie Canal, etc., etc., > etc._ Buffalo: Jewett, Thomas & Co., 1850. (670 p., [19] p. of > plates: ill., maps ; 24 cm. Includes index.) [F127.H7T9] > > (The Holland Purchase covered what's now Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and > Niagara counties, and parts of Genesee, Allegany, Wyoming and Orleans. > It was extremely important to the history of the county, and is a subject > for required reading if you have any early settlers.) > > Horton, John Theodore; Edward Theodore Williams (b. 1868); Harry > Stevens Douglass (1909-). _History of northwestern New York: > Erie, Niagara, Wyoming, Genesee and Orleans Counties_. New York: > Lewis Historical Pub. Co., 1947. (3 v. illus., ports., maps. > 28 cm.) Vol. 3: Personal and family history. "Notes and > authorities": p. v. 1, p. [445]-489. [F119.H8] > > Loker, Donald E., compiler. _News of the day -- yesterday_. > (Drawings by Barbara Whitman Torrence; preface by John and Michael > Walsh.) Lockport, NY: Niagara County Historical Society, 1971. > (xi, 94 p. illus. 26 cm.) Series: "Occasional contributions of > the Niagara County Historical Society", number 20. [F127.N5L83] > > > It's hard to understand Niagara County history without covering the > history and geography of the Falls. Books on that subject include > George W. Holley's 1872 _Niagara, its history & geology, incidents & > poetry_, and G.K. Gilbert's 1895 National Geographic Society monograph > _Niagara Falls and their history_, though I'd be surprised if there > weren't *much* more recent works available. > > Other subjects I'd recommend delving into include: the Erie Canal; > Canadian settlement patterns; the War of 1812, particularly the 1814 > Battle of Lundy's Lane (also known as "the Battle of Niagara Falls"; > there are a number of books just on that one battle!). I can dig up > titles if necessary, though you can probably find 'em with Bibliofind > or a similar service too. > > > While I'm thinking about it, I've just run across a listing for this: > > Good Beginnings Inc. "A map of Niagara County, NY: includes maps > of Lockport, the Tonawandas, and Niagara Falls: map & guide." > Rochester, NY: New York Media Communications, Consultants, Inc., > c1986. (Scales differ. 4 maps on 1 sheet: both sides, col.; > 66 x 55 cm. or smaller, sheet 101 x 71 cm., folded to 21 x 10 cm. > Includes text, indexes, and advertisements.) [G3803.N5 1986 .G60] > > Contents: Niagara County and inset maps -- Niagara Falls -- The > Tonawandas -- Lockport. County map insets: Youngstown -- Map of > Wilson -- Map of Newfane -- Map of Barker -- Map of Gasport -- Map > of Middleport. > > Vee, or other locals: do you know if this map is still for sale in > Niagara County? > > -- > Ellen Keyne Seebacher elle@pobox.com > > > ==== NYNIAGAR Mailing List ==== > Need a break from that maddening brick wall? Visit RootsWeb's > new Communities, at <http://communities.rootsweb.com/>, to find > other interest lists you'll love! > >