Can you tell me where you found the article? Happens to be one of the murders my writing partner and myself are covering in our new book, which is in progress. Calendonia is now part of Livingston County. It was Calendonia Springs to be exact,after having a few beers. Actually it was the first murder in Genesee County, which was a pretty big county in 1807! Also the first hanging in the county. It was attested to a dispute over a tree. Orr had cut down a whitewood tree on land that McLean had claimed was his. McLaughlin was killed when he tried to interfere. The militia was called out to find McLean, which they did at a public house a few miles east of Canandaigua. He was hung August 28, 1807 in Batavia which was/is the county seat. Hangings were public events by the way. "Chris Smith" <[email protected]> wrote: >While surfing the web I came across this article. > >The First Murder in Caledonia > > CALEDONIA - Spring of 1807 an event occurred that filled the infant >settlement with horror and made a deep impression on many. A number of men >were engaged in laying out a road in the neighborhood of Duncan McColls >(Graney Road Today). Some trifling dispute arose between James McLean, a >very bad tempered man, and William Orr. McLean grew very much enraged and >all at once raised his axe cleft over Orr's skull, killing him instantly. >Archibald McLaughlin came up a moment after and stooping down to look at >the murdered man exclaimed in a tone of reproach "Ah Lachlin, Lachlin, and >what have you done now?" Without any further provocation McLean raised his >axe again and striking him on the shoulder cut him down to the very heart. >Donald McColl, then a boy of 16 years old, with great boldness and >dexterity, jerked the axe off Mcleans shoulder, over which he had thrown >it, but being unable to wrench it out of his hands ran and hid in a thick >jungle of hazel bushes. He then fled as for his life to the village, >frightened almost out of his senses, and gave the alarm. The whole >settlement was roused to arrest the murderer. McLean hid himself in hollow >logs and in the woods he succeeded in escaping to Canandaigua where he was >suspected and taken up. He was afterwards convicted and executed in >Batavia. > > For some time after this horrible event the women and children hardy >dared to move out of doors for fear of having McLean come upon them, and >took the utmost pains to bar their doors the moment the men left the house. >And it was not until he was safely lodged in jail that the people breathed >freely again. > > >Patti > > >==== NYWYOMIN Mailing List ==== >To UN sub go here: >http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/NY/wyoming.html > > -- Cindy Amrhein Town of Alabama Historian in Genesee Co., NY Experience the Town of Alabama in Genesee County, NY. http://www2.pcom.net/cinjod/historian/ APHNYS (Association of Public Historians of New York State) http://www.tier.net/aphnys __________________________________________________________________ The NEW Netscape 7.0 browser is now available. Upgrade now! http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/