Niagara — Historical and Reminiscent 



HoLLEY, GEORGE W. Niagara, its history and geology, incidents 1872 

 and poetry. . . . N. Y. : Sheldon. 1 872. Holley 



PORTER, ALBERT H. Reminiscences of Niagara from 1806 to 1872, 1872 

 with a list of the early settlers. By an old resident. Printed for private Porter 

 circulation. Niagara Falls: Pool. 1872. 



There seem to have been several editions of this article. The writer's 

 design was, in his own words, " to trace the origin and growth of the 

 Village of Niagara Falls; and to furnish a list, as full and correct as 

 possible, of the early settlers of the village and vicinity, with the date of 

 their respective settlement." His account contains much matter of the 

 greatest value and interest concerning the development of manufacturing 

 at the Falls. 



Western New York, until after the Revolution, and settlement 

 of the conflicting claims of Massachusetts and New York, down 

 to 1 788, was owned and occupied by the Indian tribes, except 

 a few isolated points, appropriated from an early period to 

 military purposes, by the French and English; and was chiefly 

 known through the reports of Jesuit priests, and adventurous 

 travellers. The points referred to, were Forts Oswego and 

 Niagara, the landing place, afterwards named Lewiston, and 

 Fort Schlosser. Fort Schlosser was not the original name of the 

 old fort, situated about a mile above the falls. It was originally 

 a French post, and was called Little Niagara. It was destroyed 

 in 1 759, after the surrender of Fort Niagara to Sir William 

 Johnson. A small stockade work was afterward erected by the 

 English near the same place, and called Fort Schlosser. The 

 early settlers of this region well remember the noted chiefs Corn 

 Planter, Red Jacket and Farmer's Brother, representing the 

 Indians in treaties, ceding the territory of Western New York. 

 They were men of great influence among their people, and were 

 treated by the whites, in early days, with great consideration and 

 respect. 



Augustus Porter, who was the first purchaser and settler at 

 this point, after the English occupation ceased, first visited the 

 Falls in 1795, and again in 1 796, then on his way with a large 

 company of surveyors to explore and survey what is now known 



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