Personal Sketches of Newstead, New York
These personal sketches appeared in the History of the city of Buffalo and Erie County by Henry Smith. It was unfortunate that he did not go into as much detail as he had with sketches from other towns.
Erie County
Biography of Wilbur N. Hoag of Akron NY
Wilber N. Hoag, born September 10, 1833, in Wilton, Saratoga County, New York, was the son of Rev. Nelson Hoag. Educated at Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, he pursued various business ventures, eventually establishing a prosperous lumber trade in Akron, New York. He served as a public official, including president of Akron and trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Hoag married Cynthia L. Eckerson in 1862. His father, Rev. Nelson Hoag, was a dedicated Methodist minister born June 24, 1811, in Oswegatchie, New York, and died August 10, 1844, in Akron. His mother, Lorenda Woodworth, was born September 24, 1812, and died May 17, 1867.
History of Akron and Vicinity
The establishment of Akron began in 1829 when Jonathan Russell purchased lot 26 and built a framed house that also served as a small store. This building, which now operates as a cigar manufactory, was Akron’s first structure. That same year, a grist-mill known as the Wilder Mill was built by Mr. Whicher, attracting people from the surrounding area. The early development of the village included the construction of a saw-mill by Elisha Hill, the arrival of the first physician, Dr. Isaac Parcell, and the opening of a tavern by Spencer S. Harrington in 1831. Akron’s business community expanded with various stores and mills, and by 1836 the village adopted its name, derived from the Greek word “Akros,” meaning extreme or highest. The discovery of hydraulic limestone in 1839 further spurred Akron’s growth, leading to the establishment of significant industries like cement manufacturing, which played a crucial role in the village’s economic development.
History of the Town of Newstead
Newstead is located in the northeast corner of Erie County and encompasses township twelve, range five, of the Holland Company’s survey, along with part of township thirteen. This area spans six miles east to west, with an average length of over nine miles north to south, totaling approximately fifty-five square miles. The Tonawanda Creek waters the northern part of the town, while Murder Creek runs through its center. The landscape features a limestone ledge near the center and varied soil types, including clayey loam and sandy loam. The town’s history dates back to 1798, when Joseph Ellicott of the Holland Land Company first cleared an Indian trail for wagons, marking the beginning of Newstead’s transformation from wilderness to a settled community.
The Western New York Index
The Western New York Index was created by the Buffalo & Erie County Library System and printed from 1983-1996. It indexed news, features, articles and reviews appearing in the city edition of the Buffalo News, Buffalo Spree, Business First, Western New York Magazine, and the WNY Genealogical Society Journal. Each volume covers one individual year, and also includes a separate Personal Names section. A print copy has been in the collection of the Western New York Library Resources Council since that time, and is still used by researchers. This collection was digitized on behalf of WNYLRC by the University at Buffalo. The images include searchable text.
Buffalo New York City Directories 1828-1893
The following are 57 free digitized directories found online for the city of Buffalo, New York, covering the years of 1828-1893 (incomplete), containing an alphabetical list of the inhabitants and business firms, streets, town offices, societies, churches and other miscellaneous matter. Directories can provide information on an individual such as their employment and address during the year issued. They may also indicate whether they were renting or residing with somebody else at the time. The 1890 directories are especially important for establishing the location of families during the extent 1890 census.