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Archiver > GEN-NYS > 1998-01 > 0886046153
From: Mary A Grindol< >
Subject: Re: 1810-1830 immigration Why?
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 22:55:53 -0500
On Sun, 25 Jan 1998 23:36:06 -0500: "Steven Lay" <>
wrote:
<<There appears there was a lage movement from New England into central
and
western New York in the first half of the 19th century. I have two lines
of my family that came to New York from New Hampshire in that time span.
I
realize the Erie Canal opened in 1825 and made movement west easier, but
still you had to get from New Hampshire to Albany and that must not of
been
an easy trip in 1825. Anyone know New York and/or New Hampshire history
enough to offer suggestions on why there was a heavy movement west at
that
time?>>
and on Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 13:57:47 -0500 wrote:
<<Okay, from the replies I have received land grants from the Revolution
and
War of 1812 and dwindling farmland in New England spurred many families,
especially younger siblings that did not inherit farms, to head west.
Are
there war land grant records available? Would they be in the National
Archives?>>
Yes, and yes. Following is an excerpt taken an article by John E.
Benedict from Volume 4, No. 3 of THE BENEDICT FAMILY HISTORY NEWS of
which I am editor:
"Under the Pension Act of 1818, Congress authorized annual
pensions to any surviving veteran living in "reduced circumstances."
Applicants had to establish the fact and duration of their service,
describe their family and financial situations, and prove their need for
financial assistance. In 1820, reacting to perceived abuses among
applicants, Congress required all recipients and applicants to catalog
their assets in detail.
"In 1832, Congress approved pensions for all surviving veterans,
regardless of need. Six years later, it approved the first of several
comprehensive pensions for the widows of veterans. Again, all applicants
were obliged to prove the servicemans service with convincing evidence,
provide a history of the
servicemans life and residence, and information on his marriage or
remarriage.
"Applications under the Acts of 1818 and 1832 together comprise
Record Group 15 of the Records of the Veterans Administration. They are
arranged alphabetically on National Archives microfilm numbers M804
(complete files, totaling nearly 3,000 reels) or M805 (nearly 1,000
reels, containing all files but
selected records only). Recently, these records were painstakingly
abstracted in three volumes by Virgil White, Genealogical Abstracts of
Revolutionary War Pension Files (Nat. Hist. Pub. Co. 1990).
"Record Group 15 does not begin to cover every Revolutionary War
soldier. Many veterans and their widows didnt live long enough to
qualify. Others didnt apply, either due to religious views, the
difficulty of proving service, ignorance of the pension program, or a
lack of need for the money. However, by any measure, it is a large
collection. If you suspect Revolutionary War service, and that either
the serviceman or his widow survived past 1830, then you ought to check
this collection. It contains detailed information available nowhere
else.3
"... Each entry lists the soldiers given name, the state from
which he originally served, and his place of residence at the time the
application was submitted. For widows applications, the widows given
name is also listed. For more information, consult the microfilm or
Whites abstracts. Both are available at
larger libraries and can be borrowed by inter-library loan through most
county libraries.
"For a copy of the National Archives file, contact the General
Reference Office, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA),
7th and Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington DC 20408. Request a NATF Form
80. Fill out and return the form, and the Archives staff will send you
copies from the microfilm file for a very modest fee (currently $10).
Allow up to ten weeks for delivery. A faster way to request the form is
to telephone (202) 501-5400. Ask for the General Reference Office."
Virgil White's books also include INDEX TO THE WAR OF 1812 PENSION FILES
(same publisher, 1992). Both indexes include Bounty Land Warrant
application references.
You also asked:
<< What was the Holland Land Co. (?) that controled vast areas of
western New York?>>
Again, I'd like to refer anyone interested in this to NEW YORK AREA KEY
by Florence Clint (Elizabeth, Colorado: Keyline Publishers, Inc., 1979).
This book is fairly standard in genealogical collections. An old
copyright but still full of good stuff!
On p. 52 for a simplified map of transportation and settlement flow in
river valleys and on p 8 a map of major New York Waterways. On pp. 9-11
is a list of the various smaller rivers, creeks, and outlets connected to
the major waterways. The folks from New Hampshire probably came down to
Albany via the Champlain Valley and the Hudson River. Water
transportation was very important early. On page 54 is a map of the
various ethnic groups and their dates of settlement. New Englanders
really begin to settle Northeastern NY in the 1700's.
On pp. 70 and 71 are maps of the the area of the Holland Land Purchase.
To quote the accompanying article:
" The area in Western New York, mostly west of the Genesee River, was
opened to migration soon after the end of the Revolutionary War. Prior
to this time the Indians who fought with the British barred the way to
early settlement. The eight counties involved in this discussion of the
Holland Land Purchase are Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chatauqua, Erie,
Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming as indicated on the large map which
follows. On the small map above you will note that there were other
sections which were owned by a number of smaller land speculators, the
main one being that of Robert Morris, who sold off his land in large
sections to other land speculations. Some of the other tracts you will
find in the records are Connecticut, Triangle, Phelps & Gorman, Craigie,
Mill Seat, East Transit Meridian Line and others.
"Further References for Detailed Study
"Refer to the HISTORY OF THE HOLLAND LAND PURCHASE by O. Turner (1850)
published by George H. Derby Co.
"THERE ARE TWO LISTS THAT THE RESEARCHER SHOULD BE AWARE OF:
"I - The first is a list of the Holland Land Company contracts of land
sold before January, 1807.
" The second is a list of contracts with the first few settlers
(about 5 or 6) in each Township exclusive of those in list number 1.
"II - a list of Mortgages and Contracts involved when the Holland Land
Company sold out their interests between 1835 and 1838. Often one will
find copies of these contracts or mortgages recorded with the deeds in
the County courthouse.
"Additional study references:
THE HOLLAND COMPANY by Evans, Vol 28 (1924) at the Buffalo Historical
Society.
THE OWNERSHIP OF WESTERN NEW YORK by Houton, Vol 24 (1920) at the Buffalo
Historical Society."
This is me talking again:
The lists under I, above are on microfilm and may be at your nearest
university library or can be obtained from Columbia University on
interlibrary loan.
Mary Alice Benedict Grindol or
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