Antedeluvian Corydon

A Day in the Life: February 19th

(Aged 14) 
Wea.  Stormy                               WED. FEB. 19, 1896                      Ther.

Went to school.
                    

(Aged 16)
Wea.  Cloudy                                SAT. FEB. 19, 1898                        Ther. 30

Went over to Corydon at Aunt Mary Ann's.  Had a good time.  Ma, Rollie + I went.  Asa printed us about 65 bills for our sale on the 15th of March.

Pa + Chas Slater went up to Unkle Gibs + brought down one of the cows that had come in.
Hand-colored photograph by Rollin Cass from the Corydon property of the Reeves

Both photos taken by Rollin Cass about 40 years apart


                     
(Aged 17)
Wea.                                            SUN. FEB. 19, 1899                         Ther. 

Stayed at home all day.  Pa + Asa went up to Maxwells to look at the cows.  I guess Asa will come out to Maxwell’s sale next Sat.  Asa went home about 2 o’clock.


(Aged 18)
Wea.                                             MON. FEB. 19, 1900                      Ther.

Went to school.

(Aged 19)
Wea.                                             TUE. FEB. 19, 1901                        Ther.

Helped the boys cut logs and bolts all day.  The man I hired did not show up.


(Aged 20)

Wea.                                             WED.  FEB.  19, 1902                     Ther.

Went to factory.  Alice went up home.  Gail came at noon.  We got a load of wood off the Webster place.


(Aged 21)
Wea.                                             THUR.  FEB.  19, 1903                   Ther.

NO ENTRY MADE


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Editor's Note: I can't pretend that I wasn't really sad to learn the fate of Corydon, PA though Effie and Asa Reeves wouldn't live to know it.  Last night, in trying to decide on an illustration for this entry I looked up Corydon to see where it was on a map.  I was very surprised to see it was the other side of the Allegheny Reservoir and wondered how on earth the family crossed it to visit the Reeves...but of course it wasn't there in 1898.  It wasn't there until the 1960s when Corydon was razed and flooded for the Kinzua Dam.  Perhaps this is why I can't find any records of Effie and Asa's burials either.  They are quite likely under the Reservoir with the foundation of their homestead.  It wasn't just the people of Corydon who were displaced but Seneca land was taken as well.   I am not trying to deny the fact that flood control was necessary nor the ultimate importance of the Dam but that doesn't make Eminent Domain any less tragic for the families forced to leave their homes, their memories and the lives that they built.  I look back on my happy memories playing at Allegany State Park with different eyes now.  Each new generation builds on the foundations laid by the previous one but there is something unsettling about consciously walking on graves. 

I have to say this is where this genealogical undertaking becomes quite amazing.  I called my sister this morning and asked if she knew about Corydon and she said "Now I understand the pictures Uncle Rollie took".  Before I knew it I had the above pictures in my inbox.  On the back Uncle Rollie had written "All under water now."  It is our understanding that the photos were from the porch of our relative's home in Corydon.

Comments

  1. How sad that their homes and perhaps even their gravestones were covered. I wonder if you would be able to find burial records if they might have moved the graves. I remember reading a few months back about this same sort of situation - I think that maybe it was in Kentucky. There was an entire database of burial cards for the gravestones that had been moved.

    I'm your newest follower by the way. :)

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  2. Thank you both for the encouragement and interest! I am so glad I found Geneabloggers.

    Regarding the burial information, I agree someone must have done something to preserve the records at least and I will hopefully get to pursue that. Sadly though the reason I know cemeteries were buried unmoved was in 1998 a major drought in the area exposed broken headstones.

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  3. Very interesting article in today's Jamestown Post Journal on Allen Cass. Allen was my Grandmother's Step Father and my Grandmother continues to live in Frewsburg to date. The article was wonderful!! His second wife Lillie was my Grandmother's Mother. My sister and I take great pride and interest in my Grandmother's lineage and this article made our day! Looking forward to seeing more posts!! Thank you for sharing a part of our family's history!

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  4. Hi Erica! So glad you enjoyed it! I believe your great grandmother and Allen lived right behind my grandma Mabel in the burg. Gram always said Allen and Lillie agreed to be buried with their first spouses but promised to "wave across the cemetery" to each other. They always signed cards to my dad "Lil and Pop". We'll see what we can't dig up for you.

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