Town of Pulteney Historian Report

March 2009

     I finished the book I was working on for the Town Clerk. Another one will be finished this week. Then, I think

there is only one left to do.  It amazes me how the diagnoses of deaths changes over the years. In the early

1800's, when someone lived to old age, they were most often listed as dying of senile debility, old age, or

apoplexy (which was usually used to describe a cerebral hemorrhage or stroke).

     In the late 1800's, there started to be more dying of carcenoma. I don't know if there was more cancer, or it

was diagnosed better. One 81 year old person died of "softening of the brain and hardening of the arteries".

What a combination !!!!! A child died of mal-nutrition because the mother (who was a farmer's wife) was over-

worked and too tired and weak to produce milk for her baby. I would hate to be married to that guy. There were

a few other men and women who died of overwork. I am so glad I didn't live back then. I doubt if that cause of

death happens anymore !!!  Three men died on 7/23/1933 from drowning in their boat on Keuka Lake because a

hurricane came.

     I am starting to index the contents of the individual files and articles in the file drawers. This will be a very

long process.

Requests for the Town of Pulteney Historian 2009

March 2009

     I received a telephone call from Ron Peck from Keuka Park. He was inquiring about the road between

Briglin Road and Gallagher Road and when it was abandoned. He thought I might know because I''m the Town

Historian. I found no reference in the Town minutes from 1920 to 1950. I suggested he might call Steuben County

to see if they have any record. Don Snyder remembers walking on that road at 18 years of age while working

for his brother Murray Snyder. It had been abandoned for years before that because it already was starting to get

grown over and that was in 1943. It does seem to show up on the 1873 map of Pulteney that I have. It even shows

a house on it back then.

     I received another e-mail from Leona Jensen requesting information about the E C Barton weather diary that

she has. I answered her as best as I could. I expect when the weather gets better, she will come visit.

             Sharon Daggett

             Pulteney Town Historian