Animals of Allegany County
and their Stories
 HORSES | CATS | DOGS | COWS | CHICKENS |
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HORSES
RUNAWAY - On Tuesday last, a team belonging to Mr. Amsden, who resides east of this village, took quite a lively run through Main Street. They soon became detached from the wagon, but continued, their headlong course to the lower end of the street. A son of Mr. A, who was driving was slightly injured.
RUNAWAY - On Monday afternoon last, a horse owned by a Mr. LeBarr, of Clarksville, took fright and dashed down Main Street and up Spring to Chamberlain's Mills. Here the animal became detached from the buggy, after which he was at length caught. [Source: The Cuba True Patriot, Vol. IV, No. 48, June 1, 1866]
RUNAWAY - A span of black horses, owned by Quincy Vaughn, Esq., Supervisor of New Hudson, ran away on Monday last. They started from the residence of John Brooks, and ran to the store of Crosby & Halleck, where, after leaping a pile of boxes, one of the horses was violently thrown upon the ground. And the other was caught a few steps off. the falling horse went with force enough to break off an oak post, 4x6. The buggy got off with a broken axletree and tongue. -- The Cuba True Patriot, Vol. IV, No. 33, Feb. 16, 1866.
Hulda Merritt lost a valuable mare known as Hathaway Kate, aged 17 years.
Poor Kate has gone from this world,
No more will she roam the pasture free;
No more will the lash ‘round er be hurled,
She has reached the final heaven ‘neath the hemlock tree.
[Friendship Chronicle, Vol. 1, No. 51, January 26, 1881]
F. M. Babcock has purchased a fine trotting colt called Lady Ellis of the Ethan Allen stock, bred by Tom Ellis.
Ira B. Crandall is now the entire owner of the celebrated horse Ethan Allen among the many who have nice colts of that stock we have particularly noticed those belonging to Thomas Ellis, Byron Creen and Frank Beyea, as having very fine style and being lively roadsters.
We paid a brief visit a few days since to Jud Clark's splendid equine establishment at Scio. Pochohantas Boy, Thomas K and the rest of his magnificent stud were in unusually fine fettle. We regretted that we had not time to make a more complete inspection of the stables. [Friendship Chronicle, Volume 1, No. 14, May 12, 1880]
All early settlers remember a horse my father brought from Vermont. As years passed he was known by many from Portage to Belfast, as “Minard's old John.” He was an honest horse, a very “knowledgeable” one. He would work on either side, and with almost any and everything, was never sick or lame, but would not plow a furrow after the dinner horn sounded! He would swim the river at whatever stage it might be, and was ever ready to stem the tide. Once returning home my father found the river had risen rapidly. Selecting what he supposed the shallowest place, he plunged in; but horse and rider at once “got into deep water,” and became separated in the current, the horse coming out on the side he went in on and the rider lodging against some driftwood below. The horse had no notion of deserting his master and when he got a good footing, stopped and looked anxiously for his rider, who was endeavoring to mount the pile of flood trash. What was to be done? Darkness was fast approaching and not a human being within hearing. Father called, the horse whinnied in response, and seemed to comprehend the situation and determined to rescue his master. Coming down the river to a point opposite, the horse attempted to reach him, and the water not being so deep there succeeded. His master mounted him and was soon free from his periouls position. “Old John” lived many years, was never sold and died at an old age.
He Was a Good Citizen, Intelligent and Useful, and His Departure is Mourned
Old Prince is dead. His familiar face and form will be seen no more on the streets of Cuba. He was one of our best known residents, a useful citizen, always responding to the call of duty, harming no one and doing good whenever opportunity presented. He bore an ambitious name, but he vindicated the foresight of those who conferred it upon him. He lived up to it.
We refer, of course, to Charlie Hartley’s good old horse, who passed from earth to horse heaven--if there is such a place--last Saturday a week. He was taken ill the Thursday night previous, with something akin to peritonitis. Dr. Wheeler was summoned but nothing could be done for Prince except to make his last hours easy as possible. He died Saturday morning and was interred that day with honors due to a faithful servant--and not without some tears.
Prince was in every sense on of the family. He was twenty-one years old and Mr. Hartley had owned him for eighteen years. Not once in all that time had he ever failed to do what he was asked, or undertaken to do anything that a good horse ought not to do. He knew more than some men. If a rain came up while he was standing in front of the Hartley meat market he calmly walked back into the driveway, and remained under one of the sheds of the Hamilton livery until the rain ceased, then came out and took up his former place. He used to regularly mow the little bit of lawn in front of the St. James hotel. He would start down at the market, crop it all off evenly, then go back to the market. He wouldn’t bother it again until it grew up to a pretty good height, when he would give it another trimming.
Prince is greatly missed on our streets. He was a shining example of the good that may be done in a humble position, and his memory will linger long with those who knew his sterling character. [Source: newspaper clipping, dated 1916, contributed by Carol Barber]
Prince, the Davis pony, celebrated his 29th birthday recently. He has been in the family over 25 years.
Trotting Match. A Trotting Match for $400 is to come off at Angelica tomorrow, (Saturday,) between N. Chadwick's horse Prince John, and John Roger's horse, Grand Bashaw. Of course everybody who attends will stop at the Charles Hotel, kept by Dr. Jackson, where every attention is paid to guests. [Source: The Cuba True Patriot, Vol. V, No. 5, August 3, 1866]
Death of an Aged Horse. On Friday last Old Mike, a horse belonging to Wm. Campbell, Esq, of this town, died, aged thirty-five years. Old Mike had been owned in Mr. C.'s family thirty two years, and a year ago last summer, raked eighty acres of hay. [Source: The Cuba True Patriot, Vol. VI, No. 26, December 20, 1867]
CATS
Many is the story told about the cat coming back and the nine lives which cats have, but we have the truthfulness of such yarns, but when the following story was told us by such an honest and upright and truthful man in Alfred Morrison who is so well known in this vicinity, our doubts are cast aside.
Some months ago, Mr. Morrison sold his farm in this town to Oscar Gardiner of Pike. Late this fall Mr. Morrison moved his family to Fredonia, Chautauqua county, and with the household goods shipped the family cat, securely imprisoned in a small box, all going by freight. Upon the goods arriving at the new farm home in Fredonia the cat was released from the box and appearing frightened, ran out of the house. It was not seen again there. Mr. Gardner, who is living on the farm here, 75 miles from Fredonia, now informs Mr. Morrison that their cat returned to the farm on Christmas morning. Mr. Morrison is here this week and will probably take pussy back to Fredonia with him, but whether it will remain there or not, time will tell. We will await and note Kittie's travels. -- <Bliss Eagle [Source: clipping, dated 1921, contributed by Carol Barber]
DOGS
Eats Tobacco. R. T. Maxon, Erie Railway Station Agent in this village, has a dog that eats tobacco and appears to relish it. (The Cuba True Patriot, Vol VII, NO 35, February 26, 1869)
John Demuth's dog, Bismark, mistook the mouth piece of a telephone for a rathole and when he heard noises proceeding therefrom became violently agitated. {Friendship Chronicle, Vol. 1, No. 1, May 5, 1880, Town Topics}
Here Nap! Here Nap! He is missing since Monday before New Year's! A half grown, long-haired, black Shepherd dog, with tan-colored legs, a white stripe in the face and a white breast; a little white on the feet and a little tan in the face. Information will be paid for, and will oblige. Roderick Stebbins. Friendship, N.Y., Jan. 8, 1868. [Source: The Cuba True Patriot, Vol. VI, No. 29, January 10, 1868]
Dog Lost. On Wednesday last, a small, short-legged black dog, with yellow spots over his eyes, and yellowish legs. He has also a spot on his back which looks as if the hair had been burned off. Any one knowing of Mr. Dog's whereabouts, will confer a favor by informing E. D. Norton, Cuba, or the publisher of this paper. [Source: The Cuba True Patriot, Vol. VI, April 3, 1868]
Here Diver! Lost on Thursday, the 9th inst., a black dog with a white strip on its breast, white fore feet, and lame in the right fore foot. Said dog is a Shepherd dog, and answers to the name of Diver. The finder will be liberally rewarded. L. H. Gere. [Source: The Cuba True Patriot, Vol. VII, No. 3, July 17, 1868
COWS
[The Cuba True Patriot, Vol. 5, No. 6, August 9, 1866]
Whose Cow Can Beat It? One night this week a cow belonging to Capt. S. C. Moore, who resides about one mile south of this village, got loose in the barn and found her way to where five bushels of oats were stored, and of course “went for” the grain. When found in the morning the cow had eaten the entire five bushels, and, according to the Captain's story, "still wanted more!" Strange to tell, the cow was not injured by her hearty meal. [Source: The Cuba True Patriot, Vol. VI, No. 25, Dec. 13, 1867]
CHICKENS
Belmont, April 10-- A freak chicken, born of a mechanical mother with some 60,000 others in a custom hatchery, is exciting considerable curiosity here. It has four well developed legs. With two of normal size and strength, growing from the natural part of its anatomy, it gets about as lively as any of its little brothers and sisters. it eats, drinks and chirps normally! The two extra ones are of natural size, the thighs growing out of the rump. Because of their position so much higher than the regular legs only the toes touch the floor when the little bird stands up straight and has its head up. With its head down, the extra legs do not touch the floor. Freaky is a Rhode Island red and the egg that hatched him came from the farm of Charles Norton at West Almond. At the same hatchery freaks have been known the shanks and feet of which grew out from the rump and were missing from the thighs at the hock joint. [Times Evening Herald, Olean, New York, April 11, 1932, p. 3]
Allegany County, New York Table of Contents
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