Monday, January 12, 2009

Western / Central New York timeline - 1620-1649

1620
England
James I grants the Plymouth Company a colony in the New England area to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific (including what will become New York).


1626
Father Joseph de la Roche-Dallion becomes one of the first Europeans to visit the Niagara region.

1627
State
Europeans discover the oil springs in Allegany County. ** French missionary Joseph de la Roche Dallion explores the region around the future Cattaraugus County.

1635
The approximate date French missionaries to Canada begin writing about the Genesee region.


1638
Over the next three years the Wenrohronon (Wenro), meaning "the people of the place of floating scum," located near the oil spring at Cuba, migrate westward, seeking refuge from the Seneca with the Hurons.


1639
John Scrantom and other settlers buy the future site of New Guilford, Connecticut, from the Indian sachem Menunkatuc. Scrantom’s descendant will become a Rochester pioneer.


1640
November
Jesuit fathers Jean de Brébeuf and Pierre-Joseph-Marie Chaumonot round the western
end of Lake Ontario from Canada, enter the Niagara region of the future New York and
set up a mission near today's Lockport. They will winter over here then abandon their
mission.


1641
February
Fathers de Brebeuf and Chaumonot return to Ste. Marie, Ontario, from a visit to the Neutral Indians, on Lake Erie. De Brebeuf sees a vision during a snowstorm, a large glowing cross, convincing him to welcome martyrdom.


1642
August
Father Jogues is captured by Mohawk Indians while on his way to the Jesuit Huron mission at Niagara. He will be ransomed by the Dutch within a year.


1644
April
Jesuit father Joseph Bessani is captured by Mohawks while he’s en route to The Huron missions in the Niagara region. He’s later ransomed by the Dutch.


1647
Father Ragueneu refers to a "waterfall of dreadful" height in the western part of the state.


1649
The Hurons, Neutrals and Eries are defeated by the Iroquois.

© 2009 David Minor / Eagles Byte

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