A cargo of ferocious animals will pass the great rapids and the falls of NIAGARA 8th September, 1827, at 3 o’clockThe first passage of a vessel of the largest class which sails on Erie and the Upper Lakes, through the Great Rapids, and over the stupendous precipice at Niagara Falls, it is proposed to effect, on the 8th of September next.
The Michigan has long braved the billows of Erie with success, as a merchant vessel; but having been condemned by her owners as unfit to sail longer proudly “above” her present proprietors, together with several publick spirited friends, have have appointed her to convey a cargo of Living Animals of the Forests, which surround the Upper Lakes, through the white tossing, and the deep rolling rapids of the Niagara, and down its grand precipice, into the basin “below”. The greatest exertions are making to procure Animals of the most ferocious kind, such as Panthers, Wild Cats, Bears, and Wolves; but in lieu of some of these, which it may be impossible to obtain, a few vicious of worthless Dogs, such as may process considerable strength and activity, and perhaps a few of the toughest of the Lesser Animals, will be added to, and compose, the cargo. Capt. James Rough, of Black Rock, the oldest navigator of the Upper Lakes, has generously volunteered his services to manage the enterprise, in which he will be seconded by Mr. Leri Allen, male of the Steamboat Niagara—the publick may rest assured that they will select none but capable assistants. The manager will proceed seasonably with experiments, to ascertain the most practicable and eligible point, from which to detach the Michigan for the Rapids. It is intended to have the Michigan fitted up in the style in which she is to make splendid but perilous descent, at Black Rock, where she now lies. She will be dressed as a Pirate; besides her Menagerie of Wild Animals, and probably some tame ones, it is proposed to place a Crew (in effigy) at proper stations on board. The Animals will be caged or otherwise secured and placed on board the “Condemned Vessel”, on the morning of the 7th, at the Ferry, where the curious can examine her with her ‘cargo’ during the day, at a trifling expense. On the morning of the 8th, the Michigan will be towed from her position at Black Rock, to the foot of Navy Island, by the Steamboat Chippewa, from whence she will be conducted by the Manager to her last moorings. Passage can be obtained in the Michigan from Black Rock to Navy Island, at half a Dollar each. Should the Vessel take her course through the deepest of the Rapids, it is confidently beliebed that she will reach the Horse Shoe, unbroken: if so, she will perform her voyage, to the water in the Gulf beneath, which is of great depth and buoyancy, entire; but what her fate may be, the trial will decide. Should the Animals be young and hardy, and possessed of great muscular powers, and joining their fate with that of the Vessel, remain on board until she reaches the waters below, there is great probability that many of them, will have performed the terrible jaunt unhurt! Such as may survive, and be retaken, will be sent to the Museums at New York and Montreal, and some perhaps to London. It may be proper to observe, that several Steamboats are expected to be in readiness at Buffalo, together with numerous Coachers, for the conveyance of Passengers down, on the morning of the 8th. Coaches will leave Buffalo, at 2 o’clock on the afternoon of the 7th, for the Falls on both sides of the River, for the convenience of those who may be desirous of securing accommodations at the Falls on the 8th. Ample means for the conveyance of Visitors will be provided at Tonawanda, at Lockport, at Lewiston, at Queenston, and at Fort George, to either side.
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 Click on the Map above to tour our Niagara County War of 1812 historical sites!  Image of the death of General Brock at the Battle of Queenston Heights by John David Kelly
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| I came across this sad little before and after of the 1830 Glover House and Tavern while looking for taverns similar to Forsyth Tavern. I was stricken by the outward appearance and started to dig further in hopes of finding out what it looked like today. Sadly though, what it looks like today is the tangled mess of nature that you see there below it. That's when the realization set in just how close Forsyth Tavern was to being another Glover Tavern. Perhaps its not as far gone at it seems. Alabama can be a forgiving place to old houses much more so than the cold shoulder of Western New York. Still though, we can't rebuild the past. Once that history is lost, it is lost forever. 1830 saw the first U.S. railroad station and the burning of New Orleans. Buildings were still built by hand and from the land that they stood on. One hundred and eighty-seven years of existence. Forsyth has seen another twenty-two. That is a lot of life and a lot of energy for a house forgotten. I'd call that a building that is singing to the birds, for only the birds are singing back. You can learn a lot from buildings like these and some might say that you can feed off of all of the joyous energy that has been spent there. That I will let you experience for yourself in the Forsyth, but hopefully someone finds it in the Glover as well. Seems such a sad waste of so many precious things. |
Source:
Historic Highway Guides
Exploring America's History on U.S. Highways
- Mark Twain
This is a repair that would frighten away the vast majority of potential buyers of this historic home. It is the result of the house's roof collapsing during one of the SEVEN years that the house was left abandoned! However, it IS repairable and what the average onlooker would not know is that the rotten section is the NEWEST part of the house! In fact, the remainder of the house is built of brick, vertically sided in wide plank pine and horizontally clapboarded over that. That has allowed this house to survive 209 years so far and I hope many more to come! With no buyer willing to look past this quite ugly and horrible decay, this historic gem could have joined rank as one of the millions of hearty and historic homes that have bulldozed across our state.
Our neighbor stopped over the other day and gave us this copy of a photograph from her collection that shows the Tavern with a quite large addition to the East and North which we otherwise would have never known existed. If anyone has any more photos like this one please share them with us.
This 1953 article from the Courier Express was sent to us from a very friendly neighbor and we are so very grateful. It is difficult to read though so look for a larger version at the Tavern on your next visit.
| Click Here to download the image |
Here are some of our favorite finds behind the walls of The Forsyth Tavern:
Photo 1 (Top Left) : Floyd & Verda Yousey MAR. 1983
Photo 2 (Top Right) : What looks like a doorway since filled between the parlor and kitchen
Photo 3 : Faint remnants of bathroom wallpaper
Photo 4 : Mouse Tattered Cookbook from the Warren's Corners Church
Photo 5 : Love, Feb. 23, 1983 Floyd Yousey, Verda Yousey, Love
Photo 6 : November 13, 1965, Floyd Yousey, Verda Yousey, Virginia Yousey, Phylis Yousey, F.Y., V.Y
Photo 7 : Ke(unknown), 7 years old, Feb 17 1985, Ryan Fer(unknown) *Anyone Recognize these?
Photo 2 (Top Right) : What looks like a doorway since filled between the parlor and kitchen
Photo 3 : Faint remnants of bathroom wallpaper
Photo 4 : Mouse Tattered Cookbook from the Warren's Corners Church
Photo 5 : Love, Feb. 23, 1983 Floyd Yousey, Verda Yousey, Love
Photo 6 : November 13, 1965, Floyd Yousey, Verda Yousey, Virginia Yousey, Phylis Yousey, F.Y., V.Y
Photo 7 : Ke(unknown), 7 years old, Feb 17 1985, Ryan Fer(unknown) *Anyone Recognize these?
1813 INVASION BY BRITISH, INDIANS CAUSED
AGONIZING HARDSHIPS ON NIAGARA FRONTIER.
(Union Sun & Journal, Lockport, N.Y.,
Thursday, October 2, 1969, Page 12).
By CLARENCE O. LEWIS Niagara County Historian
THE FRONTIER FUGITIVES had such short notice of the attack of the English and Indians that they had left most of their possessions behind. In some cases the women tied their silver and other small treasures in bags and dropped them in the well or hid them in the nearby underbrush.
The best account of this tragedy was written by Orsamus Turner, Historian and editor of Lockport’s first newspaper.
His account follows: “There was little warning, the Indians preceding the English soldiers swarmed out of the weeds and commenced an indiscriminate shooting down of the fleeing citizens plundering and burning their log homes. Six or seven men and boys were killed and scalped.”
On that day of December 19, 1813, the Ridge road section of the Lewiston Trail presented some of the harshest features of war and invasion. The inhabitants on the frontier were retreating eastward, the Tuscarora Indians having a prominent position in the fight. There was a small arsenal west of Howell’s Creek were a few of the Tuscaroras and settlers stopped and drove the invaders back.
At FORSYTH CORNERS they stopped long enough to decide whether to take the Ridge road to Gaines where there was arsenal, or the Lewiston Trail to Batavia where there was also an arsenal. The Majority took the Lewiston Trail. All kinds of vehicles were used in this motley throng fleeing from the torch and the tomahawk of an invading foe.
THE TUSCARORA INDIANS effectually aided the flight of the citizens of Lewiston by firing at the Indians who were following them. Twice they made a stand against the foe. Their first stand was just before the invaders ascended the road to the Reservation. They gathered the whole nation, men, women and children on the escarpment above the ascending road. The men had all the guns, the women each with a round stick looking like a gun barrel from below and a horn for every boy and girl. It was a big bluff but it held up the invaders for some time.
When the fugitives from the Niagara Frontier reached Warrens Corners they halted momentarily at the FORSYTH TAVERN (later Warrens Corners) expecting that WIDOW FORSYTH and her two children would join them. However she was determined to stay behind and take her chances of the raiders getting that far. As it happened she made a wise choice because in a matter of a few weeks Militia from Batavia established a garrison of some 500 soldiers near Dickersonville, and her tavern was chosen to prepare rations for the garrison.
About the same time Sergeant EZRA WARREN and two privates were stationed there. As we have seen the British and Indians stopped at Church Street, west of Streeter’s Corners. However on or about July 5, 1814 the Barracks at Hardscrabble (later Dickersonville) were burned by the enemy.
It is interesting to note that after the war, Sergeant Warren and MRS. FORSYTH were married and the tavern became WARREN’S TAVERN and as the area began to attract settlers it became known as WARRENS CORNERS.”
Niagara County Bicentennial
Warren’s Corners is another cross-road community shared by two towns: the Town of Lockport and Town of Cambria. Located at the junction of Townline and Stone Road on Ridge Road (Route 104), this now-quiet corner very nearly became the county seat.
The first settler, John Forsyth, came in 1805 and died in 1812, leaving a young widow behind. Sergeant Ezra Warren, a solder looking for deserters, stayed at Mrs. Forsyth’s tavern, After the War of 1812, he returned and married her, giving the crossroads his name. When a decision was made to move the county seat from its temporary home in Lewiston, Ezra wined and dined the commission formed to decide the site of the county seat in order to influence the decision. The idea was to have the seat in one of the settlements along Ridge Road, the busiest road east from Lewiston and Niagara Falls. Two commissioners had decided to place the county seat in Warren’s Corners. Unfortunately, one of the two men died and the remaining commissioners could not agree. With the Erie Canal being surveyed through Lockport, the decision was made to award the county seat to Lockport. Today, Warren’s Corners is a quiet crossroads, belying the fact that it once could have been the center of the county.
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