How long has your family/ancestry been in Buffalo?

[Chalkie Gerzowski]

I know I can trace my ancestry back to Buffalo in 1834, although I am able to speculate that a different line may have been there a decade or so sooner.

 

Any other antebellum-connected Buffalonians among us?

 

 

[rockpile]

I live in Rochester now, but my Swedish great grandfather, Anders Johann Bengtsen came over to Buffalo in the mid 1800's. My mother's side came over from Holland around 1924.

[Chalkie Gerzowski]

I live in Rochester now, but my Swedish great grandfather, Anders Johann Bengtsen came over to Buffalo in the mid 1800's. My mother's side came over from Holland around 1924.

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I always thought it would be interesting to see if others had pre-civil war roots in Buffalo. Wonder what the percentage would be in Erie Co.

[DevilsAlum]

My great-great-great grandfather, Andreas Sommer purchased a farm in what is now Cheektowaga in 1848. It is my understanding that the family apparently sold some of the land so that the Buffalo Airport could be built

[PromoTheRobot]

Not that long. My family were landed immigrants from Poland in 1956 and I was born in 1958. I split in 1978, with a short return in 1981. My mom and brother still live in Cheektowaga. Sister moved to Rochester.

 

PTR

[ExiledInIllinois]

No.

 

I suspect Buffalo is the place the money ran out?

 

Oh, well at least they made it 500 or so miles inland!

 

[jayg]

My great grandparents(Father) came from Italy(Sicily) in early 1900's and settled in Fredonia. Talk about culture shock.

[Fan in San Diego]

My ancestry goes back to Ireland pretty quickly. My grandmother came to the States thru Ellis Island around 1915 I would guess.

[envirojeff]

My Grandfather on my Mothers side came from PA, met my Grandmother in Canada and settled in Ransomville in the mid 30's. My other Grandmother (Widowed) and my Father came to Ramsomville from MI in the late 40's early 50's. My Mom and Dad met in school.

 

Jeff

[BuffalOhio]

My great grandfather, Anton J. Kuhn, left Essen, Germany in 1890 and came to America. He had 9 children, and 3 of the boys had their own monument businesses (Harold, Walter, and Roland). Anyone remember the KUHN Monument shops on Genesee near Pine Ridge in Cheektowaga? Walter E. Kuhn was my grandfather, and the others were his brothers.

 

My father became a plumber and moved to West Seneca in 1959 with my mom. I was born in 1964 and joined the Coast Guard in 1983 (not too many job opportunities in Buffalo then, or now). I lived in Buffalo from 1994-1997 while stationed at the Coast Guard Base there. It was hard to go home and experience the depressed economy after living in bigger cities.

[OnTheRocks]

Depending on how far East you go from Buffalo in Western NY and still consider it "Buffalo", I have a good one for ya.

 

My wifes G-G-Grandfather was from Western NY. Born in Niagra County. Buried in Middelport, NY. He won the Medal of Honor for capturing the enemy flag. I have mentioned on this board before that he gave his daughter (my wifes Great Grandmother) a diamond ring, and that ring is now my wife's engagement ring.

 

Alonzo Smith - Medal of Honor winner.

 

 

My family however were New Englanders. Came over in the 1680's from England....and were instrumental in settling Southern Maine and South East New Hamshire.

[TracyLee]

My ancesters on my mothers side arrived in New Amsterdam, NY about 1640 (from the Netherlands). Ended up in Erie County in the mid 1800's along with my ancesters from my fathers side at about the same time (from Germany).

[indiragandhi'sthong]

My ancestry in Western New York can be traced back to first wave of immigration. My relatives came from Prussia in 1843. As far as why I left WNY, I followed my then wife (yes in fact, she was Lucifer) to the Binghamton area in 2000. Good news, my new wife , our son and I will be moving back this August. There is nothing like moving away to realize how good the area is. In Binghamton, our most noteworthy weekend activity is going to the local Wal-Mart Supercenter. In Buffalo, there are festivals most weekends, an underrated theater and music scene, professional sports and Toronto is an hour away. Add in the food available (weck, wings and more) and we can't wait to get back!

[TheMadCap]

My great grandfather Charles Scibetta came to Fredonia in 1905 from Sicily. It is my understanding that he was somehow involved with Chautauqua brick Co. All the concrete foundation bricks used in the construction of the oldest houses in that area were allegedly made by old man Scibetta.

 

Interestingly, the immigration service misspelled his name, adding the "h" which is why anyone with the same spelling is likely related to me....

[stevewin]

On my Mother's side my Grandfather came from Long Island and met my Grandmother from Dansville which is where they settled.

 

On my Father's side my Grandfather and Grandmother were from Elmira, then settled in Attica where my Grandfather was a prison guard (my father grew up in a house just outside the prison walls).

 

My parents met at Brockport and moved to Clarence when they got married - then settled in Lancaster where I grew up.

[Chalkie Gerzowski]

All interesting posts. I don't think Erie Co. has a lot of records going way back. You can find some stuff at the library downtown, but the books nearly fall apart in your hands.

[OnTheRocks]

All interesting posts.  I don't think Erie Co. has a lot of records going way back.  You can find some stuff at the library downtown, but the books nearly fall apart in your hands.

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If you are looking for info on Civil War ancestory:

 

try the internet.

[Chalkie Gerzowski]

If you are looking for info on Civil War ancestory:

 

try the internet.

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The internet? Is that thing still around?

 

 

 

I wasn't really looking for civil war stuff, but I did find my ggg grandfather.....fought with the 4th regiment of the NY heavy artillery.

[TigerJ]

My father's side of the family were western New Yorkers going back quite a ways. The Joneses who were my direct ancestors left Wales around 1812 and settled around Rome NY. They were staunch Methodists, ironic since I'm now a Unite Methodist pastor. The son was a prodigal however and got into gambling. He must have been good at it because he won a plot of land in Leon, NY at a poker game. I'm not sure when that was, but I would assume it was in the 1820s. He had a family and his children decided to move west when the Homesteading Act opened up the frontier to those willing to pull up their roots. They went out to South Dakota and tried to establish a farm. They made a go of it for a while, but were wiped out (econimically) by locusts. They came back east to Leon. Their son (or grandson - I'm not sure which) left for the big city of Salamanca where he became a general contractor. That's where my father was born, and me too.

[Bob in SC]

My great grandfather, Anton J. Kuhn, left Essen, Germany in 1890 and came to America.  He had 9 children, and 3 of the boys had their own monument businesses (Harold, Walter, and Roland).  Anyone remember the KUHN Monument shops on Genesee near Pine Ridge in Cheektowaga?  Walter E. Kuhn was my grandfather, and the others were his brothers. 

 

My father became a plumber and moved to West Seneca in 1959 with my mom.  I was born in 1964 and joined the Coast Guard in 1983 (not too many job opportunities in Buffalo then, or now).  I lived in Buffalo from 1994-1997 while stationed at the Coast Guard Base there.  It was hard to go home and experience the depressed economy after living in bigger cities.

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I remember Kuhn Monuments (drove by it every day). Chuck Kuhn was a star basketball player at UB when I was growing up and a member of the family, if I am not mistaken. How is he related to you? Is he still around?