Compiled by Virginia Washburn Barden

This collection was transcribed from a card file kept over the years by Virginia Washburn Barden, Co- Historian for the Town of Ripley, Chautauqua County, New York. Many of these records concern that northwestern section of the county where Ripley is located, but bits of history turn up here relevant to many people throughout Chautauqua County and its surrounding areas in Pennsylvania, Canada and other counties in New York State. Most of her cards noted the original source. The newspaper sources are underlined and the cited newspapers are on microfilm at Patterson Library in Westfield. Rather than type out the full explanation on each record, the source is indicated by initials. The key to these sources follows:

AH Augusta Mann Hunt\’s Diary in possession of Ripley Historian
BG Buffalo Gazette
CA Chautauqua Advertiser
CG Chautauqua Gazette
CH Miscellaneous letters and papers in collection of Chautauqua County Historical
Society housed at the McClurg Mansion, Westfield NY (CCHS)
CR Chautauque Republican
CS Cushing Scrapbook, original at CCHS
CY Charles P. Young\’s Docket Book; he was a J. P. in Stockton, book at CCHS
DR DAR Lineage paper
FC Fredonia Censor
FP Family possession in 1990
FT Foote Papers; volume and page will usually be indicated, original at CCHS, copy at
Reed Library, Fredonia
GP George W. Pallerson\’s Docket Book (all Livingston County) book at Patterson Library
HL William Peacock\’s notes in Holland Land Company records
JD Job Davis\’s Marriage Record; he was J.P. Ellicoll, N.Y. (these records are subject to
error, [writing difficult to read] CCHS
JG Jotham Godfrey\’s Docket Book 1834-35; he was J. P. in Cherry Creek, book at Fentoil
JS Jesse Smith\’s Docket Book; Town Clerk\’s office, Ripley
MV Miscellaneous Records in County Clerk\’s Office, Mayville
NH Table at end of 1865 census–Sherman
NL Table at end of 1865 census–Ellery
NP Table at end of 1865 census–Ripley
NW Table at end of 1865 census– Westfield
OT Oyer & Terminer\’s Minutes; County Courthouse, Mayville
PC Portland Congregational Church Records, originals at the church
PR Chautauqua County Probate Records
RL Account Book of Robert Leech; original in possession of Ripley Historians
RM Ripley Methodist Church Records RS Chautauqua County Record Storage
SB Samuel A. Brown\’s Docket Book #2; he was J. P. in Ellicott, CCHS
SN Mayville Sentinel
SP St. Peter\’s Episcopal Church records, Westfield
TL Journal kept by Talmadge Little of Ripley; original document in possession of his son;
items extracted by Ripley historians
TS Day Book kept by Thomas Strong M. D., CCHS
VB Van Buren Time
WE Westfield Eagle
WF Western Farmer
WM Western Messenger
WS Washington Shepard\’s papers; Free Will Baptist minister, CCHS