| Notes |
- "Job is said to have been the son of John Straight of West Greenwich and by 1796 had moved to Otsego, Otsego County, NY, where at a town meeting of 7 April 1796 he was appointed poor master and bondsman."
(source for the above information: Linda L. Mathews in "A Line of Descent from Elkanah Johnson of Coventry . . ." in RI Roots Magazine, Vol. 29, No. 3, p. 120; she is quoting Theodore Lazell's "Henry Straight of Portsmouth, RI, 1652-1720, and Some of his Descendants" pub. 1952, p. 52)
See notes that follow, from Rootsweb's Worldconnect, family tree of Ryley Meagher:
No one in Allegany Co. was able to come up with a settler in Wellsville before the squatter Jobe Straite (sic) in 1822. He was the first settler and his log cabin was the first white man's habitation in corporate Wellsville. Mrs. Job Straight Jr. who for years lived in the old log house, was interviewed a few years before her death. She stated that her father-in-law, her husband and herself came to Wellsville in 1822. (History of Allegany Co., NY; p. 329)
The same source goes on to say: "These very early settlers were 'squatters' not particularly celebrated for virtue, sobriety , or religious zeal." He then goes on to name several pioneers who purchased their lands and praises their virtues. (p.130)
Rogers' Survey of 1826: Lot# 4 of 131 acres, occupied by Job Straite; beech, maple and pine, first quality upland and pine flats. Lot #5 of 110 acres, consisting of beech, maple, and pine upland and flat, was occupied by Job Straite Jr. The notes mention no settlers in the village other than the Straight family.
"No new country has probably ever been opened for settlement, that had as rugged features, as much of difficulty to overcome, as the territory which comprises Allegany Co."
The pioneers who came before 1830 subsisted largely on fish and game.
In 1829 when a few other pioneers were settling "The Straite's clearance on the flat was the largest anywhere around. In 1832 the first tavern, the first school house. the first saw and grist mill and the first store opened. Thomas Straight Dr. was the first c"ustomer of the store.
Job Straite had a corn-cracker at his cabin, made by cutting down a large maple and using the stump for a bowl. Corn was ground in this novel mill by raising and dropping in the bowl the heavy pestle which had been constructed from a section of the tree.
The following is an excerpt from History of Allegany County, N. Y.; p.336:
"HUNT FOR A LOST MAN--- The most thrilling episode in the early history of Wellsville was the organized hunt for Job Straite, Sr., in 1833. The pioneers were a close body of brothers, deeply interested in each other's welfare. Settlements were few and isolated, and men were friends, not merely acquaintances. It was not remarkable when old man Straite, 90 years of age, wandered into the forest that the other settlers, for a radius of nine miles or more, united in a search for the lost man. One Sunday in April 1833, the old gentleman started to visit his grandson. The path was a narrow one through the forest. Nothing was thought of the old man's absence until Monday afternoon when the son discovered that he had never reached his destination. An alarm was immediately sounded through the neighborhood and a searching party organized, but no trace of the wanderer could be found. The search on Tuesday was also unsuccessful. Excitement became intense. On Wednesday men gave up their usual work and made a business of the search. The man had been out three cold nights. Whispers of foul play circulated, out-of-the-way places were searched for his remains, for it was believed that he must certainly have been murdered. None could suggest an incentive for the dark deed however, and many did not believe its commission posssible. Thursday, Friday and Saturday they searched continuously. On Saturday, the eighth day, hope of his discovery while alive was given up. Excitement grew apace. Men fron Scio, Andover, Willing and Independence joined the hunt. Parties were organized and 200 or more men systematically scoured the country. A line was formed reaching from Wellsville to Andover on the south side of dike's creek. About 8 o'clock Sunday morning companies began to move slowly and cautiously forward scanning every foot of the ground. Men were in speaking distance of each other and armed woth guns and horns. The country was a perfect wilderness in which it was very easy to lose one's way. Toward the close of the afternoon three sharp shots and the blast of horns woke the echos of the hills south of Dike's Creek, about half way between Andover and Wellsville. The man was found and found alive. At least he breathed, but his mind was gone, and he sat unconsciously digging with his hand a hole in the ground. His mouth was filled with earth and roots which he had attempted to eat. His condition was indeed pitiable, but not for long. Kind friends took turns carrying him to the road. At John Harvey's, the nearest house (where Emory Cook now lives), a blanket was procured and rigged to poles. On this the old man was carried to Shoemaker's Corners (now Elm Valley). Here Dr. Rice resuscitated Mr. Straite who eventually recovered and lived for several years. Manson Rice of Andover discovered the lost man. Erastus Baker first answered the glad blast which Rice blew on discovering the wanderer. One shot followed another down the long line, the sound of conchshells and horns and hilarious shouts mingled in the valley until the joyful news was carried miles away and all the searchers were informed: 'The lost is found!' 'The lost is found!' "
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1747 - Abt 1835 (87 years)
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