Picking Up the Trail

On July 19, Mary and I will begin a road trip back along The Amidon Trail, beginning with Erie and Warren Counties in northwestern Pennsylvania, then across the border to neighboring Chautauqua County in New York, and then to the Onondaga Valley near Syracuse, New York. The journey will take us back along the path traveled by her Amidon ancestors over several generations. And, we will include some of her Walker ancestors for good measure.

We already know the names and dates for most of Mary's ancestral family, but we are seeking to get a small glimpse into their communities. Of course, cemetery plots will be part of our itinerary. However, we also want to get an idea of where Mary's ancestors actually lived and to discover what homes may still be standing. From Google Earth photos, it is clear that some homes have been replaced over the decades, but we may still be able to experience some of what their communities were like. Aside from residences in Erie County, census data has not disclosed precise property locations. So, visits to local libraries or court houses also may on the schedule.
 
Mary's paternal grandparents grew up in Corry, Pennsylvania, a small town in Erie County. David Eugene Amidon was one of three children of Eugene Curtis and Sarah (Simmons) Amidon. His spouse, Mary Melissa Walker, after whom Mary is named, was one of two sisters born to Cecil and Alice Eloine (Curtis)Walker, who grew up in the Bear Lake area of nearby Columbus Township in Warren County but then traveled just a few miles to establish a family home in Corry.

Eugene's parents were John Smith and Charlotte (Curtis) Amidon. John Smith grew up in nearby Clymer, New York, just across the state border in Chautauqua County. His parents, Leonard and Esther (Smith) Amidon had a farm in Clymer. Cecil Walker's parents, William and Mary (DeLong) Walker lived in Bear Lake, where William was a lumber dealer. It was Mary DeLong's brother, Albert, who built the sewing chest that was handed down to Mary and now sits in our home in North Carolina. After Albert died in the Civil War, the chest was at the family home in Bear Lake before traveling to Lititz and Winston-Salem.

Traveling back one more generation, our trip will take us to Navarino, near Syracuse. In 1804, Jacob Amidon journeyed as a pioneer to the Onondaga Valley from Ashford, Connecticut. Only a few years earlier, other men from Ashford had reached the home of the Onondaga tribe and negotiated rights to mine the local salt deposits. The salt trade was a major factor behind construction of the Erie Canal. In Navarino, Jacob and his wife, Hannah (Pool) Amidon raised Leonard and several other children.