Alden

Alden, New York

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History of Alden

Alden is a township in Erie County, New York. Various brothers, sisters, and cousins of my Staebell ancestors settled in Alden when they came to America in the late 1840's. So did many other families who, like the Staebells, migrated from Alsace to America during that period.

From History of the city of Buffalo and Erie County: with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, by Smith, H. P. (Syracuse, N.Y.: D. Mason & Co., 1884), page 448ff:

"Michael Killinger had a grocery and a saloon there [in Alden Centee] about 1850. George Holland built a hotel in 1855 which became the property of Jacob Sandman the same year, who has ever since owned and kept it. A little later a postoffice was established there by the name of West Alden, of which Christopher Strecker was appointed postmaster. He was succeeded in 1861 by Michael Killinger, who has since retained the position. In 1865 a hotel was built by George Shank, of which he is still the proprietor. Jacob Sandman kept a small store a few years, but closed it in 1875. The hamlet now contains about twenty houses.

"The first Catholic services at Alden Centre were held about 1847. Since that time the place has been well supplied with Catholic ministrations. A church edifice was erected in 1850, and a new one in 1861. A school house for the use of Catholic children was built in 1852, and in 1883 a large new one was erected, at a cost of $2,000, capable of accommodating two hundred children. Two sisters of St. Joseph are the teachers."

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