Cheektowaga, New York
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Erie County
Families from Cheektowaga
Names and Information
from Cheektowaga Cemeteries
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History
of Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga is a township in Erie County, New York. My Ott ancestors settled in Cheektowaga when they came to America in about 1830. So did many other families who, like the Otts, migrated from Alsace to America during that period. In 1847 my Voegele ancestors came to America from Alsace, and my great-great-grandfather Joseph Voegele (1823-1890) settled in Cheektowaga.
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 469ff:
"In 1826 ... a large portion of the Buffalo Creek reservation was bought from the Indians, of which a tract about a mile and a half wide, north and south, and three miles long, lay in the southeast corner of the present town of Cheektowaga. This was at once opened for settlement and was speedily occupied. Soon after 1830 a considerable number of German families settled in the territory of Cheektowaga, and their numbers have gone on increasing until now the town is almost entirely occupied by people of German birth and their children...
"The town of Cheektowaga was formed from Amherst, on the 20th day of March, 1829. The name was suggested by Alexander Hitchcock, and was intended to represent its Indian appellation -- sometimes rendered Ji-ik-do-wah-ga, which means "the place of the crab-apple tree..."
"The Roman Catholic Church of Cheektowaga is situated in the northern part of the town and owes its origin to Joseph Batt, who deeded three acres of land to Bishop Timon and his successors in office, for that purpose, on the first day of April, 1851. Mr. Batt was on his way from Alsace-Lorraine to this country, in 1836, when a violent storm arose and the ship was for several days in imminent danger of sinking. He then made a vow to erect a chapel to the Virgin Mary in case he and his family should escape. They did escape and as soon as his means permitted he faithfully fulfilled his vow. The corner-stone of the chapel was laid on the 10th of July, 1853, and it was dedicated by Rev. P.N. Neuman, on the 2d of October in that year. Mr. Batt died in February, 1872, at the age of eighty-three years, and was buried in the cemetery of the chapel he had founded."
[Note: The incorporation date given above, 20-Mar-1829, is incorrect. The correct date is 22-Mar-1839, according to Town of Cheektowaga, Town History. Thank you to Maureen Gleason, LPN, for pointing this out in December, 2013. -BJS]
From the same H.P. Smith book, pages 724-728:
"Daigler Adam, p o Williamsville, general farmer and stone dealer, born at Clarence, Erie county, in 1849; wife Mary Smith, born at Amherst in 1852, married in 1874; children eight -- three sons and five daughters. Parents George and Mary (Schefter) Daigler, of Alsace; the former born in 1806, and died in 1877, the latter born in 1810, came to Erie county in 1828, married in 1833, and died in 1873; children five...
"Gates Godfrey, p o Buffalo, general farmer, born at Alsace, in 1825, came to Wyoming county in 1840, and settled in Erie county in 1868, was justice of the peace and assessor; wife Christina Smith, of Wyoming couny, married in 1846, died n 1867; children six -- three sons and three daughters; second wife Esther Anna Mayer, born at Baden 1846, married in 1867; children seven; she was the daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Halo) Mayer, of Baden, came to Erie county in 1849; children six. Parents Jacob and Margaret (Hahn) Gates of Alsace, the latter died in France in 1828; he then married Sarah Philips, of Alsace, born in 1829, came to Wyoming county in 1840.
"Gerber Alois, p o Williamsville, farmer, born at Alsace in 1824, settled in Erie county in 1832, he was engaged on the lake for ten years as commander of tugs, etc.; wife Mary Demert, born at Alsace in 1832, married in 1851; children twelve. Parents John and Catherine Gerber, of Alsace, came to Erie county in 1832, he died in 1854, and she in 1872; children seven. Mrs. Gerber was the daughter of Anthony and Catherine Dembert, of Alsace, she died in Amherst in 1865, and he in France; they came to Erie county in 1849...
"Groell Blasius, p o Gardenville, general farmer, born at Alsace in 1815, came to Erie county in 1832; has been assessor and commissioner for several years; wife Magdalena Hell, born in France in 1815, married in 1835 and died January 10, 1870; children nine -- five sons and four daughters; Anthony born 1844, Frank in 1848, John in 1851, Joseph in 1854, Edward in 1855, Magdalena in 1835, Catherine in 1840, Mary Ann in 1842, and Theresa in 1846; the four daughters were volunteers in the rebelliion as nurses for soldiers at the hospital in Washington; second wife Barbara Edl of Germany married in June, 1879. Parents Joseph and Theresa Groell of France...
"Nagel Alexander G., p o Cheektowaga, wagon works and repair shops, born at Alsace in 1827, came to Erie county in 1835; wife Margaret Schoening, born in Bavaria, married in 1853; children nine, seven living -- Alexander G., Frank, Charles, Jacob W., Peter, John and Albert. Parents Anthony and Mary Nagel, of Alsace, who came to the county in 1835; the former died in 1871, aged ninety-one years, the latter in 1840...
"Stephan Frederick, p o Cheektowaga, farmer, was supervisor in 1883; wife Mary E. Bale, born at Cheektowaga in 1851, married in 1879. Parents Philip and Caroline (Smith) Stephan, of Germany; the former came to Erie county in 1830, and the latter in 1843; children eight...
"Voegele Joseph, p o Lancaster, farmer and stone dealer, born in Alsace in 1823, settled in Erie county in 1843; wife Catherine Ott, born in Alsace in 1826, married in 1859, children four -- Mary, Joseph F., Henry and Frank. Parents Joseph and Catherine (Miller) Voegele, of France, who came to Erie county in 1847, the former died in 1868 aged eighty, the latter in 1867 aged sixty-eight; children seven...
"Zurbrick Peter, p o Lancaster, general farmer and cattle dealer, born at Alsace in 1820, came to county in 1830; wife Christiana Zurbrick, born in 1832, married in 1852, and died in 1874; children eight -- George P., Henry W., William Levy, Elizabeth, Edwin, Mary and Anna L. Parents Nicholas and Elizabeth Zurbrick, of Alsace, who came to county in 1830; the former was born in 1780, and died in 1844; the latter born in 1785, married in 1806, and died in 1860; children six.
"Zurbrick Philip, p o Cheektowaga, miller, born in France in 1815, came to Cheektowaga in 1830; wife Fanny Geckler, of Lancaster, daughter of John and Anna M. Geckler, of Germany, who came to county in 1825, born in 1826, married in 1848; children seven -- three sons and four daughters. Philip built his present flour mill in 1874, it is a three-story building, located on Cayuga creek, on the Buffalo plank road. Parents Nicholas and Maria E. (Garber) Zurbrick, of France, who came to county in 1830; children six."
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