New-York tribune., 1876-10-13
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

HISTORY or ERIE ya G0uG2 T 2 oae
the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser
The author of this volume has wisely alb
stained from crowdiug his pages with notices 81 the
obscure andfathers OF obscure men, ana thus convert
ing his work into dreary catalogue or msighincaht
names instead Of useful record OF public events NOT
has he dwet largely on those favored towns which pre-
sent but few incidents of crime and folly to engage the
attention of the historian, divert the population from
tbe cool sequcsered vale" I'm which their harmless
lives were passed in the pursuits OF rural industry Inc
materials Of the volume have been derived not ouy nom
the dgcnt study of che standard authorities on De sun
icct but from tue ecOections OF persons no" HNS '
an advanced age whose memory goes bdch 70 u 'i'
history Of the present county. a large poiu9h "
esssrl taken mn with lnrcly local details which arc
Of little interest TO the general reader but the houces o
the social and industrial life Of The primitive settlers
present series OF natural pictures thdt aHoIu
vivid illustration OF the progress Of civilization IN te
now crowded region 10 which the work is devoted The
uioneers were entirely destitute OF the appliances OF
modern luxury Their dwellings hardly rose TO the Dig
,it of LOG houses As rule they mere cabins oI
small logs covered with bark log house sixteen Ieet
square with shinglc roof, and window containing SIX
pauos Of glass was considered sumruous residence
mud its owner bOac1 arstOcTat. The iurAllurc WIS
as primitive as the houses. good feather bed was Il
rarity and q bedstead still more rare OhN tie
higher classes INDUCED u chairs Their place was sup
rled by rude benches heWn ont Of log with fouf legs
cut from the tree. A yoke OF oxen was an e''"'
mart OF the outfit Of the original pioneers. during le
first few years Of it, settlement not one family ID Jthh
the eopnty owned pair Of horses. The food was mainly
corp-bread or wheat-bread with the more luxurious
classes and pork as the standing dish for meat Beef was
an exceptional dainty. Neus0n was frequently ohtahed
I'm winter and sometimes fine fat bear was
brought TO the ground. But pork was On inc
table year in and year ont. There was no rear "i
trichIn in those DAYS Tea and coffee were scarce he
there was plenty Of maple sugar Social lie was OF TIC
rudest kind NeighbOrly visits were not uncommon ana
there were slc- c-h-rides on oyeds, which ""uha up VIII"
dance i'm the log tavern, 10 the musicot solitary h"ie
in the hands Of some inspired backwoodsnan. There
was not church in the county so late as lsOS except
n ouaI,er peetinehouse Of logs Meetings re held at
rare intervals in sch0Olhousc7 or private o"elhlES
where some lavman i'm the absence OF the minister
would read a sermon and conduct the services Ger
,an doctor of medicine performed these functions in
Buffalo besides conducting funerals, furnishing ms
house for dnncngschool and taking the lead in every
thing that was going on It was said Of this worthy that
che did the praying aud the swearing for the whole
community" as the history approaches the present
time it tapcrs of into ameager narrative without the
interest that attaches TO the period Of adventure and
perl during the early settlement of the county. The
style OF the author is as inartihcia as the primitive
scenes which he describes with pretension TO literary
finish and often indeed Wpeasautly sp-shod IN us eX-
cess of coogual freedom. Comparatively little space Is
devoted to the ecclesiastical affairs o. Erie County,
topie which usually affords abundant materials to the
local anpast-but if the history of the church militant Is
neglected the arm of flesh is made prominent in the de-
tcripon of secular military operations in which the
gvord OF Gideon figures brilliantly than the sword
81 the Lord.