Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-10-03
KEuKA LAKE IS FOR THE suNFLowEa
Where the Great American bloom boasts
Patriotic Pedigree.

Where the Great American bloom boasts
Patriotic Pedigree.
II the question Of the selection of na-
tional flower should be left to the deci-
sion Of the residents in this part of the
delightful Keuka lake region it would be
settled in favor of the sunflower.
The first settler on lands within the
village boundaries of Hammondsport
was Capt. John Sheathar. He purchased
his homestead in 1906 direct from the
agent of Sir William PUAteney, who
owned the most of Steuben county.
Capt. Sheathar, his biographer says, was
a Revolutionary soldier. He held COM
mission as captain of dragons, and had
the reputation of being an excellent off,
Ger and favorite with Gen. Washing
ton. He lived on the head of Crooked
(Keuka) lake, and Jared sumptuously.
He was generous, hospitable man and
true patriot. He was of a stout, port
ly figure, and made a fine appearance
on horseback dressed in his Continental
regimentals, as he used to appear on all
celebration occasions.
Capt. Sheathar came from Virginia,
and he brought with him into the Keuka
lake wilderness a number of sunhower
seeds which he planted in the grounds.
1t is said that he frequently declared that
Washington's favorite flower was the
sunhower, and it is a tradition that the
seeds Capt Sheathar planted here came
from a flower that grew on the estate of
the father of his country. The sunfow-
ers that grew from the seeds of Keuka
Lakes pioneer settler were probably the
first that bloomed in western New York.
Today, all through this region of lus-
cious fruits and brilliant blooms, scions
of that illustrious stock hold a proud
place. They brighten every garden,
ard beam from their lofty and sturdy
stalks on many a velvety lawn. They
burst in glory from amid the green acre
age of trailing grape vines, high on the
slopes that guard the shores of Keuka
lake, and close to the foliage fringed
borders of the lake itself they bow their
stately, gold crowned heads to the sa-
luting breeze. Summer cottages along
the lake, set back against the hills among
old oaks and pines and elms, find them
selves, as the season grows, almost hid
den by the broad leafed growth of this
great flower stalk, and the cottagers
walk with a sunburst at every turn. The
flowers lift up their glowing faces against
the gable windows, and even nod at one
another across the housetops.
1t is the pride of the Keuka lake citi-
zen to have it recorded in his local print
that he has placed upon the editors table
the largest and brightest sunfower of
the season, or that he has the highest
sunfower stalk or one with the most
flowers on it. Thus The Hammondsport
Herald of this week announces that
Nicholas Augur has shown to the editor
a sunhower that grew in his yard, and
that it measured twelve inches across in
side its fringe of golden leaves. 1t had
seeds enough to plant five acre lot. A
paper in another town says that SUM-
flower stalk twenty feet high and hav-
ing seventy-five immense flowers on it
is sight to be seen in James Sebring's
dooryard, HS,d that it is worth going
twenty miles to see.
Keuka lake wants to be put on record
as being for the sunfower for the ma
tional flower first, last, and all the time
-Hammondsport Cor. New York Sun.