New-York tribune., 1902-08-31
BATAVIA CENTENNIAL.
THIS WESTERN NEW YORK
TOWN WILL CELEBRATE
THIS WEEK.
MEMORIES OF THE HOLLAND PUR
CHASE-MEN OF NOTE WHO LIVED IN
THIS PART OF GENESEE COUNTY.

Batavia y. Y. Aug. 3o.-The Tooth anniversary OF
the founding this village will be celebrated next
Thursday. September /, with elaborate observ-
ances. Governor Ode has promised TO be present
and deliver an address. Charles E. Fitch OF
Rochester. a member of the State Board of Re
gents wifi give the Grafton of the day The
rangerents are under the direction OF the Holland
Purchase Historical Society The committee
sists Of DR.. John w I4eSeur, chairman; Mayor
Harvey ] Burkhart Stafford E North. Arthur E.
Clark Cserret S. Griswold. Frank S Wood and
Daniel W Tomnson. In addition the speakers
named above John G. Milburn, of Buffalo, will be
present at the celebration and deliver brief ad-
dress. His name does not appear upon the pro-
sramme, at his request, but his presence has
been assured. Mr.. Miburn. when he first TO
this country from England at the age OF eighteen
years. settled in Batavia and began the study of
Law in the Office OF Wakeman & Watson.
The celebration of this centennial anniversary of
Batavia is weighted with especial interest for
with that of the town is involved much of the his
tory OF Western New-York, the fascinating story
OF the settlement OF the Genesee Valley and the
occupation by the hardy New England settlers of
the lands shrewdly purchased handled by
the Holland Land Company. Batavia for
than half a century was the central point of i'm
portance for the company. and the ancient build
ing which still stands hoary and venerable in
Main-st built as a land office to facilitate
the sale O. the Holland Compapy's holdings to the
settlers The date September I has bearing
the villages history, having been selected arbi-
The year 1902. however, accurately marks the COM
pletion of the towns first centennial. for in
1902 that the village may fairly said been
founded That was the year when the timbers
the first courthouse were laid although buildings
had been erected for more than q year previous
When the first settlers came into what is
Genesee County they heard the Indians call the
site of Batavia Ge-ne-un-da-sais-ka, which, being
interpreted, means the place of mosquitoes. or. in
crisp modern phraseology, Mosquitoville. Tom
Moore. the author of Irish Melodies" passed by
the settlement in the Of his American visit,
and gathered from the scenery the stimulus for
his poem Song of the Evil Spirit Of the Woods"
Some indication OF the impression which the
country must have made upon him is decipherable
from the lines which read:
Through the misty ether spreads
Every i'll the white breads;
Fiery feVers thirsty thrill.
Fitful ague's shivering chill
Moore acknowledged IN his notes that the
ideas Of this poem occurred 10 him "in pass
fng through the very dreary wilderness be-
tween Batavia. a new settlement in the midst OF
the woods and the little village Of Buffalo,
Lake Erie This is the most fatigung part of the
route in travelling through the Genesee country to
Niagara This written Of a journey taken
in 1905 three years after Batavia had been settled.
II Moore could take the journey now, any
Of three railroads. by automobile over the