Notes on the 1854 Map of Chautauque County

Early in October 1853, the publisher C.G. Keeney of Philadelphia began advertising a "New Map of Chautauque County" to be produced from surveys by Samuel M. Rea and A.V. Trimble, experienced surveyors/map makers. The map was to include "All the Public Roads, and the locations of the Mills, Taverns, Places of Worship, Shops, Wheel Wrights, &c., &c., are to be marked. The names of the property-holders generally (carefully including those who subscribe in advance to the Map) are also to be inserted upon their places. . . ." The statistics of the County by the last Census will also be inserted in the margin. To be illustrated with vignettes of Views in the County. MAPS OF VILLAGES, On a large scale will be inserted in the margin."

The publisher repeated the ad in several issues of The Fredonia Censor. On December 14, 1853 the editor added a small item announcing that "Mr. Keeney is now canvassing this town [Pomfret] and will give our citizens an opportunity of securing a map which none should fail to possess. As he will not make a surplus of the maps, this will be the last opportunity." The editor of A List of Maps of America in the Library of Congress said about land ownership maps, "Before beginning a new county map, the publisher got the support of county officials, lawyers, etc. Usually their endorsement appeared in newspapers, first with an appeal for citizen support. Then canvassers were sent out. No work was done until enough signatures had been attained to assure financial success. About 1,000 copies were printed at $5.00 each. Each business or resident who had a lithographed view was charged from $36.00 to $60.00."

Canvassing every town in the county to ensure enough subscribers were signed up took time. That is why the map was still in preparation in the following May, 1854. It was late October, 1854 when the county map was finally delivered. The Fredonia Advertiser of February 10, 1854 had an article which stated, "We have been shown a proof copy of the Western portion of the new Map of Chautauque County, in process of engraving, and soon to be issued by C.G. Keeney. Mr. Keeney is still canvassing for subscribers. . . . He will visit the town of Portland during the coming week. The pretty village of Silver Creek has been engraved, and appears handsomely on the margin."

It seems that much of the information on the 1854 map was probably gathered after mid-December 1853. In fact, an analysis of the Fredonia/Pomfret sections reveals that local changes up through May 1854 are reflected on the map, but not that of December. For example, the District 8 Schoolhouse was destroyed by fire in June of 1853 and replaced by October of 1853. The new firm of McPherson & Forbes, which began on April 11, 1854, is entered on the map, as is Dr. D.D. Franklin, whose Oriental Water Cure building was up by May of 1854. Late in December, Dr. Washburn changed his residence from Eagle Street to the Woleben Block. That change is not reflected on the map.

Fredonia’s Jesse M. Tiffany played a significant role in the production of the map.  His obituary reported that “After coming to Fredonia he had charge of the publication of a large map of Chautauqua county, probably the first one ever published.”   It also said “He established the undertaking business bearing his name soon after coming to Fredonia [about 1851] and today it is the oldest established business in the village...”.  In the back of the fourth journal from his undertaking business, Tiffany had made a list of the purchasers of the County Map and the amount he received from that individual, usually $4.00.  Tiffany’s original journals are in the possession of The Historical Society of Dunkirk.  Jesse M. Tiffany was listed as a “subscriber” on the 1854 map, and his house was shown on Eagle Street in the 1867 Atlas of Chautauqua County. He was a supporter of the 1881 Atlas of Chautauqua County, where a short form of his biographical sketch appeared in the “Personal Notices.”