Accident on the Mill Dam: An 1846 Twist Family Letter from White Creek

In December 1846, an aging farm couple in White Creek, New York sent a poignant letter to their far-off relatives in Niagara County. The letter, written from the hamlet of Centre White Creek (formerly known as Wait’s Corners), conveys startling news of a local mishap – Jonathan Fowler, a neighbor, suffered a horrific accident falling off a mill dam – alongside family updates, community gossip, and pleas to stay in touch. This surviving correspondence offers a rare first-hand glimpse into mid-19th century life in White Creek: the dangers of rural labor, the state of medical care, the challenges of long-distance communication, and the strong kinship ties that connected New York’s older towns with the developing western frontier. As Town Historian, analyzing this 1846 letter helps us understand how one family’s personal narrative reflects broader themes in White Creek’s history and the American experience of migration and community.

The above photo is of a nearby mill, but not the one mentioned in the letter which no longer exists. Other images in this article are AI generated.

Context & Significance

The mid-1840s were a period of transition for White Creek. Once a frontier settled after the Revolutionary War, by 1846 it was an established farming community in Washington County, NY, with several hamlets including Centre White Creek (formerly “Wait’s Corners”). In fact, around that time the local post office name changed from Wait’s Corners to Centre White Creek, a detail mentioned in the letter so the recipients would address their reply correctly. The letter’s authors – Elijah Twist (age 77 in 1846) and his wife Hannah (Gilbert) Twist (also 77) – were among White Creek’s early settlers, having moved from Massachusetts in the 1790s. By 1846, many of their generation’s children had grown and some, like the letter’s recipients, had left Washington County to seek new opportunities in western New York or beyond. The Twists’ letter vividly illustrates the distance that separated families: Elijah and Hannah refer to Niagara County as “the Western Country” and lament that this was the third letter they had written with no answer. In an era before telegraphs (the first telegraph line in upstate NY was just being built in 1846) and when postage was a significant expense (that was paid by the recipient!), letters were precious lifelines of news and comfort. This context makes the 1846 Twist letter especially significant – it encapsulates the mix of worry and hope felt by those left behind in White Creek as they anxiously awaited news from loved ones on New York’s western frontier.

Evidence

Below is the full transcription of the Twist family letter dated November 20, 1846, from Centre White Creek, NY, to David and Lyman Twist in Wilson, NY. The transcription preserves the original spelling, capitalization, and punctuation (including any apparent errors or idiosyncrasies) as found in the letter. Clarifications or uncertain readings by the transcriber are noted in parentheses.

White Creek, November 20 – 1846
Dear Brother, this comes with our regards to you and yours, to let you know that we are in common health, hoping our letter will shortly find you and yours enjoying good health, it is a general time of health here. This is the third letter we have sent to you since you have lived in the Western Country, and have had no answer, and should have sent two to one if we had our letters answered, we want to hear from you and yours very much, we wish you would come and see us. We talk with David Laker’s children often about you, and wish you would come and stay a whole winter season, and make a handsome visit, we used to take a great deal of comfort in talking and visiting together, but then Annie was living, and then we could take the more comfort, but if you can’t come conveniently you’ll please to write to us often, that will give us some satisfaction. If you cannot write yourself, please to get Lyman’s wife to write for you, I have seen some of her writing lately, and I can read her writing well. You will please to give us a detail of the family of Philip Ashley and Annie, Delancy Smith and Sally, and Lyman and Lydia, and to all yours in your present knowledge, we will mention the deaths of some of your acquaintances; Truman Laker, (& ?), old Thaddeus Rich, Samuel Rich, Thaddeus Rich’s wife, Nathan Gilbert and his wife, William Shearman (or Sherman) and his wife, James Holden (or Baldwin) and Browning Fowler (Giles Brownell Fowler?) – he froze to death. We understand you and Lyman live together, we hope you will not forget to write to us, immediately, so no more at present from us, David Twist, Hannah Twist, Elijah Twist.

I will add a few lines to this letter, I was going to say to let you know how much I want to see you all but I can’t describe it – I feel very sorry for your loss of a companion and mother her company can never be made up. Sylvester’s wife died (?) 3 years ago last September (and?) she had two girls one of them 5 years old and the other two, they was brought here and we have taken care of them until now. Sylvester married again in Oct to a girl 28 years of age, she is called a fine girl, he moved his goods and children away yesterday. He set up his trade last Jan. in the village of Salem & I will mention a few more deaths mainly Dea. (Amon) Fowler*, Saphrona Philena Marriet (probably Merritt), Jacob Decker*, Samuel Day’s wife (Elizabeth Goodrich), Uncle John Gilbert and wife, and Aunt Betsey, Jabel Remington, Mr. Ira Langworthy and brother James, Benjamin Sprague*, old Mrs. Gilmore, Esq. Welles’ wife and James, the widow Biah Wells, Miss Rise (Rice?), and Aunt Huldah Demming. Myron Tinkham the baker girls wish to be remembered to you all. Riel (Stout?), his mother and Polly are well and keeping house about a mile from here. Mr. Gilmore is 96 years old last May, he has walked over here several times within a year. Aunt Sally Sheldon is dead and we are yet alive. I had forgotten to tell that Samuel Bigsbee was here a year ago last September. He said his wife was dead.

Jonathan Fowler met with a sad accident last winter. He was walking across the flax mill dam on the MacVicar farm and fell over the dam and hurt him bad all over and the doctor took off his left hand at the wrist joint. I want you to come and make us a visit once more, and if you can’t come you can write. Tell Lydia that Uncle Rufus and his wife was here and made us a visit in Oct. and were as well as usual. His health is quite poor at the best. If we never see each other I hope we may meet in a better world than this.

Olive Twist

When you write us any letters, you’re please to direct your letters to Center White Creek, Wait’s Corners is now called Center White Creek. Elijah Twist. So I bid you all farewell. Hannah Twist.

(Transcription Notes: Asterisks () denote names that were unclear in the original and have been annotated by the transcriber. For example, “Dea. (Amon) Fowler*” suggests the deceased was likely Deacon Amon Fowler; “Jacob Decker*” and others marked with * may have additional identifying details provided in the notes below. Parentheses in the text enclose uncertain readings or clarifications – e.g. “(Giles Brownell Fowler?)” indicates a best guess at the name behind “Browning Fowler.”)*

Local Impact

Several themes emerge in this remarkable letter. First is the longing for reunion: Elijah opens by urging his brother (or nephew) to “come and make us a visit once more,” and if not, at least to write back. He notes this is the third letter sent since the family “lived in the Western Country” with no reply, showing the uncertainty of 1840s communication – letters could go astray or remain unanswered due to cost or hardship. The authors even suggest that if the addressee David Twist cannot write himself, he should have “Lyman’s wife” (Lydia) write on his behalf, saying “I have seen some of her writing lately and I can read it well”. This personal aside not only gives a sense of who in the family was literate and willing to correspond, but also subtly conveys the concern that perhaps David’s eyesight or education might prevent him from writing – a common issue for older farmers. The letter thus highlights how extended families strategized to keep communication alive across long distances.

The middle portion of the letter provides a roll call of neighbors and kin – essentially an obituary and news report in one. Elijah and Hannah list about a dozen people from White Creek who had died recently, so that their relatives out west could “have a detail” of those losses. For example, they report the deaths of “Truman Laker… old Thaddeus Rich, Samuel Rich… Nathan Gilbert and his wife… William Sherman and his wife… Browning (Brownell) Fowler… froze to death”. In doing so, they paint a somber picture of the community’s aging population and tragedies (one imagines Browning Fowler getting lost in a winter storm). They also slip in joyful news: “the baker girls wish to be remembered to you all”, indicating young friends sending their greetings, and mention that “Mr. Gilmore is 96 years old… he has walked over here several times within a year”, an incredible feat that must have encouraged everyone. This mix of mortality and resilience gives the narrative a poignant depth. It reminds us that despite hardships, White Creek in the 1840s was a tight-knit community where even a 96-year-old neighbor could be a regular visitor, and where the circle of “acquaintances” ranged from venerable patriarchs to “the baker girls.”

The most dramatic news, however, is the accident of Jonathan Fowler. Jonathan Fowler (identified in the letter as “Jonathan Fowle”, likely Jonathan B. Fowler (1793–1883) of Centre White Creek) was a prominent local farmer and part of the extensive Fowler family that settled White Creek from Rhode Island in the late 1700s. In winter 1845–46, Fowler “fell over the dam” at the flax mill on the MacVicar farm and was gravely injured. The letter’s blunt wording, “hurt him bad all over”, suggests he barely survived. Indeed, it took Dr. James Sanford or another country doctor amputating Jonathan’s left hand at the wrist to save his life. Such an operation, done likely on a kitchen table with primitive instruments, underscores the state of medical care available: when limbs were mangled or infected, amputation was often the only recourse. The community would have rallied around Fowler during his long recovery. (Notably, Jonathan Fowler did survive the ordeal – he lived into his 90s, passing in 1883, and no doubt became a village legend for having cheated death.) The letter’s matter-of-fact tone about the incident cannot mask the underlying concern; by sharing this story, the Twists were conveying both the dangers present in White Creek and perhaps their gratitude that “we are yet alive” despite such perils.

Also woven into the letter is a thread of spiritual hope and resignation. As Elijah’s daughter Olive Twist writes in her added lines (she clearly identifies herself, signing “Olive Twist” after relating Jonathan’s story), “if we never see each other I hope we may meet in a better world than this.” This heartfelt statement reflects 19th-century religious sensibilities – an acceptance that earthly reunions were uncertain, and that family might only be reunited in heaven. Given that the letter’s recipients had recently lost a loved one, this line carries even more weight. Earlier in the letter, Olive’s portion also expresses sympathy for “your loss of a companion and mother – her company can never be made up”. This likely refers to the death of Anna “Annie” Twist, the wife of David Twist and mother of Lyman, who had died not long before. Indeed, Elijah notes, “we used to take a great deal of comfort in talking and visiting together, but then Annie was living, and we could take the more comfort…”, a wistful remembrance of happier times when his sister-in-law was alive. The deep sense of family sorrow is palpable – the Twists in White Creek shared in the grief of their western kin, despite being 250 miles apart. Such empathy across distance was a key aspect of how families like the Twists coped with separation.

Finally, the letter ends with a practical housekeeping detail that offers a glimpse into local geography and infrastructure: “When you write us any letters, you’ll please to direct your letters to Center White Creek, Wait’s Corners is now called Center White Creek. Elijah Twist.” Here, Hannah (who signs off last as the letter’s final writer) is instructing that future correspondence be addressed to “Center White Creek” – the official name of the post office – in care of Elijah Twist. Wait’s Corners was the old name of that crossroads where a Baptist church and cemetery stood, but by 1846 the postal authorities had renamed it to match the town name. This detail tells us that Wait's (or Waite’s) Corners was essentially the center of White Creek’s community life at the time, and that Elijah likely collected mail from the post office there. It’s a charming reminder of 19th-century rural mail delivery: letters might be held at a post office “to be left at Lockport” (as noted on the envelope for the Niagara side) or directed to a specific person at a tiny hamlet post office on the sending side. The Twists did not want any misdirection caused by the recent name change. With a gentle finality, Hannah Twist then writes, “So I bid you all farewell” – closing the letter with the grace and warmth of a loving matriarch, and perhaps with a presentiment that, if a reply did not come or if their health failed, this might be her last communication to those dear family members out west.

In sum, the narrative within the 1846 Twist family letter moves from community news and tragedies to personal loss and enduring faith. It serves as both a newsletter from White Creek and a love letter to absent family, preserving in ink the voices of people who otherwise left few records. Now, we turn to what this letter reveals about the individuals named in it and their place in White Creek’s story.

Family Ties, Migration and Community

The Twist family correspondents and their neighbors mentioned in the letter were all part of the fabric of White Creek’s history. Brief biographical profiles of the key individuals help connect this 1846 snapshot to the larger picture of the town’s development:

• Elijah Twist (1769–1855) – The principal author of the letter, Elijah Twist was born in Massachusetts and settled in White Creek by the early 1790s. He married Hannah Gilbert (1769–1851) in 1790, and together they had a large family while farming near Wait’s Corners (Centre White Creek). Elijah and Hannah’s names appear in local records and they were buried in Center White Creek (Waites Corners) Cemetery. Elijah’s longevity (he lived to 85) and his reference to past decades of “talking and visiting” suggest he had been an active member of the community since its pioneer days. Notably, Elijah’s presence as addressee for return letters implies he was the family’s anchor in White Creek – a point of contact at the local post office and a patriarch to whom news flowed.

• Hannah (Gilbert) Twist (1769–1851) – Co-author and signer of the letter, Hannah was the matriarch of the Twist clan. Her “common health” is mentioned in the letter’s opening lines, indicating she was in decent health for age 77. Hannah came from the Gilbert family, which had its own roots in the region – the letter references “Uncle John Gilbert and wife, and Aunt Betsey” among recent deaths, likely Hannah’s relatives. It also mentions “Aunt Huldah Deming,” probably another Gilbert connection. This suggests the Gilbert family was interwoven with White Creek’s early society. Hannah’s gentle voice closes the letter, and within five years she herself passed away (her gravestone records her as “Hannah Gilbert, wife of Elijah Twist”, aged 82). Through Hannah and Elijah’s long life in White Creek, we see the continuity of the town’s early settlers – from Revolutionary War-era land patents to the mid-19th century, they witnessed it all.

• David Twist (c.1761–1850) – The letter is addressed to “Dear Brother,” strongly indicating the recipient was David Twist, Elijah’s elder brother. Born in Charlton, Massachusetts (often recorded as Twiss), David appears to have moved to Niagara County, NY in the 1830s or early 1840s with grown children, joining the westward migration after the Erie Canal. In Wilson, Niagara County, he lived with or near his son Lyman (“we understand you and Lyman live together”). The letter’s tone—urging him to write, acknowledging his bereavement, suggesting Lydia write for him—hints he was infirm. He died a few years later, around 1850. Though he left White Creek, ties to his birthplace remained strong.

• Anna “Annie” (Baker) Twist (1780–c.1845) – David’s wife and the mother of his children. The letter’s line “but then Annie was living, and then we could take the more comfort” most plausibly refers to Anna (Baker) Twist, whose death before 1846 deeply affected both her family in Niagara and kin in White Creek. (A younger daughter Ann “Annie” Twist—later Ann (Twist) Ashley—also exists in the family; context here points to the mother.)

• Lyman Twist (1808–1897) – David’s son, named in the address and letter. Born in White Creek, by 1846 he lived in Wilson, NY with his wife Lydia (Scoon) Twist (1812–1879). Like many New Yorkers of his generation, he later pushed farther west, becoming an early settler in Westfield, Sauk County, Wisconsin. He lived a long life and remained a key link between the Niagara/Wisconsin branch and White Creek.

• Lydia (Scoon) Twist (1812–1879) – “Lyman’s wife,” specifically addressed (“Tell Lydia…”). Born Lydia Scoon of Saratoga County, she married Lyman in 1835. The letter notes her capable correspondence, consistent with daughters-in-law acting as family scribes. She and Lyman are buried together in Wisconsin.

• Olive Twist (ca.1795– after 1860) – Daughter of Elijah and Hannah who adds a substantial postscript. Unmarried and likely caregiver to her parents, Olive’s voice conveys empathy and detail (notably Jonathan Fowler’s accident and Uncle Rufus’s visit). Census records keep her in White Creek into the 1850s; she likely cared for Elijah until his death.

• Jonathan Fowler (1793–1883) – Not family but central to the letter’s accident account, illustrating community interdependence. A long-established farmer near Centre White Creek, he survived a grievous fall at the mill dam. The story highlights the hazards of small industrial sites and the way such news traveled through kin networks.

• “Uncle Rufus” (b. c.1770s; d. unk.) – An elderly relative who visited in October 1846 “as well as usual,” though generally in poor health. Likely an uncle in the Twist/Gilbert/Baker lines (the wording “Tell Lydia…” could also imply an uncle on Lydia Scoon’s side). His visit underscores enduring ties among far-flung kin.

• Ann “Annie” (Twist) Ashley (b.1806) & Philip Ashley; Sarah “Sally” (Twist) Smith (b.1813) & Delancey Smith – These couples are David and Anna (Baker) Twist’s married daughters and sons-in-law, named in the letter as families the writers wish to hear about (“a detail of the family of Philip Ashley and Annie, Delancy Smith and Sally, and Lyman and Lydia”). They exemplify the younger generation’s migration west while keeping close correspondence with White Creek.

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• Laker / Lake Family (Truman Lake/Laker; David Lake/Laker’s children) – The letter lists Truman Laker among the deceased and notes frequent conversations with David Laker’s children, suggesting a neighbor family closely connected to the Twists. Spelling may vary (Lake/Laker). Further local records should clarify relationships.

• Rich Family (Thaddeus Rich Jr.; Thaddeus S. Rich; Samuel Rich) – “Old Thaddeus Rich” is Thaddeus Rich Jr. (1763–1846), who died April 14, 1846 and is buried at Center White Creek. The letter also mentions Thaddeus S. Rich (b. c.1823; died young in the 1840s) and Samuel Rich, indicating multiple losses in the Rich circle during this period.

• Nathan Gilbert (d. by 1846) and wife – Likely kin to Hannah (Gilbert) Twist (uncle or cousin). The letter notes both as deceased; names and dates invite confirmation through cemetery or probate records.

• William Sherman (Shearman) and wife (d. by 1846) – A local Sherman couple recorded as gone by the letter’s date. Variant spelling “Shearman” appears; treated here as Sherman.

• James Holden (or Baldwin) (d. by 1846) – The letter writers were unsure of the surname. Recorded here as an unresolved identity, with both possibilities tracked.

• Giles Brownell (“Browning”) Fowler (1818–1841) – Known locally as a dramatic earlier loss (death by exposure), likely mentioned as a notable tragedy within the broader Fowler family context; twin son of Jonathan B. Fowler.

• Deacon Amon Fowler (b. c.1770s–d. 1840s) – A Baptist deacon respected in the community; his passing is listed among the “few more deaths.”

• Jacob Decker (d. by 1846) – A local figure noted with an asterisk in some transcriptions; details pending confirmation in town records.

• Elizabeth (Goodrich) Day (d. 1845) – “Samuel Day’s wife,” daughter of Peter Goodrich, an early settler. Included to keep Niagara kin informed.

• The Gilmores: John Gilmore (1750–1847) and Mrs. Gilmore (d. by 1846) – “Mr. Gilmore is 96 last May and has walked over here several times,” almost certainly John Gilmore, who died the next year at 97. “Old Mrs. Gilmore” had died earlier, marking the end of a long-lived couple known to the Twists.

• Wells/Welles Family (Esq. Wells/Welles; his wife; James; the widow of Obadiah “Biah” Wells) – The letter references multiple losses within the Wells/Welles family: the Esquire’s wife, a James (likely same family), and the widow of Obadiah (“Biah”) Wells. Titles suggest local standing; identities are tracked together here pending precise linkage.

• Miss Rice (Rise?) (d. by 1846) – An unmarried woman, surname likely Rice but could be Rich, included among community deaths.

• Jabez (“Jabel”) Remington (d. by 1846) – Spelling reflects pronunciation; a known regional family name.

• Myron Tinkham and “the Baker girls” – A greeting rather than an obituary: they “wish to be remembered.” The “Baker girls” likely kin of Anna (Baker) Twist, illustrating active social ties.

• Rial/Royal (“Riel”) Stout, his mother, and Polly – Reported as “well and keeping house about a mile from here,” a snapshot of neighbors within walking distance; names preserved with variant spellings noted.

• Aunt Huldah Deming/Deming (d. by 1846) – Referred to as “Aunt Huldah,” almost certainly in the Gilbert line (sister or close relative of Hannah), though Twist/Baker connections are also possible; surname normalized as Deming.

• Aunt Sally Sheldon (d. by 1846) – Another family aunt (Twist/Gilbert/Baker lines), her death recorded with the poignantly wry aside, “and we are yet alive.”

• Samuel Bixby (Bigsbee) – Visited in September 1845 and reported his wife’s death; surname normalized as Bixby with Bigsbee tracked as a variant.

• Uncle John Gilbert (1777–1848) and [Mrs.] John Gilbert – Already noted under Hannah; recorded here to consolidate: Hannah’s brother John Gilbert died in 1848; his wife (name unconfirmed) appears to have predeceased him by the time of the letter.

• Aunt Betsey (d. by 1846) – Mentioned alongside Uncle John Gilbert but likely a distinct aunt (not John’s wife). Identity unresolved; tracked within the extended Gilbert/Baker/Twist kin network.

  
  
  
  
  

Taken together, these profiles demonstrate how the individuals in the 1846 letter were interconnected players in White Creek’s saga. The Twist family were early settlers turned long-term residents, the Fowler family provided community leadership (and the occasional calamity), and the younger Twists and their spouses joined the westward movement that would eventually populate states like Wisconsin and beyond. Importantly, institutions like the Center White Creek Baptist Church and the local mill, though not mentioned by name, lurk in the background of these lives – the church cemetery at Waite’s Corners holds Elijah, Hannah, and many others, while mills and farms provided livelihood and the scene of Jonathan’s accident. The letter underscores how White Creek was both a distinct place and part of a larger web: its residents participated in the great American story of settlement, communication, and migration.

Conclusion

The Elijah and Hannah Twist letter of 1846 is far more than a family communiqué – it is a microcosm of 19th-century rural American life. Through its frank prose, we witness the humanity of White Creek’s people: their perils (a fall on the mill dam), their sorrows (the empty chair of a beloved wife and mother), and their enduring hope (the wish “to meet in a better world” if not again in this one). We also gain concrete historical information: the renaming of a hamlet, the presence of a flax mill, the longevity of a Revolutionary-era community into the 1840s, and the links between eastern towns and the frontier.

For the Town of White Creek, this letter is a treasured artifact. It connects us to names that still echo in local cemeteries and records – Twist, Fowler, Gilbert, Sheldon, etc. – and provides color and context to those names. It reminds us that behind every entry in a census or line in a grave register, there were real people with relationships and emotions much like our own. The letter’s mixture of news – from mundane health reports to dramatic accidents – conveys the texture of daily existence here 179 years ago. One can almost imagine Elijah Twist, with trembling hands, folding this letter and sealing it, then entrusting it to the post rider at Center White Creek, all the while praying for the safety and prosperity of those it would reach.

From a historian’s perspective, the Twist letter also highlights the value of primary sources. In piecing together its meaning, we consulted census data, cemetery records, and local histories to identify the cast of characters and verify events. Each source confirmed different facets: the letter said Jonathan Fowler lost a hand, and indeed the county history notes Jonathan Fowler’s birth in 1793 and his presence in 1878; the letter spoke of Uncle Rufus’s ill health, and genealogy suggests a real Rufus in the family tree; the letter mentioned Wait’s Corners’ new name, and postal records corroborate that change in 1836. This convergence of evidence strengthens our understanding of White Creek’s past. It also showcases the role of the Town Historian: to weave such fragmentary clues into a coherent narrative that preserves our heritage.

In conclusion, the 1846 Twist family letter stands as a touchstone of White Creek’s heritage. It captures a moment when our town’s old and new generations stayed united through pen and paper, despite physical separation. It speaks to the resiliency of those who built and sustained White Creek – people who suffered losses, embraced change, and looked after one another. And ultimately, it leaves us with an image both ordinary and profound: a family reaching out in love and concern, bridging the distance with words, and in doing so, bridging the centuries to speak to us today.

Sources & Notes

• Twist Family Letter (1846) – Original letter from Elijah, Hannah, David, and Olive Twist (Centre White Creek, NY) to David and Lyman Twist (Wilson, NY), dated Nov. 20, 1846 (postmarked Dec. 1). Transcription by Town of White Creek Historianwhitecreekhistorian.wordpress.comwhitecreekhistorian.wordpress.com. (letter content and envelope.)

• Findagrave & Cemetery Records – Waites Corners (Center White Creek) Cemetery listings for Elijah Twist (1769–1855) and Hannah (Gilbert) Twist (1769–1851)sites.rootsweb.com, confirming their birth/death dates and burial. Also, Westfield Cemetery, WI records for Lyman Twist (1808–1897) and Lydia (Scoon) Twist (1812–1879)interment.net.

• FamilySearch Genealogy – Entries for Sylvester Twist (1810–1853)dialoguejournal.com, Lyman Twist (1808–1897)ancestors.familysearch.org, Lydia Scoon (1812–1879)ancestors.familysearch.org, and David Twiss (1761–1850), providing family relationships (e.g. parents Joseph Twiss Jr. and Esther Frost) and migration notes.

• History of Washington County, NY (C. Johnson, 1878) – Biography of Jonathan B. Fowlerloc.gov, stating his birth (Feb. 5, 1793 in White Creek) and noting he was alive in 1878 at age 85. Confirms Fowler’s prominence and family (grandfather Abel Fowler)loc.gov. Also provides context on early White Creek settlers and local officials (mention of Wait’s Corners post office removal in 1836, etc.).

• Ancestry Records – “Jonathan Fowler” (b. 1793 – d. 1883) showing parents Abel Fowler (1745–1833) and Mary “Molly” Brownell Fowler (1746–1809)ancestry.com, establishing the Fowler family’s Rhode Island origin and presence in White Creek. Mary Brownell Fowler’s death in White Creekfindagrave.com links to the family’s early settlement.

• Gazetteers and Post Office References – Indicate that Wait’s (Waite's) Corners was renamed Center White Creek and had a post office by that namefamilyfindings.cominterment.net. The letter itself refers to this change.

• Niagara & Migration History – Western New York development after the Erie Canal (opened 1825) led many Washington County residents to Niagara and beyondsites.rootsweb.com. Genealogy Trails (Sauk Co., WI) notes Lyman Twist arriving 1852genealogytrails.com, exemplifying the continuing westward migration of the Twist family.

• Note: Some spellings in the original letter are non-standard or ambiguous. We have preserved them (e.g. “writs joint” for wrist joint, “you’re please to direct” likely meant you’ll please to direct) and annotated where necessary. “Jonathan Fowle” is interpreted as Jonathan Fowler, consistent with local records. “Browning Fowler” is believed to refer to Brownell Fowler (a member of the Fowler family) and “Miss Rise” likely means Miss Rice. These clarifications are based on context and historical sources.

• Note: The envelope was addressed “To David Twist, or Lyman Twist, in the Town of Wilson, Niagara County, to be left at Lockport, State of New York”, with a sender’s notation “Centre White Creek N.Y. Dec 1” – indicating the postal routing. Lockport was the county seat and a canal hub where Wilson’s mail was held for pickup. This detail illustrates the 1840s postal system that relied on forwarding through larger towns.

Last edited by Ted Rice on 6 December 2025. Disclaimer, the narration was not written by me as Town Historian but (most likely) by AI.

On the original website I just posted the transcription of the letter with the photocopy of the original shown below. Although envelopes existed at the time, they often weren't used and the letter was "backed" by folding it and writing the recipients name and address on the reverse side, then sealing it with a wax seal. Center White Creek was originally "Waite's Corners", named after Rev. William Waite who started the church, gave it the land, and was settled nearby. Centre is the British spelling of Center and was still used in America for quite some time after the Revolution.