Son of Ransford Otis and Hannah (Randall) Otis. They were married at Halifax,VT on Mar 10,1811. They may be buried at Smith Cemetery in Sardinia,NY.
A namesake younger brother is buried here. Although that memorial indicates that Ransford was born in 1808, it should be noted that his parents were married in 1811. That Ransford was likely born closer to 1818.
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From History of the original town of Concord: being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York (1883)---
Ransford Otis came from Vermont to Sardinia, and in 1826
came from Sardinia to Concord; he lived on Lot 18, on the
Cattaraugus creek, south of Springville. April 21, 1840, he was murdered by Major McEllery, an Irishman, who was living at his house. He had lived there but a few weeks, but had lived about the forks of the creek for some time. At that time there was a grist mill up at Richmonds, and they had been up to mill and returned and were at the barn putting out the team in the forepart of the evening, when McEllery, who was a larger and much stronger man than Otis, stepped up behind him and grabbed him around the neck and choked till he thought he had killed him, when he laid him on some boards on the barn floor next the hay ; but Otis came to and said, " Major, you don't mean to kill me? " Then McEllery pounded him till he was dead. He then set the barn on fire. Presently the people on the creek and some from Springville saw the fire and came running down, and McEllery was there, and they enquired of him where Mr. Otis was, and McEllery said he had gone over to Mr. May's, who was his brother-in-law, and lived over across the creek where Warren Ransom lives now. And
some of those present went over to Mr. May's and found that Otis had not been there, and when the barn had fallen in and was burning fiercely, McEllery was seen to put his hands up to shade his eyes and look sharply through the smoke and flames at some object burning in the fire and on the hay. The people mistrusted him and had him arrested then and there, and he was committed to jail, and in due time tried and convicted and made a confession before he died. He was hung on the 19th day of January, 1841.
A namesake younger brother is buried here. Although that memorial indicates that Ransford was born in 1808, it should be noted that his parents were married in 1811. That Ransford was likely born closer to 1818.
______________________________________________________
From History of the original town of Concord: being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York (1883)---
Ransford Otis came from Vermont to Sardinia, and in 1826
came from Sardinia to Concord; he lived on Lot 18, on the
Cattaraugus creek, south of Springville. April 21, 1840, he was murdered by Major McEllery, an Irishman, who was living at his house. He had lived there but a few weeks, but had lived about the forks of the creek for some time. At that time there was a grist mill up at Richmonds, and they had been up to mill and returned and were at the barn putting out the team in the forepart of the evening, when McEllery, who was a larger and much stronger man than Otis, stepped up behind him and grabbed him around the neck and choked till he thought he had killed him, when he laid him on some boards on the barn floor next the hay ; but Otis came to and said, " Major, you don't mean to kill me? " Then McEllery pounded him till he was dead. He then set the barn on fire. Presently the people on the creek and some from Springville saw the fire and came running down, and McEllery was there, and they enquired of him where Mr. Otis was, and McEllery said he had gone over to Mr. May's, who was his brother-in-law, and lived over across the creek where Warren Ransom lives now. And
some of those present went over to Mr. May's and found that Otis had not been there, and when the barn had fallen in and was burning fiercely, McEllery was seen to put his hands up to shade his eyes and look sharply through the smoke and flames at some object burning in the fire and on the hay. The people mistrusted him and had him arrested then and there, and he was committed to jail, and in due time tried and convicted and made a confession before he died. He was hung on the 19th day of January, 1841.
Son of Ransford Otis and Hannah (Randall) Otis. They were married at Halifax,VT on Mar 10,1811. They may be buried at Smith Cemetery in Sardinia,NY.
A namesake younger brother is buried here. Although that memorial indicates that Ransford was born in 1808, it should be noted that his parents were married in 1811. That Ransford was likely born closer to 1818.
______________________________________________________
From History of the original town of Concord: being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York (1883)---
Ransford Otis came from Vermont to Sardinia, and in 1826
came from Sardinia to Concord; he lived on Lot 18, on the
Cattaraugus creek, south of Springville. April 21, 1840, he was murdered by Major McEllery, an Irishman, who was living at his house. He had lived there but a few weeks, but had lived about the forks of the creek for some time. At that time there was a grist mill up at Richmonds, and they had been up to mill and returned and were at the barn putting out the team in the forepart of the evening, when McEllery, who was a larger and much stronger man than Otis, stepped up behind him and grabbed him around the neck and choked till he thought he had killed him, when he laid him on some boards on the barn floor next the hay ; but Otis came to and said, " Major, you don't mean to kill me? " Then McEllery pounded him till he was dead. He then set the barn on fire. Presently the people on the creek and some from Springville saw the fire and came running down, and McEllery was there, and they enquired of him where Mr. Otis was, and McEllery said he had gone over to Mr. May's, who was his brother-in-law, and lived over across the creek where Warren Ransom lives now. And
some of those present went over to Mr. May's and found that Otis had not been there, and when the barn had fallen in and was burning fiercely, McEllery was seen to put his hands up to shade his eyes and look sharply through the smoke and flames at some object burning in the fire and on the hay. The people mistrusted him and had him arrested then and there, and he was committed to jail, and in due time tried and convicted and made a confession before he died. He was hung on the 19th day of January, 1841.
A namesake younger brother is buried here. Although that memorial indicates that Ransford was born in 1808, it should be noted that his parents were married in 1811. That Ransford was likely born closer to 1818.
______________________________________________________
From History of the original town of Concord: being the present towns of Concord, Collins, N. Collins, and Sardinia, Erie County, New York (1883)---
Ransford Otis came from Vermont to Sardinia, and in 1826
came from Sardinia to Concord; he lived on Lot 18, on the
Cattaraugus creek, south of Springville. April 21, 1840, he was murdered by Major McEllery, an Irishman, who was living at his house. He had lived there but a few weeks, but had lived about the forks of the creek for some time. At that time there was a grist mill up at Richmonds, and they had been up to mill and returned and were at the barn putting out the team in the forepart of the evening, when McEllery, who was a larger and much stronger man than Otis, stepped up behind him and grabbed him around the neck and choked till he thought he had killed him, when he laid him on some boards on the barn floor next the hay ; but Otis came to and said, " Major, you don't mean to kill me? " Then McEllery pounded him till he was dead. He then set the barn on fire. Presently the people on the creek and some from Springville saw the fire and came running down, and McEllery was there, and they enquired of him where Mr. Otis was, and McEllery said he had gone over to Mr. May's, who was his brother-in-law, and lived over across the creek where Warren Ransom lives now. And
some of those present went over to Mr. May's and found that Otis had not been there, and when the barn had fallen in and was burning fiercely, McEllery was seen to put his hands up to shade his eyes and look sharply through the smoke and flames at some object burning in the fire and on the hay. The people mistrusted him and had him arrested then and there, and he was committed to jail, and in due time tried and convicted and made a confession before he died. He was hung on the 19th day of January, 1841.
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Aged 17 months
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