Place:Olean (town), Cattaraugus, New York, United States

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NameOlean (town)
Alt namesOlean
TypeTown
Located inCattaraugus, New York, United States


the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Olean is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,890 at the 2020 census.[1] The name is derived from the Latin word "oleum" due to the discovery of crude oil in nearby Ischua.

The town of Olean is in the southeast corner of the county. The city of Olean, originally the village of Olean, is bordered by the town on three sides.

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History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

The area of Olean was first settled circa 1805. The town of Olean was established in 1808 from Batavia as the first town in the county. The northern part of the county was spun off as the town of Hebe in 1812; the western part became the town of Perry (later Perrysburg) in 1814, Great Valley was formed in 1818, Hinsdale in 1820, and Portville in 1837.

The village of Olean was originally named "Hamilton", after Alexander Hamilton. The United States Postal Service imposed the name Olean in 1817 to prevent confusion with Hamilton, Madison County, New York; no municipal law was ever passed changing the name. The name "Olean" was suggested for the area due to the oil found in the vicinity. The famed Wenro Oil Spring, discovered by the Franciscan missionary Joseph de La Roche Daillon in 1627, was located approximately upstream (northeast) of Olean Point. The original town hall burned in 1884, prompting a law that forbade wooden structures in parts of the town.

Notable inhabitants of the town have included Claude Allen, an Olympic athlete, and Catharine Young, a New York state senator.

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Research Tips

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External Links

  • Outstanding guide to Olean family history and genealogy resources (FamilySearch Research Wiki). Birth, marriage, and death records, town histories, cemeteries, churches, newspapers, libraries, and genealogical societies.
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