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From: Wellsville Daily Reporter; Transcribed by Mary Rhodes

Publication Date August 3, 1894

William Bellamy

The death of William Bellamy, of this town, removes one of the oldest inhabitants.  He was the son of Silas Bellamy, who came form Connecticut and took up the land on which the village of Scio now stands. Silas Bellamy was among the first settlers and married Betsy Knight, whose father had purchased all the land west of the Genesee river at Scio and up Knights Creek.  This marriage is noted as the first ever held in Scio.

William, Bellamy was born Sept 15, 1826 and married Jane Coats, daughter of Bartholomew Coats in 1846.

In 1849 deceased cut a sledge road from Scio to the farm on Niles Hill, where he has since lived and died.  F. W. Niles, for whom the hill was named, went at the same time and bought the adjoining property.  That section was then a wilderness and Mr. Bellamy started out to subdue and beautify it.  How well he succeeded is shown by the well tilled farm of nearly two hundred acres, famed for its productiveness and the hospitality of its owner.  Two sons were the fruit of the union, I. S. Bellamy of Little Genesee and W. H. Bellamy of this town.

The faithful and loving wife died Oct 5, 1892, since which time Mr. Bellamy’s health has been visibly declining.  But it was not until January last that any thing serious was thought of.  Three months ago an examination by Dr. Parks of Buffalo developed the fact that a cancerous growth was developing in the throat and no encouragement was given for his recovery.  Gradually failing in health, he wasted away without a word of complaint and though about the house till within a few days of his death, the throat difficulty did not further develop and he passed away on July 28th.  The direct cause of death as assigned by the physicians was inflammation of the bowels.

The funeral was held Monday afternoon at the old home on Niles Hill.  It was very largely attended by friends and neighbors from far and near for perhaps no man in the county, was held in higher esteem, both for his sterling worth and honest manhood.  Rev. F. H. Cowman officiated, assisted by Rev. S. A. Whitcomb and Rev. J. W. Wheeler.  Interment was made beside the beloved wife in the little cemetery on the farm, a plot in which Mr. Bellamy had taken the greatest pride.  Three sisters survive, Mrs. M. G. Cole, of Omaha, Neb. Mrs. Sarah Simons and Mrs. Catherine Chadwick of Scio.