Book Description

KIANTONE: Chautauqua County's Mystical Valley invites the reader into a vibrant 19th Century community that impacted Western New York, Indiana, New Orleans, Washington, DC, and Europe. This readable book, part local history and part personal narrative, is extensively researched and often tickles the funny bone as well. Each chapter is designed to function like a quilt block. Thus, the Seneca Indians, early settlers, Congregationalists, Unitarians, abolitionists, Spiritualists, Civil War soldiers, and the stories of other Kiantone residents are examined in detail. Pieced together, these historical blocks become a literary signature quilt offering a panoramic record of Kiantone's history and peoples. Those familiar with Chautauqua County's other Spiritualist center, Lily Dale, founded in 1879, will enjoy the exploration of Kiantone's Spiritualist community, Harmonia, founded in 1853. The book sheds new light on Harmonia's connections with Patriot, Indiana and New Orleans, Louisiana. The author also reveals previously undocumented information about the saga of this unique communitarian group that formed around issues such as the Abolition Movement, Women's Suffrage, and the Free Love Movement. Mystical questions, such as how unique geography affects the human soul, are explored in the context of this very special and seemingly sacred place. Sprinkled throughout the book are suggestions for further genealogy studies and other history research projects that will intrigue and beckon middle and high school teachers, college professors, and both professional and amateur historians. It also contains a detailed bibliography that will prove helpful to both readers and researchers. KIANTONE: Chautauqua's Mystical Valley \s designed to encourage more study and more enjoyment of this rich historical saga.