A text written by Barbara Durfee I would like to tell you about some of the Belgians that settled in Western New York south east of Buffalo in an area called Sheldon, Wyoming County.
The Hills are rolling as they were in Belgium and the area resembled that of their homeland. There were farmers, woodworkers, brewers, hotel owners, stone masons, wagon makers . All of these occupations were put to work when they settled out here where there was nothing but a few English settlers. The Erie Canal had recently opened and the people were able to move around somewhat easier . The Belgians had begun to arrive in the Buffalo area the mid 1830`s and slowly moved out of the city to the country soon after. They built some log and frame homes and held worship there until they could build their church.They settled in the town of Sheldon and built St Cecelias church. They built the first church on the Bartz Road and soon out grew that spot and moved down the road to the present location at Centerline and North Sheldon Roads.
This influx of people came from the area of Arlon . Some of these families ,the Georges, Perls, Domineseys,Brills, Mustys, Leonards,Perrys, Majories, Reddings,Dehecks, Gilleys, Arnsdorfs,Lorangs,Bettendoefs, and many more soon out grew their farms here with having so many children and no room for their many sons to farm that many began to move west again. Some moved and some stayed as they did in Belgium so it is hard to follow them when they left. I thought this would be a good starting place to begin the search as this was supposed to be the earliest settlement of Belgians.........
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