George Washington
To honor and commemorate the200th anniversary of birth ofGeorge Washingtonand the men who fought in theAmerican Revolutionand sleep in the Town of Murray. RobinsonSmith, Life Guard of Washington. Asa Clark,the courier who carried the news toWashington of the attack on Throgs Neck.Captain Timothy RugglesWilliam Jennings Amos FrinkCaptain Aaron Warren, who built thefirst grist mill in Town of MurrayNiagara to GeneseeHISTORIC RIDGE ROADTrek - Dewitt Clinton - 1810Near this spot stood the primativelog tavern kept by Epaphras Mattisonwhere Dewitt Clinton and his companionsspent a night on their eventful horsebacktrip through Wester New York in 1810Erected by the Ridge Road ImprovementOrleans Chapter DARState of New York1932
In 1930, Katherine Rowley initiated efforts to mark a number of historic sites along Ridge Road. It is worth noting that this particular endeavor predates the New York State Department of Education’s efforts to mark historic sites using the iconic blue and gold historic roadside markers. As the state chair of the national old trails committee of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a founding member of the Orleans Chapter DAR, Rowley encouraged the group to memorialize important locations along this old trail.
It was determined that bronze plaques would be attached to large boulders along the roadway noting Dewitt Clinton’s 1810 journey along the historic Ridge Road. Each plaque would contain a detailed historical account related to the specific vicinity in which it was installed. In this particular example, the plaque notes the contributions of several pioneers as Patriots during the American Revolution.
The Ridge Road Improvement Association, established in the days prior to the paving of the highway, consisted of members who contributed a dollar each to participate with the organization. Rowley pitched her idea to G. E. Snyder of Gaines who was thrilled with the possibility of supporting the endeavor. A meeting of the organization was held at the Orleans County Court House soon after and the membership voted to disband and residual funds from the treasury were directed to Rowley for the project.
These markers have withstood the test of time, but not without challenges. In 1938, the plaque installed at the site of the Murdock homestead in Ridgeway was stolen by vandals. C. W. Lattin notes in an article entitled “The Murray Marker” (Bethinking of Old Orleans, v. 6, no. 22) that Michael Lesco of Murray restored this particular marker in 1984, removing the marker from the millstone, polishing it, painting it, and reinstalling the bust of George Washington which had fallen off.
