Mayott families troubles

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Mayott Family
Section A7

    Issac and his family lived and died by the water. As a young man Issac worked as a boat man. This job put him out on the waterways of the Tonawandas almost daily. It was no surprise when The Civil War broke out he would end up joining the Navy at the age of 23.

    As a Quartermaster, he stood at the helm of ships like the USS St. Clair and USS Great Western, helping guide them through northern waters during the Civil War. After the war he returned to home and continued his life on the water. 

His son Elmer almost lost his life when he was employed as an ice cutter and fell into a hole plunging into the icy waters of the creek. He was saved by a fellow employee pulled him from what was nearly his icy grave.  

    Isaac's son William wasn't as lucky as his brother. He was killed in a tragic accident. He was out cutting timber with friends when a rabbit jumped out and ran toward him. He tried to hit the rabbit with the handle of his gun when it went off. He was shot in the stomach and died quickly.

 William's grave is also here in the Mayott lot along with his aunt Cora. She was the younger sister of Issac and had been employed by him on his canal boat the F J Fellows. She's reached over the side to fill a  bucket and fell in. She was dragged under by the strong current of the mighty Niagara. Her body was found sixteen days days later near Three Sisters Islands in Niagara Falls where it was recovered.

    Even after all the tragedy in his family, Issac continued his life on the waterways of the Tonawandas.  For most of his life he was a canal boat captain, a job which nearly killed him. Issac was working his boat when he somehow fell between the boat and the towpath. He was being crushed between them when he was pulled out and saved. He was lucky to have only broken his hip and bruising. In his two plus decades on the water it was his first major accident. Issac went on to live a long life, dying of a heart attack                                                         after shoveling snow at the age of 73 in 1915.











Issac's wife Wealthy Mayott 2nd from right












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