Upstate New York Notables: Tom Fontana

Tom Fontana (1951-), TV writer/producer, born in Buffalo, Erie County.

Upstate New York Notables: Renée Fleming

Renée Fleming (1959-), opera singer, raised in Rochester, Monroe County.

Upstate New York Notables: Millard Fillmore

Millard Fillmore (1800-1874), 13th President of the United States, born in Locke Township/Summer Hill, Cayuga County.

Upstate New York Notables: Venetta Fields

Venetta Fields (1941-), singer, born in Buffalo, Erie County.

Upstate New York Notables: Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Lawrence Ferlinghetti (Lawrence Ferling) (1919-), poet, born in Yonkers, Westchester County.

Upstate New York Notables: Thom Felicia

Thom Felicia (1969-), Queer Eye cast member, born in Syracuse, Onondaga County.

Upstate New York Notables: Diane English

Diane English (1948-), creator of Murphy Brown, born in Buffalo, Erie County.

Upstate New York Notables: John Carpenter

John Carpenter (1948-), film director, born in Carthage, Jefferson County.

Upstate New York Notables: Lisa Eichhorn

Lisa Eichhorn (1952-), actress, born in Glens Falls, Warren County.

Upstate New York Notables: George Eastman

George Eastman (1854-1932), founder of Eastman Kodak, inventor of roll film, born in Waterville, Oneida County.

Upstate New York Notables: Dan Duryea

Dan Duryea (1907-1968), actor, born in White Plains, Westchester County.

Upstate New York Notables: Charles Durning

Charles Durning (1923-), actor, born in Highland Falls, Orange County.

Upstate New York Notables: Allen Dulles

Allen Dulles (1893-1969), first civilian CIA director and member of the Warren Commission, born in Watertown, Jefferson County.

Upstate New York Notables: Bill Duke

Bill Duke (1943-), actor/director, born in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County.

Upstate New York Notables: Pete Duel

Pete Duel (1940-1971), actor, born in Rochester, Monroe County.

Upstate New York Notables: Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas/Issur Danielovitch (1916-), actor, born in Amsterdam, Montgomery County.

Upstate New York Notables: Carrie Donovan

Carrie Donovan (1928-2001), fashion editor, born in Lake Placid, Essex County.

Upstate New York Notables: Ronnie James Dio

Ronnie James Dio/Ronald James Padovana (1942-), singer, raised in Cortland, Cortland County.

Upstate New York Notables: Taye Diggs

Taye Diggs (1972-), actor, raised in Rochester, Monroe County.

Upstate New York Notables: Ani DiFranco

Ani DiFranco (1970-), musician, born in Buffalo, Erie County.

Upstate New York Notables: William Devane

William Devane (1937-), actor, born in Albany, Albany County.

Upstate New York Notables: Richard Denning

Richard Denning/Louis Albert Denninger Jr. (1914-1998), actor, born in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County.

Upstate New York Notables: Jeffrey DeMunn

Jeffrey DeMunn (1947-), actor, born in Buffalo, Erie County.

Upstate New York Notables: Kristine DeBell

Kristine DeBell (1954-), actress, born in Chatham, Columbia, County.

Upstate New York Notables: Richard Deacon

Richard Deacon (1921-1984), actor, raised in Binghamton, Broome County.

Upstate New York Notables: Ann B. Davis

Ann B. Davis (1926-), actress, born in Schenectady, Schenectady County.

Upstate New York Notables: Danny Daniels

Danny Daniels/Daniel Giagni, Jr. (1924-), dancer/actor, born in Albany, Albany County.

Upstate New York Notables: Vic Dana

Vic Dana (1942-), singer, born in Buffalo, Erie County.

Upstate New York Notables: Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise (1962-), actor, born in Syracuse, Onondaga County.

Upstate New York Notables: Frankie Crocker

Frankie Crocker (1940-2000), DJ, born in Buffalo, Erie County.

Upstate New York Notables: Gene Cornish

Gene Cornish (1944-), musician: The Rascals, raised in Rochester, Monroe County.

Upstate New York Notables: Jennifer Connelly

Jennifer Connelly (1970-), actress, born in Woodstock, NY.

Upstate New York Notables: Eileen Collins

Eileen Collins (1956-), first female Space Shuttle Pilot, first female Space Shuttle Commander, born in Elmira, Chemung County.

Upstate New York Notables: Rory Cochrane

Rory Cochrane (1972-), actor, born in Syracuse, Onondaga County.

Upstate New York Notables: Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland (1837-1908), 22nd and 24th President of the United States, raised in Fayetteville, Onondaga County, and Holland Patent, Oneida County.

In Mohawk Country

In Mohawk Country: Early Narratives About Native People
Edited by Dean R. Snow, Charles T. Gehring, William A. Starna
1996, Syracuse University Press

This is an amazing collection of accounts by early European settlers and missionaries on the native peoples of the northeast and Canada, specifically the Mohawks and other Haudenoshonee. Some of the more harrowing stories come from French Jesuits who were "converting" the Hurons near the St. Lawrence and were captured and tortured by raiding Mohawk war parties. Prisoners were typically beaten, tied up and left to the elements (and devilish children), then had their nails or last knuckles pulled out, beards pulled out, and finally roasted alive, to be eaten. One of the most descriptive and informative accounts comes from a Dutch preacher in 1644 Fort Orange/Renselaerswick/Beverwyck (now Albany, the fourth-oldest European city in the Americas, denoted elsewhere in the book as a "wretched little fort"; nearby Schenectady is said to be a "dirty little village"), who describes the land and everyday life of the Mohawks (who, because of linguistic problems, are sometimes called three different names). Another amazing story comes from a French fur trader who was captured and adopted into a Mohawk family to replace a lost son (a role he slipped right into, even if it meant nonstop murder of enemies). In his awkwardly phonetic English he describes the routine killing of women and children, and even disgusting cannibalistic acts, such as a marathon prisoner torture session where a woman's fetus was torn out of her, cooked, and force fed back to her. New York's first lawyer, one Adriaen Cornelissen van der Donck, wrote a highly detailed account of everyday native customs. Many of the French missionary stories (heavy on religious dogma) tend to bog down the book as it delves into the 1660s. Other writers include Peter Schuyler (Albany's first mayor, circa 1686).

Some related words:

Abnaquiois: Abenakis (east of the Iroquois)
Andastogehronnons: Susquahannocks "of New Sweden" (shores of Virginia)
Andiatarocté: Iroquois name for Lake George, "there where the lake is shut in"
Annierronnon: Mohawks
Atiwendaronk: Neutrals
Cahoos: Cohoes Falls
Canajoharee: The Boiling Pot
Coxsackie: moagh sachy, or "place of the owl"; oxsakie: owl field
Euyrons: Hurons, or French Indians
Gandarago or Gannagaro, Tinniontoguen, Gandaouagué, Cahaniaga or Canagora, Canajorha, Tionondogue, Oneugiouré or Osserrïon: Mohawk villages
Irinakhoiw: Algonquin word for Iroquois, "real adders"
Irokoits or Iroquotes: Iroquois
Macquaas: Mohawks
Mahingans: Mohicans or Mohegans, "wolves"
Maqua: bear (name for Mohawks)
Maquaaskill: Mohawk River
Mascoutens: Fire Nation
Oigoen: Cayuga
Onneiout or Onyades: Oneidas
Onnontaehronnons or Onondaëronnons: Onondagas
Onnontagué: Onandaga
Ontwagannhas: Shawnees
Outaouacs: Ottawa
Qiogué: Iroquois name for the Hudson River (called the Van Maurice by the Dutch)
Ossaraqué: fishing spot between Lake George and Albany
Riquehronnons: Eries, Cat Nation
Rondaxkes: Adirondacks
Schoonechtendeel: Schenectady, "end of the woods"
Sinnekes: Senecas
Sonnontouaehronnons: Senecas
Tionnontaatehronnons: Petuns, or Tobacco Nation
Trakwaehronnons: nation conquered by Mohawks

Upstate New York Notables: Marguerite Chapman

Marguerite Chapman (1918-1999), actress, born in Chatham, Columbia County.

Upstate New York Notables: Chick Chandler

Fehmer "Chick" Chandler (1905-1988), actor, born in Kingston, Ulster County.

Upstate New York Notables: Nick Carter

Nick Carter (1980-), Backstreet Boy, born in Jamestown, Chautauqua County.

Upstate New York Notables: Cab Calloway

Cabell "Cab" Calloway (1907-1994), musician, born in Rochester, Monroe County.

Upstate New York Notables: James Cagney

James Cagney (1899-1986), actor, born in Yonkers, Westchester County.

Upstate New York Notables: Sid Caesar

Sid Caesar (1922-), actor, born in Yonkers, Westchester County.

Upstate New York Notables: Barbara Bush

Barbara Bush (1925-), first lady, born in Rye, Westchester County.

Upstate New York Notables: John Burroughs

John Burroughs (1837-1921), nature writer, born in Roxbury, Delaware County.

Upstate New York Notables: Bob Burden

Bob Burden (1952-), cartoonist, born in Buffalo, Erie County.

Upstate New York Notables: Angelo Buono

Angelo Buono (1934-2002), Hillside Strangler, born in Rochester, Monroe County.

Upstate New York Notables: Tim Buckley

Tim Buckley (1947-1975), musician, born in Amsterdam, Montgomery County.

Upstate New York Notables: Lillian Bronson

Lillian Bronson (1902-1995), actress, born in Lockport, Niagara County.

Upstate New York Notables: Lucille Bremer

Lucille Bremer (1917-1996), actress, born in Amsterdam, Montgomery County.

Upstate New York Notables: Marion Zimmer Bradley

Marion Zimmer Bradley (1930-1999), author, born in Albany, Albany County.