Author & Historian
Uncovering the forgotten stories of Western New York — from the Holland Land Company to the battlefields of the War of 1812.
Joseph Anthony Buscaglia is a dedicated historian whose roots run deep in Western New York. Drawn to the whispers of history echoing through its corners, he has devoted his life to uncovering the tales of the region's pioneers, settlers, and soldiers.
From a childhood fascination with local history, Buscaglia has built a lifelong passion for uncovering the tales of Western New York's pioneers and the tumultuous era of the War of 1812. His expertise lies in historical research with a focus on early settlers, the Holland Land Company, and events on the Niagara Frontier.
His meticulous approach — drawing on archival deeds, military records, land surveys, and rare photographs — has brought to light stories that had long been overlooked by mainstream history.
A mystery that has long plagued historians — the final resting place of Williamsville's founder. When human remains were unearthed in 1969, Buscaglia's meticulous research challenges the prevailing assumption, offering compelling evidence that Williams' true grave remains undiscovered.
Read more → Vol. IIBetween 1812 and 1815, an army of 5,000 to 6,000 men was quartered at Williamsville, New York. The Evans House became temporary headquarters for Generals Smyth, Brown, and Scott, and a general military hospital held 300 to 400 sick along with a larger number of wounded from the Niagara campaigns.
Read more → Vol. IIIInspired by the writings of T. Apoleon Cheney, Buscaglia sets out to trace the remnants of a forgotten civilization — the enigmatic earthworks and burial sites scattered throughout Western New York — and to ask what survives of them today.
Read more → Vol. IVA meticulously researched account of the forgotten War of 1812 Cemetery on Aero Drive in Cheektowaga. Drawing from archival deeds, military hospital records, and rare photographs, Buscaglia traces the stories of more than 300 American and British soldiers buried beneath unmarked soil.
Read more →Investigates the location of the Cantonment — including barracks, huts, and a hospital — near the present-day Lehn Springs Development.
Visit Site →Explores the Rifle and Artillery Cantonments — soldiers housed in log barracks along Ellicott Creek, with a sally port leading to the Williamsville Cemetery.
Visit Site →Also known as the Garrison Cemetery — containing the graves of American and British soldiers who died in an American military hospital during the war.
Visit Site →Personalised research for individuals, organisations, and institutions seeking to uncover the history of Western New York.
Guided tours of the sites, streets, and hidden corners of Western New York's most significant — and most forgotten — historical locations.
Questions, research inquiries, or presentation requests are welcome.
research@jabuscaglia.com