THE POKER GAME
- Program
- Subject
- Location
- Lat/Long
- Grant Recipient
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Legends & Lore®
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Event, People
- 8497 S Main St, Evans Mills, NY 13637, USA
- 44.087914, -75.807253
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Village of Evans Mills
THE POKER GAME
Inscription
THE POKER GAMEIN 1841 CARD GAME PLAYED
HERE, GEORGE PARISH II OF
OGDENSBURG "WON" MME. AMERICA
VESPUCCI FROM JOHN VAN BUREN,
SON OF PRES. VAN BUREN.
NEW YORK FOLKLORE
WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2020
An legendary poker game, shared by generations of northern New Yorkers, was held at the LeRay Hotel in Evans Mills, NY. John Van Buren, son of President Van Buren, lost to George Parish II, of Ogdensburg, NY. As a result, Van Buren’s mistress, Elena America Vespucci, descendant of Amerigo Vespucci, was “won” by Parish. She went on to live with Parish for 18 years. An alternative version of the legend says that following Van Buren’s loss of $5,000 in the poker game, Parish won Vespucci with the flip of a coin.