Centerport-Old Erie Canal Village in Cayuga County, NY

Port Byron Roadside Marker Program

New Android App All About Mince Pie

 For those that use Android, check out the new mince pie app released by Green Island Publication, LLC.  It's loaded with all kinds of interesting tid-bits, trivia, history and more, all about the pie that once made Port Byron, NY famous.  Note:  The app has not been developed for iPhone but Android users can download the app from Google Play.

Free Academy Graduate Inducted Into PBCS Hall of Fame

June 8, 2019 was a history making evening when the Port Byron Alumni Association inducted the first graduate of the Port Byron Free Academy into the school Hall of Fame.  Congratulations to all of the scholarship winners and new inductees to the Hall of Fame.

Bell Family Bible

This summer was a great time to visit the Hoyt-Barnum House in Stamford, CT and spend some time with the staff at the Stamford History Center.  Holding the Bell Family Bible was a memorable moment.  I decided to see if I could date the bible, which was a tremendous challenge because the book is inside a case so only one page is visible along with a page of vital dates inscribed on the adjacent page.

To continue some final thoughts following my article in the Auburn Citizen, I did find an inventory list for Frances Bell and Joshua Hoyt.  I love historical research because each time you view documents, your eyes see something new.  Since I spent considerable time dating the bible and determining what type of bible it was, that influenced my initial opinion regarding the great bible appearing in the inventory list of Jonathan Bell.  There is a bible known as a Great Bible but after additional review I have more insight to offer.

My eyes caught something new, the inventory lists contained the word great to describe other items.  Therefore, that would lead me to conclude that the word great was not referring to the type of bible but was instead referring to its size.  Today we would be more apt to use adjectives such as big or large to describe an object.  Perhaps the listing for the great bible may be referencing a King James Bible, which was produced in a larger size.  It is obvious that faith was very important to the Bell family since they owned multiple bibles, which is not common for this time period.

Above is a flow chart showing the various family member who held the Bell family bible over the years and how they descend within the family.  For anyone interested in the Bell family history, below is the family history written by John V Hecker published in 1897 by the New York Genealogy Society.

Genealogy of the Bell Family by John Valentine Hecker by DRoe on Scribd

Book Signing "Murder in the Adirondacks"

The Herkimer County Historical Society is pleased to host author Craig Brandon who has recently released his fully revised and expanded edition of "Murder in the Adirondacks" based on the 1906 Chester Gillette-Grace Brown murder case for a Talk and Book Signing on Monday, July 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the old Herkimer County Courthouse, 320 N. Main Street, Herkimer, NY. It will be 110 years since Grace Brown's body was found at the bottom of Big Moose Lake on July 11. 

The book features over 50 new photographs and excerpts from Chester Gillette's prison diary at Auburn Prison, as well as updated information on what happened to some of the key people involved in the case. The cost is $24.95 and can be purchased in the Society's Gift Shop, open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and on Saturdays during July & August, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. You can also order it by mail, by sending us a check to our address at 400 N. Main St., Herkimer, NY 13350 and add $4.00 for postage (New York State residents please add 8.25% sales tax).

For more information, call us at (315) 866-6413 or email us and we will get right back to you!   

Susan R. Perkins
Executive Director
Herkimer County Historical Society
400 N. Main Street
Herkimer, NY  13350
(315) 866 6413
E-mail: herkimerhistory@yahoo.com
Web Site: www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nyhchs/

Culver Family History

It was a pleasure to present for the Sterling Historical Society, the history and ancestry of my ancestor Rev. Solomon P. Culver.  For anyone that was not able to attend, here is a recording of our evening together:

EXCELSIOR CORNET BAND CONCERT for LINCOLN

7 pm Friday, October 23, 2015

Catherine Cummings Theatre
16 Lincklaen Street
Cazenovia NY 13035

Admission
Lincoln Bill for Adults         $5
Lincoln Penny 5- 12 years    $.01

Info and reservations:
nahofm1835@gmail.com
www.nationalabolitionhalloffameandmuseum.org

(315) 280 - 8828

Excelsior Cornet Band Concert for Lincoln

The National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum will open its Abraham Lincoln: The Great Emancipator event with A Concert for Lincoln presented by the Excelsior Cornet Band at 7 p.m. Friday, October 23, 2015 at the Catherine Cummings Theatre, 16 Lincklaen Street in Cazenovia NY. Reenactor Jack Baylis, as President Lincoln, will welcome theatre goers to an evening of music connected with Lincoln.  Jeff Stockham the director of the Excelsior Cornet Band will explain the musical selections and also share his performance experience in the movie Lincoln. This program is made possible, in part, by the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.

The Excelsior Cornet Band is New York State’s only authentic Civil War Brass Band. Founded in 2001, the band consists of a group of Syracuse-area musicians dedicated to the performance of original Civil War era music on actual instruments of the period. Leading the band is one of Central New York’s premier brass players, Jeff Stockham. The band utilizes instruments from Stockham’s large collection of antique brass instruments. After consulting with several of the leading experts in the field of Civil War music and brass bands, Stockham formed the Excelsior Cornet Band so that the music of that pivotal period in American history could be once again heard and enjoyed by area audiences. The musicians of Excelsior Cornet Band are professional performers with many years of experience in a wide variety of musical genres. They perform with a polished enthusiasm that brings the music of the Civil War brass band era to life. The Excelsior Cornet Band presents an authentic Civil War appearance during its performances, wearing accurate reproductions of 1860s New York militia uniforms. The brass instruments used by the Excelsior Cornet Band are period originals which date from as early as 1825 to approximately 1872. Several of them were undoubtedly used by regimental bands during the Civil War. They were carefully returned to playing condition by several of the nation’s leading restorers of antique brass instruments. The mellow sound they produce is singularly appropriate for the music of the Civil War era. All of the music performed by the Excelsior Cornet Band has been arranged for the band from original Civil War era scores. The band’s repertoire includes many of the most popular melodies of the 1850-1870 period, including patriotic airs, operatic medleys, and popular songs by many of the most renowned composers and bandmasters of the Civil War era, as well as many lesser-known but equally exciting compositions. During their years of performing, the Excelsior Cornet Band has presented concerts, parades, educational programs, and living history portrayals for a wide variety of organizations and performing arts in several states. The Excelsior Cornet Band recreates the glorious sounds and appearance of this fascinating and important era, and is available for concerts, reenactments, educational presentations, and other functions.

Ladies Auxiliary: Thurston-Schramm-Reynolds Post 8137 VFW

Early photo of the Ladies Auxiliary of Thurston-Schramm-Reynolds Post 8137 of Montezuma, NY with the first charter members and officers of the auxiliary,  Photo courtesy of Dona Roe who extends a thank you to Aaron and Lila Wilson for donating this photo to her.

Seated (left to right):  Elizabeth Wilson, Helen Aubin Hutchings, Jeannette Armstrong Giovanni, Flora Hayes, Nancy Smith Decker, Agnes Moroney Lapp and Betty Leubner Dixon.

Standing (left to right): Mary Carner Stoneburg, Ruth Garner Laraway, Micky Doran Wilson, Lila Stoneburg Wilson, Hellen Ward Davies and Vanita Wilson Roe.

If anyone can identify these woman, please contact me so that the list can be updated.

A newspaper article in 1972 says that the Ladies Auxiliary Post was formed 5 years previously and had 19 members at that time.  This dates the auxiliary as being formed in 1967.

1967 Officers:

President: Flora Hayes

Senior Vice President: Nancy Decker

Junior Vice President: Agnes Lapp

Treasurer: Ruth Laraway

Chaplain: Elizabeth Wilson

Conductress: Vanita Roe

Guard: Dorothy Garner

Secretary: Jeannette Giovanni

Patriotic Instructress: Micky Wilson

Historian: Iva Reynolds

1st Color Bearer, Helen Hutchings

2nd Color Bearer: Nellie Boas

3rd Color Bearer: Delores Townsend

4th Color Bearer: Jessie Dingman

Additional Charter Members:
Hellen Davies
Elizabeth Dixon
Bonnie Jenner
Mary Stoneburg
Lila Wilson

Wayuga Community Newspaper Inc., May 25, 1967

 Here's the 1972 article that provided insight into when the auxiliary was formed:

The Citizen Advertiser Auburn, NY - March 15,1972

23rd Annual Peterboro Civil War Weekend

Sat  June 13 , 2015 10am-5pm

Sun June 14, 2015 10am-4pm

$8 Adults    $3 6-12 yrs    Free Under 6
civilwarweekend.sca-peterboro.org
(315) 280-8828

New York State Museum Authors Sign Exhibit Book

An Irrepressible Conflict: The Empire State in the Civil War

Robert Weible, NYS Historian and Chief Curator NYS Museum

Jennifer A. Lemak, Sr. Historian and Curator NYS Museum

Aaron Noble, Assoc. Museum Exhibition Planner NYS Museum

Saturday, June 13, 2015 10 am ~ 2 pm 

Audacious: Historical Novel by Janet Ashworth

Sat  June 13  10 am - 5pm    Author Exhibit and signing 

Sun June 14  10 am - 4pm    Author Exhibit and signing     3 pm Program

Freedom Journey: Black Soldiers and The Hills Community, Westchester County, New York

Author: Edythe Ann Quinn 
PhD, Professor of History at Hartwick College, Oneonta NY
Sat June 13 10am - 5pm Author Exhibit and signing  3pm Program
Sun June 14 10am - 4pm Author Exgibit and signing  11am Program

Veterans in a new Field: A Civil War Mystery of the Irish Brigade

Author: William H. Payne

Sat June 13 10am - 5pm  Author Exhibit and signing

Sun June 14  1pm - 4 pm  Author Exhibit and signing

Lincoln's Telegrapher: Samuel Beckwith of Hamilton NY

Palatine Migration

It is enjoyable to hear from others that contact me in response to my articles. Recently I was contacted by distant relatives in Canada to share that they are doing well.

The descendants of the 1709/1710 Palatine movement have called New York home for more than two centuries.  Some of their off spring found their way to Canada.  The recent contact made me take another look at my ancestor Anna Maria Hoffman who married Johann Nicholas Traver, ancestors to many of the Port Byron Traver families and their various off branches.

To recap, Anna Maria lost her husband and most of her children on the voyage to America.  Upon settling in New York, she married a man named Joseph Reichardt who also made the voyage.  Establishing a family unit was critical for this time period, as it reduced the chances of her small children being removed from the household to be placed to work.  The family not only stayed together but flourished with the addition of two additional sons from this union.

In researching what became of Anna Maria Hoffman Traver and her second husband Joseph Reichardt, I found the land deed at Rhinebeck:

"New York, Land Records, 1630-1975," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-32717-7704-71?cc=2078654&wc=M7HT-W3D:358133801,358565401 : accessed 26 April 2015), Dutchess > Deeds 1718-1761 vol 1-3 > image 300 of 769; county courthouses, New York.

"New York, Land Records, 1630-1975," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-32717-7313-75?cc=2078654&wc=M7HT-W3D:358133801,358565401 : accessed 26 April 2015), Dutchess > Deeds 1718-1761 vol 1-3 > image 301 of 769; county courthouses, New York.

There is allot of information about Joseph Rikert at the website titled Descent by the Sea.  It includes useful information about the Reichardt land in Rhinebeck and how it would later be in the possession of Zachariah Traver.  The article also states that the land was later acquired by Col. John Jacob Astor in 1905.  Astor was a casualty on the Titanic disaster in 1912 and his connection to our ancestors land is very fascinating.

Around the time he acquired the farm, Astor was buying as many farms as he could to add acreage to his Ferncliff Estate.  How Astor used the Reichardt/Traver farm is unclear, as I was not able to access the deed online for that date range.  However, the land transaction is not unusual as the Traver family also had a unique connection to Astor, being officers at the same bank where Astor was a trustee.  

In 1905, officers at the Rhinebeck Savings Bank included Augustus M Traver, President and Thaddeus A Traver, Secretary.  Both Traver men along with others, including John Jacob Astor were Trustees.  Given this connection, the relationship could have aided the purchase of the family farm.

To learn more about John Jacob Astor, read a short bio at the New Netherland Institute

Centerport Detour

Here's an interesting post that I know the Centerport residents will appreciate, it provides a clue as to when the road between Port Byron and Centerport was paved:

SYRACUSE JOURNAL   MONDAY OCTOBER 22, 1917

AS STATE REPORTS ROAD CONDITIONS

Port Byron -Weedsport — Work In progress. Leave Port Byron for Weedsport on new concrete pavement to Centerport.  At Centerport four corners turn south one-eighth mile, crossing Erie Canal, taking first left hand turn to Weedsport. Detour posted.

Stranded

Today we travel between places without giving it any thought but can you imagine a time when you could get stranded in Port Byron and it would be considered news?  That is exactly what happened to a theater company in 1908:

THE SYRACUSE HERALD  JULY 8, 1908

The Percey-Norman Stock company which has been playing at the Auditorium Annex, is stranded in Port Byron. After paying the fares of the fourteen members of the company to Port Byron the manager had 45 cents.   There were sixteen paid admissions to see the show and so the actors were unable to get back to Auburn.  The boy who sings the solos between the acts managed to get a ride to the city after he had done his turn, while the others, sitting as a committee of the whole, are trying to devise ways and means.

Here's some background from Billboard Publications, 1908

Fine of Lands

Recently I stumbled onto another way people transferred land using an old English law that was not commonly used in the United States.  The process was called "Fine of Lands".

What makes this different than a normal land sale is that was initiated as a law suit where a person (plaintiff) files a case stating they are the true owner of the land and request the court to order the land returned to them from the current owner (called a deforcient).

There was never any real dispute when using this method, both parties were already in agreement on the sale, but used a court process to declare the asset belonged to the plaintiff.

The normal process when selling land does require confirmation of the seller's spouse, they would be traditionally interviewed away from the husband where it would be documented that she agrees to the sale free of duress or demands of her husband.  The Fine of Lands bypasses this step.  It also moves the land out of an estate as if the original owner never owned it at all.

The person who gains the most from this process is the original land owner (the deforciant).  The outcome of the case relieves them from all liabilities.  Why is this significant?  One reason may be that in the 1820's, many soldiers of the American Revolution were just receiving their benefits from their service, in the form of pensions and bounty land.  Between 1775 and 1855, the Government was issuing bounty-land warrants to encourage enlistment for the War of 1812, the Mexican War etc as well as to compensate those who served the Revolution.  Those given a promise of land or script sometimes sold it for quick cash, especially if they had already established a homestead.  The scripts sometimes were sold more than once, thus many complications could arise.  

Such a conveyance would also be difficult for heirs to contest because a legal ruling would already be on file which takes precedence.  Heirs would be hard pressed to make claim when a court has already determined you never owned it to begin with.

There may be additional reasons and benefits why someone would use the "Fine of Lands" to move property.  The process was banded in England by the mid 1830's.  However, you will find isolated cases where this was used in Cayuga County prior to the law being abolished.

The parties filing the case would quickly return to the court to advise that they settled, often on the same day the case was filed.  Then the court would draw up the paperwork based on their agreement.  It was settled before the court could take any action on it.  The plaintiff would then use the court papers as his legal deed to the property.

The law gave exceptional rights to the original owner or deforciant by allowing them to transfer the asset while at the same time remove them from all liabilities.  It is unclear what documentation was required by the court when the case was closed (levied).

This process was not used for convenience, as the case would have been presented before the Supreme Court.  Fine of Lands is a fascinating and rare application for conveyance of land.

Vintage Military Ad

Here's a wonderful ad from 1924.  The announcement is rather rare as it pays tribute to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) for making Memorial Day a national holiday.  It also shows awareness that the "Boys in Blue" were starting to become another historical statistic as their advanced age resulted in departure for eternal rest.

The ad makes a plea to the American Legion to continue the vision to honor and preserve the legacies of new veterans as they joined the ranks in the defense of freedom.

I wanted to share this ad for its historical significance as it shows the passing of the torch between the generations.

The Port Byron Chronicle and Cayuga County News
May 24, 1924

 

Tanner Dry Dock

A request was received asking for the location of the Tanner dry dock.  Here is a snippet view from the Cayuga Genweb 1875 map that shows where it was located.

The following map is from 1904

Compare the above to Google and you will see changes and the re-appearance of James St, but don't be fooled by the map, the street signs are labled W Dock Street at both ends (not James).  You will also see slight changes to Rochester St as well.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.0367259,-76.633878,17z

The Pennsylvania Rookers

Introducing a new branch of the Whitehall, NY Rooker family. The discovery was made when Dawn Roe and her sister traveled to Washington County and discovered a land deed of Jesse Rooker Jr of Ohio owning land in Whitehall. The search lead to Jesse Rooker Sr of PA whose death record indicated he was born in Whitehall, VT, which is a common error in records for Whitehall since it is located very close to the Vermont border.  Dawn then searched to see if she could find a living descendant, which resulted in meeting F. Bruce Rooker who authored this history.
 

Military Recognition

I am pleased to share that with the confirmation of receiving registered historian status with New York State, enclosed was a welcomed surprised.  In 2012, I also received the Joseph Meany Award in recognition of my military project honoring Captain John Lockwood.  This recognition is very meaningful to me, as much of my work centered around the veterans in this community.

I would like to thank NY State Historian Robert Weible and the Association of Public Historians of New York State for acknowledging the significant work completed while serving as a local historian.

Married Farm Hand Wanted

Auburn Weekly Bulletin

Nov. 11, 1904

WANTED— At once, a man by the year, to work on a farm: must be well recommended:  married man preferred:  good wages.
W Wethey. Pt Byron. N Y