Volume 4; Number 1
Spring 1983

R.G.S. OFFICERS 1982 - 1983
President: Peter Bush, 130 Lattimore Rd. Rochester, NY 14620
Vice Pres. & Prog. Chair.: Jean Burr, 48 Hammond St., Rochester, NY 14615
Rec. Sec.: Judy Markham, 3494 Brockport-Spencerport, Spencerport, NY 14559
Cor. Sec.: Charlene Guyer, 155 Authors Ave. Henrietta, NY 14467
Treas.: Patricia Conheady, 170 Brunswick St., Rochester, NY 14607
Mem. Chair.: Patricia Mims, 887 Fernwood Pk., Rochester NY 14609

REMINDER

Members may pick up a membership list and a surname index at the regular RGS meetings or contact Pat Mims. With an increase in membership correspondingly the work to compile and type these popular lists has grown greatly. In this light the executive committee is reviewing possible changes to availability of these publications. A well deserved thank you to Pat Mims for her faithful preparation of these lists over the past several seasons.

SPRING PROGRAM

RGS meetings will continue at St. Paul's Episcopal Church (East Avenue at Vick Park B) the third Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. The door opens at 7:00 p.m. and this year mini-workshops will be offered for beginning genealogists at that time. These sessions, conducted by various members of RGS, will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. and finish by 7:30 p.m. in time for our business meeting and regular program. VISITORS ARE MOST WELCOME!

The Rochester Genealogical Society's Program Committee has been busy trying to keep ahead of the ever widening areas of research which accompanies our increased membership. The mini-workshop program which appears to be a popular part of the society's meeting will be continued through the May 1983 meeting at the regular time of 7:05 p.m.

GATES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CEMETERY continued from Vol. 3, No. 2

A GENEALOGICAL MELTING POT

This is the title of a conference to be held in Albany NY on October 3 - 4 - 5, 1983, sponsored by the Genealogical Conference of New York. This will be the first such event of its kind in New York and will be three days of intensive genealogical discussion of all phases of New York genealogical history.

The Rochester Genealogical Society will be participating in this conference and all members and friends are urged to attend. To be placed on the mailing list for additional information and a conference registration packet, please send your name and full mailing address to:

SURROGATE COURT FILES
Contributed by Peter Bush

Genealogists expecting "instant access" to the files of Monroe County Surrogate Court are in for an unpleasant surprise.

Recently, the court added new staff but was unable to acquire additional office space in the Hall of Justice. To make room for the new staff, the space used for file storage was greatly reduced and the files for the period 1821 - 1921 were moved to a private storage facility in Henrietta.

The result is that access to the old files is more difficult - and costly. A genealogist must consult the indices in the court office, request the particular file(s) desired, and wait for the file(s) to be delivered to the court office by the storage company. According to the Chief Court Clerk, same-day delivery is possible, if the request is made early in the morning, but next day delivery is the norm. Also, under the contract between the court and the storage firm, a fee will be assessed of $4.20 for the first file and $1.00 for each additional file ordered.

To save time and money, plan to order files one day and return the next day to review them, and order all files of interest at one time. Fortunately, the fee for making copies of file documents has not increased; by statute, the court is authorized to charge $3.00 per page for that service.

LETTERS - GENEALOGICAL VALUE

An interesting letter -- really two letters -- were received recently from Major Lyman F. Barry, President, of the Livingston County Historical Society, and a member of RGS, pointing out genealogical gleanings from correspondence, A paragraph from Major Barry's letter sets the stage for a quiet look back to the year 1847 (136 years ago) through a letter from Lurania Porter to her brother and sister. Following the letter are additional remarks by Major Barry.

"The other year, while teaching genealogy at Geneseo University, I reproduced an old letter to point out genealogical value of letters. I underlined most of place names, etc. It relates to Albion and surrounding area, so might be of some interest... I have a lot of data on SOME of the folks mentioned. Incidentally, the reference to a captain would lead the genealogist to seek a military record for the man. Instead it was a Capt. on an Erie Canal boat!!! So all Capt. titles in Rochester-Albany area COULD be of nautical, rather than military origin!! Incidentally if you want to use this letter anytime in your Hear Ye, feel free to do so ... It's the kind of letter people wrote 100 years ago and now use the telephone or watch TV and don't write at all!! Thought it might interest you or your members. I have the faded original. Gee, I wish they had had Cassette players then and she had really told the story of her life!"

Albion - February the 14 1847

Dear brother and sister take this time to address you to let you know that we are all well and hope these few lines will find you the same. I have been sick this winter. I was confined to the house for six weeks. My health has got to be very good now at this time. Mother has gone to Saratoga. She went there last September. She went with Capt. Lowell. She went to his house and staid three weeks and then went on to Saratoga with Capt. Lowell and his wife went with her to Schuylerville. She calculated to come back by the first of November but she did not come. Uncle Jaquith folks told her if she would stay till spring they would carry her to New Hampshire and to Boston this winter. I received a letter from her the first of January they were all well. Then she wrote she should be home in the spring as soon as navigation opens. She was to Orpha the last letter. I received from their William Wood lives in Washington county twelve miles from Schuylerville. He lives right across the river from Stillwater village. They have got two children Ruth & Jaquith is dead. She died two years ago this last January. Aunt Phebe had just got over the small pox when Ruth died they did not write what she died with. Ebenezer wrote me a letter this winter. I should think by his writing they had got to be pretty well off in the world. He said that mother would stay to their hou part of the time and to Orpha the other part of the time. Orpha says that uncle Jaquith has got to be an abolitionist and she thinks he will run for the next president. Capt. Lowell was here the last trip he made last fall his folks were all well then. They have got a young son he is six months old. I exspect to see him a boating by next spring if he lives. Mr. More folks are all well they have got another daughter. She is seven months old. They call her name Lurania Calsina. They say she looks just like me so she must be pretty handsome. More is a getting rich. He is digging money. He has got his land covered with gold and silver. He has got a chestfull under his door step. He has got it buried all around him but he cant get any of it till next summer. I exspect then he will dig it out by the busel. You had better come down and help him dig some. He says we shall all have a share of it when he gets it but I am afraid he wont get it. Some folks call him crazy but he is just the old more he youst to be when you was here. Charles Stevens wife has got a young daughter. It is eight month old and she has not been to do anything since that was born. The last i heard from her she was not able to lift her baby. Mr Stevens folks are all well. I want you should write as soon as you get this letter i want to hear from you before i write to mother. She wants to know whether you are dead or living. If you dont send me a letter in the coarse of a month i will send you one every week till you do send me one. If you want to write to Orpha direct your letter to William W. Wood, Eastwon, Washington co., N Y. Phillip says you had better move to this state because we have a whig governor here. We have got a little girl here she is two months old today. She weights six pounds and a half we call her Ella Adalade. Martin Luther is a great big boy and he is as big as a rogue as ever went on two feet. He says he wants to come and live with you. I dont think you would want him long if you had him. Seward is a slender little fellow. He is better than he was last spring. Little Martha says i must write you about her. She is a pretty little black eyed girl and she says her granma is a way of to Saratoga. Lydia Ann and Harriet has got to be great big girls. They are almost as big as i am. They have done all the work this winter except four days when i was sick. They send their love to their uncle and aunt and to little cousin. They want to see you very much. I have to write some thing for all the children. You will get tired of reading. I dont know as i have any thing more to write. As soon as you get this letter. Love from all to all so i remain your sister and friend

Lurania Porter

Notes by LFB. In early Colonial days, all too few men could write. Many signed their mark with an "X". And education for women was rare. Probably this represents a degree of literacy well above that of this period. The "Lydia Ann" was the grandmother of myself and attended one of the first girl's colleges in America at Albion, NY. Her daughter, Mary L. McFall (MacFall) attended the old Geneseo Normal School and graduated in the class of June 1891....a member of the Clionian Society of the Normal.

The above letter had no envelope. The paper was folded and addressed on the back side and duly went through the mails to the addressee.

Martin Luther Porter, mentioned in letter, lived to be a soldier in the Civil War, was captured in a battle by Confederates and after serving in prison was paroled and served a second enlistment.

Seward was Henry Seward Porter who lived in Portageville, NY, sailed from New Bedford, Mass, on a whaler for a three year voyage and during a storm was tossed from the mast, hitting the deck, breaking his neck and dying in 1859. All of which the National Archives has faithfully preserved in their voluminous records.

MORAL: Keep, preserve and study old letters. Their genealogical value may well be priceless.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH INDEXES

The first printing of this index has been sold out and we are now into our second printing. The price remains at $10.00, for the 2 volumes, 324 page index, plus $2.00 for postage and handling if ordered by mail. We will search the index for a surname and provide a copy of a page for $1.00 per surname and a SASE. Contact Doris Andrus, 156 Nob Hill, Rochester, N.Y. 14617.

The Episcopal Church Index covers births, baptisms, marriages, deaths, confirmation and some church census for St. Luke's, St. Paul's and Trinity Churches from their beginnings thru 1851.

GENEALOGICAL NEWSPAPER

Genealogy Today, the first national newspaper for genealogist, began publication on January 1, 1983. Publication will be twice a month and be in tabloid format. First issue contains 24 pages. The objective of the newspaper is to explain and demonstrate genealogical records and techniques an computer applications. A sampling of the first issue contents include: Missing Baptisms That Weren't; U.S. Patent Records; Book Reviews; How To: Notekeeping, Filing and Organizing; Computers: Making An Index and a computerized index containing more than 2000 names. Yearly subscription (24 issues) rate is $26.00. If any one is interested contact Peter Bush for more information.

TORREY'S INDEX

Torrey's Index, by Joseph M. Glynne, Jr. appeared in the FGS Newsletter of Dec. 1981 and Jan. 1982 and was reprinted from July 1981 issue of Newsletter of the Institute of Family History and Genealogy. Apparently this manuscript, New England, Marriages Prior to 1700 by Clarence Almon Torrey (familiarly known as Torrey's Index, is little known and consequently little used at New England Historic and Genealogical Society Library. The 12 volume set was, published in 1972 by NEHGS in photocopy form. (A microfilm edition is available for $269.)

Approximately 37,000 marriages are identified along with sources and references. Content of Index is: Husband's name listed alphabetically (no cross reference by wife's name), marriage date, year of birth and death for both spouses and the sources where this information was found. Much more information might be found in the sources cited over and above what Torrey abstracted for his index. For anyone with New England roots, in the approximate time frame covered, Torrey's Index might well provide solutions to your problem.

REPERTORY OF QUEBEC RECORDS

Excerpts from an article by Richard L. Fortin, American-Canadian Genealogical Society, appearing in the June 1982 issue of the Federation of Genealogical Societies Newsletter may be of interest to our Canadian researchers.

The Repertory of the Baptism, Marriage, Burial Certificates of the Censuses of 17th and 18th Century Quebec, edited by Hubert Charbonneau and Jacques Legare of the Programme de recherche en demograchie historioue (P.R.D.H.) of the University of Montreal will soon be available to researchers.

This collection of approximately 70 volumes, each ranging from 250 to 500 pages, is to be published in groups of 7 every six to eight months, and contains all information in the Quebec Parish registers from the settling of the colony to 1765. Other documents such as nominal censuses have been utilized in this exhaustive computerized reconstitution of the population of Quebec. Information is classified per government and per parish, thus the researcher will have in published form all the basic information from parish registers: family name, first name of every individual mentioned on each certificate including witnesses and their spouse, and for each nominal entry; sex, age, marital status, presence, occupation, family ties places of residence and origin.

For more information contact, Les Presses de L'Universite de Montreal, C.P. 6128, Succursale "A," Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3C-3J7.

Editor: Jack Wilson
86 Crestfield Drive
Rochester, New York 14617

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