Volume 7, Number 2
Spring 1986
Volume 7, Number 2
Spring 1986
| R.G.S. OFFICERS 1985 - 1986 |
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| President: | Helen Berkeley |
| Vice Pres. & Program Chairperson: | Carmen Bush |
| Recording Secretary: | Judy Markham |
| Corresponding Secretary: | Charlene Guyer |
| Treasurer: | Alberta Greer |
| Membership Chairperson: | Helen Rockwell |
| Hear Ye co-editors: | Robert Hesselberth James Roome |
| Rochester Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 92533, Rochester NY 14692 | |
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EDITOR'S COMMENT I believe that local genealogical newsletters and publications such as Hear Ye should concentrate on reporting information and articles pertaining to local history an/or genealogy information that one could not find easily elsewhere. Hear Ye does a great job of doing this thanks to the wonderful contributions made by our members. Now I am going to deviate from this idea. In England it is the year of the Queen's 60th birthday, the 75th anniversary of the Society of Genealogists in London (they are having a Congress at the University of Oxford, September 8th to 14th this year to celebrate its 75th Anniversary.) and this year is the 900th centenary of the Domesday Book. Most genealogists of English background would love to be able to trace their ancestry back to the Domesday Book, in fact it is probably the goal of most British genealogists to do just that. History refers to "William the Conqueror's great survey," but inventory describes it better. It's like a super census where not only are the masters, tenants and peasants mentioned but amount of land owned, animals, farm implements etc. King William ordered this inventory taken in the year 1086 and it was completed for all of England in less than two years. The country was broken down into districts into which commissioners, clerks and scriveners were sent. Examples of questions are: Did the estate possess a mill for grinding corn? How many ponds were stocked with fish? How many beehives were on the estate? How many peasants lived on the estate? Elaborate plans are being made to celebrate this 900th centenary. Almost every town which is mentioned in the Domesday Book is planning something and London, which is not mentioned for some unknown reason, is staging a major exhibition at which the Book itself will be on display. If you can prove your ancestry back to a person in the Domesday Book you should let the above Society of Genealogists know. Indications are that my 'Lyon' ancesters were in William the Conqueror's armys at Hastings and therefore probably owned land but I need more proof. |
ROCHESTER, NY POST OFFICE LIST IN 1817
by Dick Halsey
Recently I had the opportunity to look through the oldest existing newspaper printed in Monroe County, THE ROCHESTER GAZETTE for Oct. 14, 1817. This paper is still in good shape as paper those days was made with old rags and the paper was less acid. Although I expected only a small, two page newspaper, I was surprised to find It was four pages and like today's papers was mostly advertising. One of the things in the paper was a list of letters at the Post Office in Rochester for the quarter ending Sept. 30, 1817. The number after the name indicates they had more than one letter waiting for them. The first part of the list (A to C) was probably In the previous weeks issue.
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Benedick & Richarson |
Francis Jinkins |
Mr. Reed ALSO |
HELP FROM OUR MEMBERS
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I own a 200 page Genealogy of the Verduyn Family printed by The Verduyn Family association In the Province of Zealand, The Netherlands. Several of these people emigrated to around Rochester mid 1800s. It covers 1700 - 1800 basically. There is an index of about 700 names besides all the Verdunns. It is written in Dutch but I could photocopy pages and there are copies of some of the original documents; some of it hard to read. Phyllis V. Mailman, 2501 N. Taylor Rd, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118 |
I have recently purchased a reprint of the "General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland, first published in 1861. I will gladly look up towniands and/or parishes for members; locally, a phone calls outside Rochester, an SASE. I will copy all pertinent information about a locality or if the county Is not known and several townlands have the same name, I will copy all. Mrs. Patricia Conheady, .170 Brunswick St., Rochester, NY 14607 |
I am willing to exchange research In Minnesota and Wisconsin for similar research in Wayne and Monroe Counties, New York. Sue A. Kratsch, 1388 Summit Circle, W. St. Paul, MN 55118 |
MEMBER'S ACTIVITIES by Peter Bush
Note: This column is devoted to news about local and out-of-town members of the Society. Members are encouraged to submit information about research, Indexing projects, publications and other genealogical activities in which they are involved. Please submit material to the Editor or Peter Bush (3).
William Welch (390) would like to exchange information with any one interested in Civil War history involving the counties of Livingston, Wyoming and Allegany. His particular interest at the moment is the 104th New York Volunteer Infantry or "Wadsworth Guards," so named after General James Wadsworth of Geneseo. Bill Is working with his nephew to produce a regimental history of the 104th covering the years 1861 to 1865.
Ian Watson (417) has received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for a summer study project involving genealogical records of the Catawba Indian tribe in South Carolina. He will be working with a faculty member in the anthropology department at the State University College at Geneseo.
No matter what the subject, Katherine Thompson (35) seems to have a wealth of useful Information and tips - as she demonstrated during her presentation on old handwriting at the April meeting of the Society. For the 11th year, she is sharing her information and experience by teaching a course in beginning genealogy at the Rochester Museum and Science Center.
The organizers of the Penfield Pioneer Project - Marianne Heeselberth (256), Julie Steltz (25) and Dorothy Bailey (2) - report that the records have been placed in the new Local History Room of the Town of Penfleid Library. They will also continue to award certificates to descendants of Penfield pioneers even though the previously announced applications deadlines have passed.
Restoring the memorial to her Revolutionary war ancestor is the current Interest of Margaret O'Leary (443). The soldier, William Kline, is burled on the grounds of a country club in Amsterdam, New York. The grave was formerly marked by a plaque on a large boulder. The plague has disappeared and Margaret is hoping to arrange for placement of an appropriate marker at the site.
Victor Brackley (369) is continuing a project, begun last summer, to copy tombstone inscriptions in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Rochester. Anyone Interested in helping should contact him.
After helping to put out this issue of the Hear Ye, Robert Hesselberth (256) will be preparing a talk for presentation this summer at the Klesath Family reunion In Minonk, Illinois. Bob will be reporting on the Engel family and their role in the Civil war, using Information he obtained during the RGS trip to Washington last fall.
Speaking of trips, I'm willing to bet that at least 50 members of the Society will be making trips, short or long, to do genealogical research this summer. If only half would let me know about their travels, there would be ample material for the next column. So send me a note or give me a call with your news. (For the record, Carmen and I are planning a trip to France in late May and early June; in addition to seeing her relatives in Paris and Brittany, we hope to visit the regional, archives in Colmar, south of Strasbourg, for a few days of research on her family.)
ROCHESTER ORPHAN ASYLUM RECORDS
by Dick Halsey
If you are looking for adoption records in Monroe County, NY, one source you may want to check is the records of the Rochester Orphan asylum, now called Hillside Children Center. These records have been placed in the Rare Books and Manuscripts Division of the Rush Rhees Library at the University of Rochester. Included In these records are admissions, indentures, adoptions and many other records dated 1837 to 1972. The following lists were made about 1840 to account for children that had been adopted or taken as servants.
Mrs. L. M. Moore's Report of children Bound Out by ROCHESTER ORPHAN ASYLUM 1838 - 1839
Mrs. Tobey's Report of Children Removed From the ROCHESTER ORPHAN. ASYLUM 1837 - 1839
MARRIAGES: EARLY ONTARIO COUNTY, NY, NEWSPAPERS: Western Repository
22 Nov. 1803 - Cruger Stanley (Buffalo) to Sally Reid, Canandaigua
14 Feb. 1804 - John Ramsay to Esther Younglove, Canandaigua
21 Feb. l804 - John Merreyn to Mrs. Rachel Taylor, Bloomfield
27 March 1804 - Asher Bates, Southampton to Harriet Brown, Bloomfield
19 June 1804 - James Sibley, Canandaigua to Eliza Easterly, Albany
3 July 1804 - Levi Stevens, Geneva to Anna Rosen, Genesee River
2 0ct. 1804 - Rev. James H. Hotchkin to Revecca Hall, Bloomfield
PROGRAMS RECAP
by Judy Markham
January - The Value of Your Local History Book as Rare Books - John Westerberg
This expert on rare books explained that there is one area that genealogists, and other researchers, often fall to take advantage of: pamphlets. In the earliest days they were often the only way to publish.
They are, therefore, much more of an original source, often containing very important materials. Unfortunately because of their perishability they are becoming scarcer.
In the Rochester area he has counted twenty-three pamphlets published between 1816 and 1838 that are generally overlooked by researchers.
February - Graven Images - Laurel Gabel
Graveyards are veritable musuems, said Mrs. Gabel, research coordinator for the Associatlon of Graveyard Studies. They embrace history, art, religion and genealogy. They chronicle the lives of ancestors and the world they lived in.
The earliest markers were wooden or uncarved slabstones. By 1670 the short, thick carved head- and footstones had become common. Markers became thinner and much taller in the 1700's. About 1790 the familiar white marble stones became popular.
While many old graveyards have been rearranged or relocated, even the original burials were often haphazard and families were not always buried together. Still, gravestones can be used to trace trade routes or be a clue to a family's origins since stones were often ordered from their old home town.
The sorry state of the old burying grounds In the early 1800's spawned a rural cemetery movement that led to the founding of Mt. Hope Cemetery in 1837.
In photographing old stones, Mrs. Gabel advised using a large mirror to direct sun rays at an oblique angle across the stone face. It will highlight the indentations.
March - Monroe County Records: Present and Future - Patricia Mccarthy, Monroe County Clerk
The Monroe County Clerks Office, which files over a million documents a year, is in the process of computerizing all of its records. However, the major problem, explained Mrs. McCarthy, is the storage of paper records.
During the past year a detailed inventory has been made of the records in storage: what's there, the historical value, how long it legally must be kept, how often it's used, and whether it can be microfilmed. The inventory is about 98 per cent complete.
She said it was critical that the records representing the county's early history be protected and preserved. Many are torn or mildewed and need restoration. But about a third of the paper records has not particular historical significance and need not be kept forever.
A consultant's analysis and plan for establishing a regional records repository will be completed by the end of April. Mrs. Mccarthy hopes for legislative authorization to implement it by the end of the year.
NOTE: In a subsequent letter Mrs. McCarthy expanded on some answers to questions asked at the above meeting. These comments follow:
A question was raised about the 1925 Census records stored in our office. We have only Census records from this one year and the volumes and accompanying card index are available for public research. They are toted In the basement of our building. If you wou1d like to look at these records, please can the supervisor of our Civil Actlon department, Martha Wilcox, to schedule an appointment in advance. I would very much appreciate your calling In advance so that we can be sure of accommodation of your request.
Another question came up about whether or not certain Surrogate Court records are microfilmed and available for viewing. The County Clerks Office has never been involved with the Surrogate Courts records program, and so if you have specific questions I recommend that your contact Mr. John Schaefer at (716) 428-5200 for information. Some wills and estate records have been filed with the County Clerk's Office over the years, and those that we have are contained in our Miscellanous Records series in bound volumes and on microfilm. Our estate records are by no means complete, however, and I urge you to contact Surrogate Curt with your questions.
We recently finished cataloguing our microfilmed Naturalization records and we now have available for viewing: Petitions from 1823 to 1906 with full index, and Declarations of Intention from 1851 to 1898 with partial index. Mrs. Marge Bittner is our new Naturalization Clerk, and you should contact her at (716) 428-5155 to set up an appointment to research microfilmed or other Naturalization records. Again, it is important that you can first so that someone will be able to help you when you come by.
LITTLE KNOWN TREASURES
by Charlene Bean Guyer
One of the little known treasures in Rochester is the group of friendly, considerate people who work at the Mt Hope Cemetery office. Mt Hope is one of the three large cemeteries in Rochester.
Mt Hope was started in 1836 and is predominantly a Protestant cemetery. Most Catholics were buried in Holy Sepulchre cemetery which was started in 1872. The other large cemetery in Rochester is Riverside, begun in the period 1892 - 1896. Of the five cemeteries listed in the 1876 city directory only Mt Hope was not Catholic.
Every time I have gone to the Mt Hope Cemetery office I have been helped by an extremely co-operative person who looked up information for me. I usually give them the person's name and date of death. The records are filed in large books according to dates of interment. The record usually includes name, date of burial, age (sometimes in years, months, days), cause of death, place of death, lot and section number of burial. Once you have a section and lot number they can look in the plot books to find the names of others buried in that plot.
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CHAMBERLAIN - BRIDGE:--Need proof of parents of Luther Filmore CHAMBERLAIN born Ca. 1827 on Monroe or Ontario Co., NY. It is believed that his parents were David M. and Hannah (BRIDGE) CHAMBERLAIN. David was one of first purchasers of land in Ontario Co., NY in 1814. Sold in 1826. David's brothers were John and Jeremiah. David and Hannah moved to Lorain Co., OH in 1831, as did John and Jeremiah. Mrs. Robert Lemmerbrock, 13488 Huffman Road, Bowling Green, OH 43402 |
McARTHUR...CLEMENTS..SCHATZEL
(SHATZEL)...UHL...HEWITT...PIERCE Susan K. McArthur, Route #1, Box 22-C, Oakesdale, WA 99158 |
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HOWARD...BENNETT...BELAMY Who were the parents of Diana and Caroline HOWARD? It Is believed their mothers name was Mehitable. Diana married 1836 at Portage, Livingston County, NY, to Thomas Ford Bennett. Caroline married ...... BELAMY; he died before 1850. After Diana's death about 1855, Caroline married Thomas Ford BENNETT at Portage, NY. Any help will be appreciated. Faye W. Smith, 6994 Devotion Lane, Sacramento, CA 95823 |
ENGLERT...LANGE: Seeking information on Michael J. ENGLERT born in 1870 in Rochester who married Lena LANGE from New York City. He was a taller by trade. They had four children. His family is believed to be from Germany. Need any information on him, his wife or any ENGLERTS In genera]. Also interested in the following surnames: MCDONOUGH, LUKE, RYAN, KEDIAN, LANG(E), DUMOND. Lorraine M. Luke, 3017 15th Street, Apt. A, Metairie, LA 70002 |
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NILES: I would like to correspond with anyone related to or with knowledge of the NILES family who lived in the Ogden area ca. 1830 - 1900. Related family names are AYRES, WHITCHER, ROSS, ANDERSEN, IRONS, COLBY and DURFEE. Letters from members of this NILES family, dated 1850 to 1890, mention people living In the areas of Adams Basin, Ogden, Lockport, Wheatland, Sweden and Spencerport. Mrs. Judith Moulton, 8662 Moscow Road, Horton, MI 49246 |
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