Table of Contents
| R.G.S. OFFICERS 1986 - 1987 | |
| 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, Inc. P.O. Box 92533 Rochester NY 14692 | |
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Table of Contents
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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Helen Berkeley
SAVE THE DATE: Dr. Ralph Crandall, Director of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, will be our special quest and speaker at the Rochester Genealogical Society meeting, Thursday, April 16th.
The New England Historic Genealogical Society, which is the oldest and most prestigious society of its kind in the country, has been growing at an incredible rate in recent years with membership and endowment both. Much of this activity can be attributed directly to the untiring efforts of Dr. Crandall.
He has traveled around the country discussing the work of the NEHGS, recruiting members and funds to help carry on their research and programs. On this trip through New York State, he will stop in Rochester to tell us what is new at the NEHGS and to discuss the outstanding but little known manuscript collection. This collection undoubtedly contains a wealth of information, much of it pertinent to anyone searching for early New England ancestors. This should be an informative glimpse behind the doors of one of the great sources of genealogical material in this country.
Please do plan to attend.
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1987 - WINTER AND SPRING PROGRAM
Carman Bush
The Rochester. Genealogical Society will continue to meet the third Thursday of each month (except December, July and August), at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, East Avenue and Vick Park B. The mini-workshops will start at 7 P.M., followed by the business meeting at 7:30 P.M. and the main program at approximately 8:00 P.M. Visitors are welcome.
Thursday, January 15
Mini-workshop "FINDING FOLKS IN HOLLAND!"
Program "A VARIETY OF APPROACHES TO GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH"
Dr. Joel L. Nitzkin, Monroe County Director of Health, will share some of his insights and experiences as a genealogist.
Thursday. February 19
Mini-workshop "RESEARCHING ENGLISH ANCESTORS"
Program "THE SAGA OF SIX SETTLEMENTS"
Mr. Bill Davis, past president of the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse Historical Society will present a slide show on the early settlements in the Rochester area, and the families that lived in them.
Thursday, March 19
Mini-workshop "TRAVELING ABROAD TO DO GENEALOGY"
Program "ORAL HISTORY"
Mr. Preston Pierce, Ontario County Historian, will discuss the ins and outs of this often-ignored technique.
Thursday, April 19
Mini-workshop pre-empted this month by our annual Genealogical Garage Sale. Make sure to bring any genealogical or local history materials you no lonser need, including books, maps, forms, periodicals, etc. Help make the sale a success (profits are all yours).
Program Dr. Ralph Crandall, Director of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, will discuss important manuscript sources that can be consulted at the Societys library.
Thursday, May 21
Mini-workshop "RESEARCHING SCOTTISH ANCESTORS"
Program "GENOGRAMS"
Dr. James E. Jones, a clinical psychologist, will discuss the concept and uses of the genogram, a "family tree that charts emotional relationships."
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QUESTIONS and ANSWERS
Dick Halsey
QUESTION: I have a picture with two unidentified young men in Spanish-American War uniforms with "202" on their campaign hats. Is there information on a unit or Regiment with that number from Rochester or vicinity during that War?
J. Burr, St. James, FL.
ANSWER: In New York in the Spanish-American War by The Adjutant-General of the State of New York, 1900 (3 vol.) for "202" I found the 202nd Regiment that was organized mostly in Buffalo. Going through the list of men in that Regiment there were some that enlisted in Rochester. All of those that enlisted in Rochester were in Company "I," so your young men were probably in that Company unless they had gone to Buffalo to enlist.
QUESTION: My Ancestor, Mathias Kuechmann, was blinded by a childhood case of measles and it is believed he came to this country between 1844 - 1847 for unsuccessful treatment at a hospital in Rochester which had the top eye specialists. Are you aware of such a hospital existing in the mid-nineteenth century and, if so, do know where it's archives are kept?
ANSWER: I checked out some sources but was unable to find anything on the subject. Still, I remembered reading something about eye surgery in Rochester in those days. Finally, I came across an article about Dr. Edwin G. Munn in Genesee Valley People, 1743-1962 by Irene A. Beale, 1983. In the 1830's, Dr. Munn was one of the first to operate on cataracts of the eyes. In 1837, he moved his office from his home in Scottsville to the Smith Arcade in Rochester. His renown brought him patients from all over the Northeastern states with as many as 100 people at a time in his waiting room. He was considered a brilliant surgeon and experimented in surgical techniques of the eye. The Guide to Historical Resources in Monroe County, NY Repositories, 1983, states that Dr. Munn's personal papers are now in the Manuscript Section of the Rush-Rhees Libvrary at the University of Rochester.
Do you have a question related to the Genesee Valley region? Send your question to Dick Halsey at Rochester Genealogical Society, PO Box 92533, Rochester, NY
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TOMBSTONE
Charlene Bean Guyer
Tombstone Found in basement of home in Bergen, NY
Mary
wife of
Alvah Stevens
died
Oct. 12, 1836
in her 25th year
She rests secure from Mortal Woes
While Angels watch her soft repose!
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PROGRAM REVIEWS (Sep, Oct, Nov, 1986)
Judy Markham
September - "RESEARCHING THE CIVIL WAR" - Bill Welch
In addition to records held by the National Archives, Bill Welch, president of the Rochester Civil War Roundtable, suggested the following sources for Civil War Research, especially in New York State:
October - ""IRISH RESEARCH" - Thomas Prittie
The first step in Irish Research is to do as much as possible in the U.S. from family and public records for clues to the parish, community or county where your ancestor originated, said Thomas Prittie, past president of the Ontario County Genealogical Society. Once in Ireland, start with the genealogical office in Dublin Castle, where you will find tithing books of landholders, and the Four Courts public records office which houses the Registry of Deeds (grantor only).
A fire in Dublin in 1922 destroyed many records, including those of 1,006 parishes and most of the wills. However, an index to the wills survived as did several hundred parish records still held by the parishes. A major effort is under way to reconstruct the lost records from other sources.
Helpful guides include Margaret Dickson Falley's Irish and Scotch-Irish Ancestral Research, the Handbook on Irish Genealogy and the Irish Genealogical Helper.
November - "THE PRESERVATION OF GENEALOGICAL ARTIFACTS" - Ron Emerson
Even 150 years after the invention of photography, photos remain one of our most fragile artifacts, explained Ron Emerson, a technical specialist at Light Impressions Co. Humidity is the "most harmful condition." Even a fluctuation of humidity will cause problems. Next is temperature. A print stored at zero degrees Fahrenheit will last 340 times as long as one kept at 75 degrees. Color prints will fade even in the dark under high humidity and temperatures.
Polutants cause oxidation, fading and discoloration. Exposure to light, especially the ultraviolet rays in sunlight, is harmful as is contact with acidic wook and papers and most adhesives and plastics.
Fungus, insects and rodents will attact the nutrients of photos; the emulsions made from gelatins. Once fungus has appeared on a photo, it can spread to others and must be segregated. To protect your prints you should store them in the dark in an acid-free box, away from dust in even humidity (30-50%) and temperatures under 65 A first or second floor closet may be best. Prints should further be separated by acid-free paper. Negatives are best kept in acid-free papers or polypropylene or polyethylene sleeves and stored in the refriegerator or freezer (even better) in an air-tight container. (Kodak sells a special heat-sealing envelope for such storage.)
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INCORPORATION
Peter Bush
ROCHESTER GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY CONSIDERS INCORPORATION
The time seems to have come for the Rochester Genealogical Society to incorporate.
The question of incorporation will be discussed by the members of the Society at the January and February meetings. The pros and cons of incorporation, and the changes it would mean for the Society, will be on the agenda for January's business meeting. In February, the members will be asked to vote on a formal resolution authorizing incorporation.
The issue is not a new one. It has been discussed from time to time since the mid-1970s, when the RGS was formed as the successor to the Genealogical Section of the Rochester Historical Society. On previous occasions, the officers and members of the Society felt that the advantages of incorporation were not sufficient to justify the filing fees and other costs. And, in fact, the Society has operated perfectly well as an unincorporated association, which is its legal status under New York State law.
Why bother to discuss the issue again? The simple answer is the growth of the Society, both in membership and in activities. RGS is no longer a small group of friends who meet once a month to talk about their shared hobby; rather, it has become a relatively large organization with a substantial budget and a variety of programs. As it embarks on new ventures, such as organizing genealogical trips and publishing, the advantages of incorporation become more compelling.
The principal advantage of incorporation would be to insulate the individual members and officers from liability for the acts and omissions of the Society. Currently, any person who suffered damages as a result of the Societys activities could seek to recover the damages not only from the Society itself but also from individual members and officers. That would change after incorporation.
Prompted largely by concern over the liability question, the RGS Executive Committee began discussing incorporation in earnest this past fall. The Committee has concluded that the advantages far outweigh the costs of incorporation - including the filing fees and the organizational changes that will be required. Therefore, the Committee asked me to prepare the necessary legal documents, and to present them to the members for discussion. The documents include a certificate of incorporation and revised bylaws. Copies of these documents will be handed out at the January meeting, and there will be an opportunity for questions and comments at both the January and February business meetings.
All members of the Society are urged to give this question careful consideration. Any member unable to attend the January and February meetings may contact me to obtain a copy of the documents by mail (address: 130 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620; telephone; (716) 442-8385.
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Our Sympathy to Maj. Edward Sweeney
The sympathy of the members of the Rochester Genealogical Society is extended to Maj. Edward U. Sweeney (#260), on the death of his wife Elinor. last May, following a long illness.
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Old Family Bible Found
Old family bible found in Ontario Co., NY barn, of a Orleans Co., NY family.
Marriage: On the second day of February in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty Three: Mr. John Singleton of Ridgeway, NY and Miss Eliza Howit of the same place were united in Marriage according to the laws of the State of NY.
James Edmund Justice of the Peace
John Singleton, b. Wellingore, England
Eliza Howit, b. Lincolnshire, England
children:
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PIONEER ASSOCIATION MEMBER LIST (continued from v7-#3)
Julie Steitz
Continued in v8-#2.
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QUERIES
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GEBO William B. Gebo married Minnie Duprey in June 1914 in Watertown, New York. He died in Rochester, Jan. 1953. Would like to correspond with anyone related to or with knowledge of his widow or step daughter, Rita. GILBERT ... LACY ... TOMPKINS ... Samuel Gilbert may have married Esther Tompkins and had Thomas, John and Janathon. John Gilbert 1776-1843, m. 1st, Hannah Lacy, 1899, Geneva, NY and 2nd, Sally Lacy, Mary's sister. Need proof of Samuel's marriage and 2nd more information on Johns son Samuel Gilberts family who lived early 1800s in Geneva, NY area. |
KEEGAN ... HENNESY ... GERLOCK ... JONES ... John Keegan, b. Mar. 1838, Albany, NY; d. 14 Aug. 1898, in Rochester, NY; son of William and Anna Gangan Keegan. He had one sister, Mary, maybe others. John Keegan, m. 20 May 1960, Rochester, NY, Mary Hennesy; b. 02 Feb. 1845, Dublin, Ireland; d. 26 Apr. 1920, Rochester. She was the dau. of John/Patrick and Johanna Wall Hennesy. John and Mary had at least two sons: William Keegan, b. 04 Aug. 1866, Rochester; d. 10 Jan. 1940; and Frank Keegan William Keegan, b. 1866; m. 16 Apr. 1890, Rochester, NY, Mary Gerlock; b. Feb. 1868, Pittsford, NY; d. 09 May 1906, Monroe Co., NY. She was the dau. of Andrew Gerlock (Gerlach) and Mary Richemaker Gerlock. William and Mary Keegan had thre.e sons: 1. Walter J. Keegan, b. 15 Dec. 1890, Rochester, NY; 2. Harvey B.(D?) Keegan, b. ? and 3. Ray Keegan, b. ?. Ray Keegan was said to have been the Chief of Police in Rochester, NY in the 1920s or 30s. Walter Keegan married and divorced in Rochester, NY. When? He may have had one daughter. He moved to KY and m. 2nd to Elva J. Jones in Corbin, KY, 27 Jun. 1919. |
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