Volume 9, Number 2
Spring 1988

Table of Contents

1. Origins of the RGS
2. 1988 - Spring Program
3. Heritage and Genetics
4. Program Reviews (Jan 88, Feb 88)
5. Searches
6. Pioneer Associatiom Member List
7. Vital Records - Monroe Republican
8. Vital Records - Rochester Telegraph
9. Irondequoit's Hooker Pioneer Cemetery
10. Queries

ORIGINS OF THE ROCHESTER GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
Robert J. Gustafson.

The history of the Genealogical Section of the Rochester Historical Society began with the mailing of a notice to all members which read;

The first officers chosen on 12 April 1938 were; Chairman (Temporary), J. Sheldon Fisher; Vice Chairman (Temporary), Charles Shepard, Esq.; and Secretary (Temporary), Miss Mary Moulthrop. In the next election held 18 October 1939 they were succeeded by Dr. Robert L. Thompson, Mrs. Myrte Haynes, and Mr. Fisher, respectively.

Elections were usually held at the beginning of the section year in October, but in many years the minutes fall to show an election at that time.

On March 20, 1941, the first Genealogical Section meeting was held at "Woodside," the home of the Rochester Historical Society, and with very few exceptions this practice continued for approximately thirty years.

On 16 April 1942 by vote of the Section dues of fifty cents per year were established; postal cards announcing the meetings were then one cent.

As the Section prepared to celebrate its tenth anniversary, the content of the decade's meetings was tabulated as follows:

• Mechanics of genealogy: 9
• Legal records: 2
• Rochester sources: 8
• New York State sources: 7
• European sources: 2
• Round table discussions: 2
• Heraldry: 3
• Migration routes: 4
• Charts: 2
• Personal talks on one's family: 3
• Sects and nationality groups: 4
• New sources and books in the library: 3
• Census records: 1
• War records: 3

For the entire period, local speakers were three-quarters of the total. Many of the members had professional positions in genealogy or history and this situation continued through the first three decades. Tea and cookies or pastries were often served elegantly as refreshments; on occasion it was the crackers and bouillon cubes brought in members pockets which made the serving of refreshments possible.

As of November 1, 1946, there were 86 persons on the address list in 80 households, with seven members residing outside Monroe County. Of the total, three were charter members of the Section and are still members in 1988. Dues continued at the rate of fifty cents annually until April 1959 when they rose to $1.00.

By 1964 the address list included 92 persons in 85 households with 8 out-of-county residents, but dues-paying members were in the minority. Income approximated $20 to $30 per year, with expenses of the same magnitude. In September 1967 dues rose to $1.50 and in September 1976 to $2.00, and then to $3.00 in September 1978. Major expenses in all of these years was the monthly mailing of one hundred postal cards to the address list. Donations to the Rochester Historical Society for the use of the meeting room were made occasionally, as finances permitted.

The Genealogical Section eventually became the Rochester Genealogical Society and the meeting place changed to the Lutheran Church of the Incarnate Word and then later to St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Our long-time members who are still active and the dates of their first affilliation with the Genealogical Section are:

• 1938: J. Sheldon Fisher, Charles Shepard, Esq., and Mrs. Robert D. (Katherine) Thompson
• 1941: R. Milford Spencer
• 1943: Mrs. Donald H. (Margaret) MacNab (formerly Mrs. Claude G. Schmitt)
• April 1954 or earlier: Mrs. Richard S. (Florence) Field and Mrs. Charles G. (Esther) Gates
• April 1962: Robert J. Gustafson

We are deeply indebted to the early secretaries who preserved the section's history, though many gaps in the 1950 era remain to be filled. Further, we appreciate the cooperation of Miss Elizabeth Holahan and the staff at "Woodside" for making the earliest minutes, treasurer's reports, and meeting announcements available. These last mentioned, carefully preserved by Miss Mary Moulthrop and others, will be of invaluable assistance to our program chairpersons. We also hail that small group which held the Section together during World War II, when transportation difficulties made cancellation of meetings necessary, power outages curtailed meetings, and many members were fully occupied in support of the war effort.

1988 - SPRING PROGRAM
by Charlene Guyer

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.(except as noted below), followed by the business meeting at 7:30 P.M. and the main program at approximately 8:00 P.M. Visitors are welcome.

Thursday, April 21

Mini-workshop: "Heraldry"

Program: "CELEBRATION OF THE 50^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE ROCHESTER GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY"

Sheldon Fisher, Katherine Thompson, and Charles Shepard, our three founding members, will review the history of RGS and share reminiscences with us. All three are entertaining speakers and excellent genealogists, so be sure to join us for a super evening! Special refreshments will be served.

Thursday, May 19

Mini-workshop: "Special Tips and Unusual Techniques for Cemetery Researching"

Program: "GANONDAGAN STATE HISTORIC SITE"

Mr. Peter Jemison, Site Manager of Ganondagan, will review the history of the site and plans for its future. His ancestors include Mary Jemison "White Woman of the Genesee." Ganondagan State Historic Site contains the archaeological remains of a major seventeenth-century Seneca town and a large palisaded granary. The town itself and the vast associated burial grounds on Boughton Hill were designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964. Fort Hill, the site of the granary, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 as a significant locale on the itinerary of the Denonville Expedition of 1687. The Canadians burned Seneca cornfields and grain silos to annihilate them as competitors in the international fur trade. This strategy backfired, however, and it was the French who were almost eliminated as a power in North America when the combined forces of the Five Nations took their revenge the following year in the lower St. Lawrence Valley.

According to Seneca oral tradition, the site is also the location of important events in the life of the Peace Mother, one of the three founders of the League of the Iroquois. Her place of burial is believed to be nearby. (Dedication, l8 July 1987; Ed.)

June Picnic: To be announced later.

HERITAGE AND GENETICS
Charles H Sumner

Everyone who has taken biology knows that the child receives half of its genetic material from the father and half from the mother. If you can trace back twelve or fourteen generations to the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries, what portion of your genetic material came to you from that one particular ancestor? Should you expect to look like your early ancestor?

If you are fourteen generations down from the earliest recorded ancestor, as is Douglas Michael Sumner, you are descended from 16,384 people in your direct lines of ascent. (Your parents each had two parents who each had two parents, etc.) Expressed another way, Douglas received 0.000610352 (about 6/10,000^ths) of the genetic material of his ancestor Roger.

Resemblances and characteristics are not likely to be very pronounced.

PROGRAM REVIEWS for January and February
Sheryl Weissert

January - A SLIDE SHOW ON MT. HOPE CEMETERY by Richard Brown

Mt. Hope Cemetery, one of the oldest Victorian cemeteries in America, was dedicated by the City of Rochester on October 3, 1838. The slide presentation dealt with Mt. Hope's history, geological formations, funerary art, landscape, and the citizens who played important roles in the building of the city. Included were such names as Sibley, Reynolds, Ritter, Ellwanger, Peck, and Whittlesey. The nationally known figures of Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and Henry Morgan were also noted. During the question and answer session, Mr. Brown of the Friends of Mt. Hope, spoke of the dedication of the organization to the restoration, preservation, and public use of this cultural and historic resouce. Walking tours are given on Sundays from spring thru fall.

February - FOLLOWING THE OLD (CANAL) TOWPATHS BY Waldo Nielsen

Mr. Nielsen's Slide presentation included maps of the old Erie Canal or "Clintons Ditch," the expanded Erie, and the Barge Canal. The Port of New York and its connection to the canal system greatly increased the import traffic of products and people as our country expanded in the early 1800's. We were shown areas where one can see only small remnants of the old Erie and some of the buildings that once housed travelers. Old locks and sections of aqueducts still can be seen with their great stone work, a monument to the builders of that era. Many parks and trails have been established along the towpaths and today most of the canal use is for recreation.

SEARCHES
Helen Rockwell

At the Ontario Genealogical seminar (Canada) in May, 1987, Ronald A. Bremer, Editor, Roots Digest Magazine, and a dynamic and interesting speaker had so much solid advice to offer that I'd like to share some of it with others.

There are two kinds of searches; a particular search and a general search. We conduct a particular search in every jurisdiction but one. By a particular search we mean searching for one specific or particular individual by his or her full name. Hence, we look for, say, James Craig in almost all the various records we consult and this is a proper search technique.

However, whenever we research in a county in North America, we never do a particular search. We must always do a general search in the county. Hence, in the counties we do not search for James Craig but every Craig! This is what separates the amateurs from the profeasionals. The same goes for a federal census. Always search a census microfilm for each Craig entry (or whatever surname you wish). In this regard, you must never ever search a census index! Because you are doing a "particular" search in a "general" search jurisdiction.

Nothing you learn in the field of genealogy is as important as this!

PIONEER ASSOCIATION MEMBER LIST (continued)
Julie Steitz

• Auston WILCOX, born Conn. Came to W. N, Y. 1779.
• A. E. WILCOX, born Conn. Came to W. N. Y. 1801.
• Mrs. P. B. WILDER.
• George W. WILLEY, born Conn. Came to W. N. Y. 1804. Dead.
• William WILBER, born S. N. Y. Came to R. 1815.
• Alexander WILLIAMS, born Conn. Came to W. N. Y. 1823.
• Henry WELLES, (Judge) born S. N. Y.
• Ezra WHITTLESEE, born S. N. Y. Came to W. N. Y. 1817.
• George WRIGHT, born S. N. Y. Came to W. N. Y. 1821.
• Thomas WRIGHT, born S. N. Y. Came to W. N. Y. 1825.
• Palmer B. WILDER, born Vt. Came to W. N. Y. 1807, died 1865. Aged 62.
• Mrs. Henry WARD, died in Penfield 1866.
• Robert A. WILSON, born S. N. Y. Otsego County.
• William WOOD, born Mass. Came to W. N. Y. 1809.
• Justus YALE, born Mass, Came to W. N. Y. 1818.

END OF LIST.

Reader should see ROCHESTER HISTORY, published by the Rochester Public Library, Vol. XLVII, Nos, 3 & 4, Ruth Rosenherg-Naparsteck, Editor. This publication lists attendants of the First Pioneer Festival in September of 1847 and includes their ages, where they emigrated from and when they arrived in Rochester. Several of the names, of course are in the above list. (Ed.)

Reader should also see TREE TALKS, vol 26, no 1, page 51 for information about another early society, The Genesee County Pioneer Society, the records of which are located in the Richmond Memorial Library, Batavia, NY. (Ed.)

VITAL RECORDS FROM THE MONROE REPUBLICAN (Rochester, NY)
Dick Halsey

(Note: Date refer to date that paper was published.)

August 22, 1826: Died in this village on the 12th instant, Mr. Thomas HOLLAND from Ireland, an industrious laborer, leaving a wife and five children (daughters), aged about 49.

Died in this village on the 15th instant, Mr. Samuel HOWELL, merchant from Trumansburgh, Tompkins County, aged 27 years. He in company with his wife made a tour to Niagara Falls and vicinity on the 10th instant. He returned to this village unwell and continued to decline until his death. He has left an amiable wife to whom he was married three months.

(to be continued)

VITAL RECORDS FROM THE ROCHESTER TELEGRAPH (continued)
Dick Halsey

(Note: Date refers to date that paper was published.)

April 3, 1827: Died on the 28th, Harriet Elizabeth DRAPER, aged 15 months and 20 days, dau. of Henry and Harriet DRAPER of this town.

April 10, 1827: Died in this village on the 30th ult., James T. LENT.

May 12, 1827: The friends and acquaintances of the late Harvey GOODMAN are requested to attend the re-interment of his remains from the storehouse of Norton, Goodman & Co. on Sunday morning at 9 o'clock.

June 5, 1827: Married in Lima on the 31st ult. by the Rev. Mr. Barnard; Mr. John TAYLOR Jr. of Mendon to Miss Phebe LEACH of the former place.

June 15, 1827: Marrried on sue 12th inst. by Joel Wheeler Esq.; John SMITH 3d to Miss Catharine WYNN, all of Chili.

June 25, 1827: Died yesterday in this village of a lingering consumption; Mrs. Margaret SELLEG, aged 37 years. The Friends and acquaintances of Mr. A. Selleg are requested to attend the funeral of his deceased wife this afternoon at 4 o'clock.

June 27, 1827: Died in this village on Monday, Henrietta Seymour, infant dau. of Mr. George TERRY.

July 4, 1827: 1 Cent Reward - Ran away from the subscriber an indented apprentice to the shoe making trade, named Abram REINHART. All persons are forbid harboring or trusting him on my account, as I shall pay no debts of his contracting. Any person returning the said boy shall save the above reward, but no charges. H. RAYMOND.

July 21, 1827: Died yesterday morning, Mary, dau. of Doctor MARVIN, aqed 2 years, 6 months. Funeral this morning at 10 o'clock.

August 27, 1827: Died on the 26th inst., Lucretia Champion, dau. of Charles PERKINS, Esq., aged 13 months. Funeral this day at 10 o'clock A.M.

Died in the town of Brighton on the 22d inst., Mary wife of Jospeh FRAZER, age 53 years, formerly of this village.

September 3, 1827: Married in this Village on Saturday morning by Mr. M. Chapin Esq.; Elihu MARSHALL, editor of the Album to Mrs. Mary MAY.

September 10, 1827: The Friends of Capt. S. BRISTOL of Perinton are invited to attend his funeral this day at 11 o'clock from his residence in Perinton near the canal. A Masonic procession will be formed at the house of Col. Levi Treadwell. The brethren of Rochester are particitarly desired to attend.

September 12, 1827: Married in this village on the 3d inst. by the Rev, Zechariah Paddock; Mr. Adam DEFENDORF to Miss Ann KILLIN.

Married in Carthage on the 7th inst., by the same; Mr. Jeremiah WILSON to Miss Chloe Agnes PARKS.

September 18, 1827: Died at Penfield last Saturday morning; George, son of Jacob B. BRYAN, aged 3 years.

September 18, 1827: Died on Monday, Mr. Levi GILCHRIST of this village. Mr. Gilchrist's death was occasioned by the accidental explosion of powder. He was engaged at his house in Mount Lebanon on preparing cartridges when a quantity of powder exploded by which he was so seriously injured as to survive only about 24 hours.

Died on Wednesday, an infant son of Simeon P. ALLCOTT.

IRONDEQUOIT'S HOOKER PIONEER CEMETERY
Bob Gustafson

Hooker Cemetery is located in Irondequoit immediately south of the Keeler Street Expressway and directly east of Portland Avenue. Entrance to the cemetery is gained by driving into the parking lot for St. Ann's Home and bearing northeastwardly, and from that point the split rail, fence of the cemetery is visible, originally known as Sand Hill when the first burials were made shortly after 1800, it later became identified as Hooker Hill. There is some justification for the belief that as many as one thousand burials were made, but there is evidence at present of fewer than three hundred. Because of the steep slopes on the northern perimeter and the bed of Hobbie Creek along the western perimeter, perhaps only a little less than an acre was suitable for interments, but this would still have provided space for far more than 300. Since practically all of the burials would not have been made in vaults as is the practice today, and further that many were children this becomes even more plausible. But there is no evidence to support the larger number. The first burial for which we have evidence is that of Samuel Green, who died in 1813 at the age of 27 years. Quite appropriately, his epitaph reads: "Death is sent, alas how soon; His morning sun goes down at noon."

Alexander A. Hooker acquired the property and established a farm, and his handsome stone house stood until the mid 1960's, The house and the land surrounding Hooker Cemetery were at that time owned by the Rochester Catholic Diocese and there was deep concern among diocesan officials that the Hooker home would be destroyed by fire, perhaps with injuries or loss of life resulting.

An attempt was made by the newly-formed Irondequoit Historical Society to save the home for possible use as a museum or meeting place, but the home with its wide pine flooring, hardwood bannisters, and glass lights around the front door fell to wrecking crews.

In 1840 Alexander Hooker had offered the burial ground to the public with the provision that a group of delegated persons would 'enclose the land and keep it in good order.' This was the first year of existence of the Town of Irondequoit, it having been created from a portion of Brighton in 1839. The sum of one hundred dollars was felt sufficient to 'put a good substantial board or slat fence with red cedar posts around the burying ground', and to build a bridge to run across the front of it, i.e., to the rear of the Hooker home. This paper can be construed as a deed in light of the one hundred dollars which were subscribed by the public. In 1895 trustees of the cemetery conveyed the title for the cemetery to the Irondequoit Town Council for a token payment, the site comprising 'an acre and a half of ground, more or less, which was donated sixty or more years ago by Mr. Hooker of this town.'

It was used until the turn of the century or a few years longer, but even by the mid-1880's news accounts were describing supposed illicit burials because no more plots were available for purchase. In 1895 Irondequoit Cemetery was created from a few acres of farm land on Culver Road south of Hoffman Road. The period 1850-1865 saw the largest number of Hooker Cemetery interments and it is interesting to note that the birth dates of these pioneers preceded this country's founding. From about 1900 until the onset of the depression Hooker Cemetery was given some attention by town officials, but funds available for many purposes were curtailed and the trustees became discouraged.

Underbrush which comprised wild grape and sumac, was cleared in 1953-54 by VFW Post 2691, and as a result the graves of thirteen veterans were located and mapped and one additional veteran was cited but the burial location was in doubt. In 1955 the Town Council replaced the fence with a sturdy split-rail type; sprayed the grounds to kill the rampaging poison ivy; the spray killed forty-two oak trees. From this time onwards the desolate appearance of the burying ground led to accelerated vandalism, with headstones and other markers being dumped into Irondequoit Bay or being used for home construction projects such as patios. Only the Hooker monument and other markers remained essentially intact, in addition to a portion of the West family plot.

Beginning at the southeast corner of the cemetery, a few inches of topsoil was scraped up along with the monuments and foundations and moved northwesterly where much of the bed of Hobbie Creek was filled in. Although it had been assumed that nothing was buried any deeper than six feet, the systematic excavation during the summer of 1985 divulged stones as deep as ten feet.

Much of what we know today we owe to those historians and scribes who visited the cemetery and made records while the stones were above ground and relatively legible. Even so, the effect of soil acids and weathering had made many hard to read and errors exist for this reason. Particular mention must be made of those who created records where none had existed previously; included are members of the DAR, the late Ralph Sutton, former town historian Miss Maud West, members of the VFW, and other county residents. In addition, interviews with surviving family members added more material to the rolls. It should be noted here that there are no surviving records of burials made prior to 1886. Memorial cards and a small number of death certificates and a few very old photographs completed the data base until relatively recently. In some cases only the family surname is known, while in other cases not only the given and surnames are available but birth and death dates, spouses' names, and even place of origin.

Beginning about a decade ago the town historian used part-time help to uncover stones which were relatively shallow and prepared a list which attempted to minimize the discrepancies which resulted from the variety of inputs. Concurrently, the Irondequoit Historical Society gathered biographical and genealogical information from the 1852 and 1872 maps, Centennial History of Monroe County, Landmarks of Monroe County, and History of Rochester and Monroe County, all published between 1877 and 1908 and other references. Maiden names have been included where they could be directly obtained or deduced. Similarity of headstones has also suggested familial relationships.

The Society set out to verify the service records of the war veterans and also to show the veteran's grave sites on a survey map of the cemetery, and to reference these to above-ground locations such as the split rail fence and the boulder which rests in the center of the cemetery. Now we are aware that sixteen veterans are buried here; among the new information is that Alexander A. Hooker was an 1812 War veteran. The veterans represent all the nation's wars from the Revolution to the Civil War, with the exception of the Mexican War. It has been possible to obtain service records for all but the Black Hawk War of 1832, a very localized Indian campaign on the Iowa-Illinois border. A band of fewer than a hundred Sac and Fox Indians under a brave named Black Hawk kept thousands of troops engaged, including state guards, regular army units, and volunteers. Four of Irondequoit's prominent citizens set off to fight in this campaign, but reputable army histories suggest that they contracted cholera en route and never did see combat. New markers for the verified graves are being obtained from the federal government. The new marker for Revolutionary veteran Pettit Loder was installed in 1976 along with a marker from the Sons of the American Revolution.

Service has confirmed for all Hooker Civil War veterans, including Captain James H. Hooker, who served with an Illinois unit, but was discharged for health reasons after less than a year's service. It is interesting to note that until the time of his death in 1907 he was rarely seen without a firearm.

(to be continued)

QUERIES and other things:

EXCHANGE I will exchange research time with any California member who has access to Colton, California, records for my research time on Rochester, NY area records. Helen Rockwell, 207 Westminster Road, Rochester, NY 14607

BRIGGS ... Aaron BRIGGS, Revolutionary War Pensioner died likely Ontario County, NY, ca. 1841. Need actual date and place of death and of his wife, Rhoda Bowen BRIGGS and the names of their children. Joshua BRIGGS, probably a son of Aaron and Rhoda above. Aaron's married Phoebe ----- who apparently died in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, 8 Mar. 1854. Sylvester BRIGGS, likely the son of Joshua and Phoebe above. Died 30 Jun. 1869, Newaygo County, Michigan. Require names of his siblings. His wife was Emma or Eunice PIERCE who apparently died in Ontario or Livingston County, NY as Emma or Eunice PIERCE BRIGGS prior to 1850. Need her date and place of death and burial. (Note: A Charles H. PIERCE, 1847-1926 and Martha, wife, 1856-1930 buried in Town of Seneca, Ontario Co. NY. Ed.) Ervan L. Amidon, Lt. CoL. USAF (ret.), 3782 Incochee Trail, Traverse City, MI 496684

REQUESTS Please send along any early primary genealogical information you may have. It makes our journal more important and useful to more people. Of course, primary information is that which was recorded at or near the time that the event happened by some one directly involved with that event; as in estate documents, deeds, bible records and church records. Also, we could use a volunteer with a computer to index the back copies of HEAR YE. (Ed.)