Our bags were packed for 8:00 a.m. departure. We represented five Rochester area groups: Genealogy Round Table of Monroe County, Kodak Genealogical Club, Tri-Town Genealogical Society, Independent researchers, and R.G.S. All of our heads were filled with the consuming thought: what was the right question to ask when we arrived at our national Capital, and where was the right place to ask it? We had six hours' travel time in which to decide the answers.

Only the National Archives were open Thursday evening; it was the obvious place to begin. Helen Berkeley #193, who had planned the trip for us, searched Ship Passenger Lists 1854, Port of New York and found her sought-after immigrant promptly. Ann DeWitt #711 used Civil War Pension Records (she handled a thick file of original documents) and discovered that her great-grandfather had been married twice - to sisters! Esther Plain #513 and Mildred Evans #510 dug into Revolutionary War Pension Applications where Esther found an original letter citing the battle in which a 17-year old ancestor had participated, been taken prisoner yet survived to become her great-great-great grandfather. Your president #385 searched the same source and located a 36p. record which transformed my family legend into a RI-born, NY-died, proven Green Mountain Boy. Jim Roome #335 worked in the same area and discovered the pay records of a g-g-g-g grandfather who had served in the Revolutionary War. Jane Widger (GRT) appreciated the wealth of information available in the N.A., which enabled her to eliminate a "possible" line (which as every experienced genealogist knows, is vital.) Walter Kalb #487 inspected the Postmasters' Appointment File 1872, to identify his female appointee of Summit, Kansas, and took that info to the 1880 Soundex Index to place her in Covington, Wyoming Co. NY. He also used the Civil War Pension File to locate his ancestor's baptismal certificate from Ireland, details of capture, Andersonville imprisonment and two marriages. Loretta Welch #196 has long puzzled over the name of a one-time Buffalo NY resident; an 1862 Affidavit of his death in a Civil War Pension File showed her that both names were right - Ebenezer William Dolbier. The Archives were open Firday and Saturday and many of our group worked there both days.

The Library of Congress was explored on Friday by Dick Halsey #67 who found it the most complete collection of printed family histories with which he has worked. He photo-copied many useful family articles "and will probably be working for a year to absord them" into his files. He also found there two of his own publications (Monroe Co. NY guides.) The magnigicent rotunda and dome were admired by Julie Stietz #25 who like many of us "took time out" to view it and feel proud of our national library. Jim Ault #351 checked L.C. holdings to learn that the pioneer settler of Ault, Colorado was Alexander, a 3rd cousin of his great-grandfather; also, that L.C. has the Ault Family history (3 vols. in 2). Phyllis Oyer (K) experienced the ease of touch-controlled computer access to catalogued (since 1980) materials, including her own Oyer Family history. The familiar card catalog still provides information for books catalogued pre-1980, she notes, but it doesn't eject that instant print-out of author, title, call number and description as the computer does! Marlin Merrill #334 enjoyed the opportunity for a reorientation to our national collections. Peggy Jenks (I) checked L.C. cataloging of her four volumes of Horton Family history and made notes for "Additions and Corrections" in a forth-coming fifth volume.

As our own shuttle bus provided excellent service each day to each library/archive, we enjoyed individual options of research sites. While some returned to the N.A. or L.C., there were a number of us who worked at the D.A.R. Library on Friday. Pat Southcombe (I) used Montgomery Co. NY records there. I referred to the Patriots' Index for evidence that my Green Mountain Boy had descendants who sought membership on the basis of his patriotic service. Four were found, and when I examined their original applications, I found: Family Bible records, marriage certificates and four generations of descendants now living in four different states. Since these D.A.R. members each descended from a different one of the soldier's nine children, I had found an impressive family record, as yet unpublished, of the Roberts Family.

It remained to Bert Simons (I) to search out a special national source. He used the Martin Luther King Collection in the District of Columbia [Public] Library to look for clues concerning his Quaker great-grandfather Gifford of East Shelby, Orleans Co. who, family legend has it, ran a station there of the Underground Railroad. Bert said that our weekend in Washington was too short. He would like to go back again (and it didn't take him six hours to decide that). Shall we do it again next year? I'd like to! Washington D.C. does offer the genealogist a central collection of unique national records.

Ruth Metzler

Changes have occurred since the Western New York Genealogical Society originally accepted the responsibilty of being the host society. National Genealogical Society conference policies have been altered significantly. Communication has been difficult. In spite of our efforts to resolve the problems, the National Genealogical Society untimately terminated it's agreement with us. We regret this decision.

Western New York Genealogical Society had looked forward to working on this project and appeciated the many offers of assistance by our Society members.

The Rochester Genealogical Society will continue to meet the third Thursday of each month (except December, July, and August) at Asbury First United Methodist Church in Fellowship Hall. Asbury is located at 1050 East Avenue (just west of Granger Place) with ample parking and handicapped facilities including ramp, two wheel chairs, and an elevator to Fellowship Hall. The mini-workshops start at 7 PM (except as noted for special programs), followed by the business meeting at 7:30 PM and the main program at approximately 8:00 PM. Visitors are very welcome.

Mini-Workshop: Documenting Genealogy Records by Jim Swarts

Main Program: Beyond the Family - Researching Lifestyles, Neighborhoods, etc. by Ruth Naparsteck, City Historian

Thursday, 20 February 1992

Mini-Workshop: ChannelBind Demonstration of Inexpensive Book Binding System

Main Program: Searching Church Records thru Denomination Strategies by Bob Rowe

Thursday, 19 March 1992

Mini-Workshop: Genealogy Garage Sale and Family Reunion Display

Main Program: Italian Heritage by Kaye Gill

-- Marianne & Bob Hesselberth

Speaker: Judge John A. Austin, F.A.S.G. will talk about the mechanics of becoming a U.S. citizen along with the historical development of naturalization.

Panel of representatives will discuss accessibility and scope of naturalization records. Exhibits, displays and a silent auction.

This conference is open to the public at no charge. For more information including registration see the March 1992 NYSCOGO newsletter or your delegates.

It would take a volume to tell of the interests, activities, and envolvements of 90 year old Lyman F. Barry #175 of Nunda, Livingston Co. His genealogical pursuits alone would fill a book. He is a member of the following genealogically oriented organizations: Society of Mayflower Descendants, S.A.R., Descendants of Pilgrim John Howland, Livingston and Niagara County Historical Societies.

Lyman spends several hours a day answering genealogical queries from all over the U.S. at no charge (his wife says "he is crazy"). He has a very large genealogical collection of books rich in N.Y., Mass., Conn., and N.J. material. He is a frequent lecturer, has been President and a Board Member of the Livingston�Steuben County Genealogical Society.

He has taught adult classes in genealogy at SUNY Geneseo and in the 1950's was Counselor of Genealogy at Rochester Cumorah LDS Stake library. He has had articles published in The Genealogical Helper. He has been the driving force behind the 4000+ indexed names with reference to Ancestor Charts on file at the Dansville Public Library (Do not, however, write the library, as it is only the repository for these files). Contact Maj. Barry or the Livingston-Steuben County Genealogical Society. This society has a six page genealogical research fact sheet, which Lyman instigated, available for one dollar from him at: 9297 Shaw Rd, Rt 1 Box 313, Nunda, NY 14517.

Major Barry welcomes visitors to his 80 acre homestead by phone (716-637-2860) or letter appointment, that is, if he isn't out camping, swimming, gardening, canoeing, horseback riding and on and on and on. He quotes Robert Louis Stevenson: "The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings", and he says - "I am"!

From Pioneer History of Medina County by H. B. Northrup (George Redway, Printer. Medina, Ohio, 1861) is extracted:

Although the township was not organized as early as 1826, yet a goodly portion (fourteen thousand one hundred and thirty-seven acres) of the lands comprised within its present limits, were on duplicate for taxation. In that year Fanny Chapman, Elijah Hubbard, James Mather, Samuel Mather's heirs, Thomas Mather, Thomas Sill and William N. Sill, owned fourteen thousand one hundred and thirty-seven acres, valued at $29,936, on which a tax of $295.62 was paid. At that date there is no report of any personal property being listed and returned for taxation.

In 1830 George Wilson, of Monroe county, New York, settled in York township, made the first puchase and erected the first cabin in September, and may be called the first settler. In the next month (October, 1830,) Levi Branch, Lawson Branch, Rufus Stickney, Ezekiel Bruce, Solomon Hubbard, E. Munger and John Dunsha, removed from Sweden, in Monroe county, New York, and settled in the township.

The first election held in the township, was in the barn of Mr. Branch. The first religious meeting ever held in the township was in the house of Mr. Branch. It continued at intervals, for seven weeks, and a marked change in actions was visible in all who attended those meetings.

Prior to the coming of the first settlers, they had been notified by letters that the Norwalk Road was located through the township, and was a good turnpike road; and that Mallet Creek abounded with speckled trout. Upon their arrival they found it necessary to make their own road, and as for trout they never found any of the speckled tribe but could daily see plenty of speckled frogs in the swampy lands without visiting Mallet Creek. Prior to the clearing of the level lands there were many swamps and pools of water.

The first child born in the township was Fanny Chapman Branch, daughter of Lawson and Cordelia Branch.

The first death and burial in the township was a son of John Dunsha. The first school was kept by Theodore Branch in one part of Levi Branch's dwelling. Rev. S. V. Barnes was the first preacher that addressed a congregation in the township. The place of congragating was for several years at the house of Levi Branch.

L. Branch owned the only team, and spent most of the first winter, after the arrival of the foregoing settlers, in making roads and traveling to Wooster, Portage and other places, to procure provisions. In the winter of that year a goodly number of settlers came in, and by the following spring there was quite a community.

Article submitted by Karen R. Kottsy #428, 3357 Arrow Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45213

In the January 1969 issue of Kentucky Ancestors, published by the Kentucky Historical Society, is the article, "Early Kentucky Settlers from Ontario County, New York," by Louis Ansel Duermyer of Staten Island, NY. Since it is twenty years since this appeared, and since many new family historians are unaware of this migration, this article gives a brief recap, adds a few related points, and asks that any descendants of these families get in touch with this author. Other than Mr. Duermyer, few have ever heard of this migration, including the Ontario County Historical Society, the Gideon Granger Society, authors of books on Gideon Granger of New York, or almost anyone else. It IS an oddity in migration patterns of that time.

In his 1969 article, Mr. Duermyer discusses Gideon Granger, former Postmaster General of the United States, who settled in Ontario County, NY, bought up his fellow New Yorkers' land in Ontario County, and sold them equal or greater acreage in the "barrens" area of Kentucky, including parts of present-day Hardin, Hart, Larue and perhaps Green Counties. Granger owned 64,184 acres of land in the barrens, called "Granger's Great Tract." In spite of diligent searching, this author has never located any map of this Great Tract. One must have existed, because most, if not all, of the Hardin County deeds recording the sale to the New York families of barrens land referred to land descriptions unknown in Kentucky, such as Range numbers. Kentucky is one of the few "state" land states, and her land is not divided in the rectangular fashion of Ranges, Sections, and Townships used in most of the United States. Instead, Kentucky's deeds and other land documents refer to parcels of land by "metes and bounds", by trees, rocks, adjoining neighbors, and watercourses, if any. Thus, locating an ancestor's land is extremely difficult 200 years after the deed was written and recorded. If anyone knows of the existance of a map, partial or complete, of Granger's Great Tract, please contact this author.

Mr. Duermyer lists the following families in his 1969 article, as those from Ontario County, New York to the barrens: Hamilton, Flanders, Smith, Green, Rhodes, Nickels/Nichols, Murlin, Sly, Atwater, Parker, Stratton, Rowley, Beals, Bunnels, Garlinghouse, Hawley, Porter, Woods, Wright, Newton, Rundell. This author's ancestor, Samuel Drury, also made the move about 1817.

He also lists the following grantors (not all of whom may have moved to the barrens) to Gideon Granger, as shown in Ontario Co., New York land records: Phelps, Gorham, Seymour, Stone, Bunnel, Harlt, Howell, Bates, Van Dyne, Rogers, Rundel, Newton, Lee, Beals, Wright, Canfield, August, Coats, Bigelow, Baker, Murlin, Rhodes, Green, Sly, Boyden, Brown, Colt, Fobes/Forbes, Munn, Kibbe, Nichols, Hills, Ganyard, Low, Burt, Hawley, Remsen, Garlinghouse, Knapp, Delevan, Porter, Champion, Atwater, Sibley, Matthews, Maltby, Douglass, and Boughton. Many of these names appear in 1817 and later Hardin County deeds, showing their purchases of land in the barrens, among them, the author's ancestor Samuel Drury, and grantees Bigelow, Garlinghouse, Murlin, and Rider. Due to the 1928 fire, it is not known if any deeds were recorded in the courthouse of Hart County (formed 1819). The records for Larue County have not been checked, since it was not formed until 1843.

The author has also learned that Gideon Granger apparently had extensive holdings in Ohio, near the town named "Granger", in Cuyahoga County, and also supposedly had land east of Toledo, Ohio in the area of the small town Rocky Ridge. Further, in the 1830's some of those who migrated from New York to the Kentucky barrens, or their children, migrated to Ohio, to the Mercer County area, including some Drury descendants, apparently some Hamiltons, and perhaps others. It is unknown if those New Yorkers who originally moved directly from New York to Ohio later moved further south in Ohio, and linked up with later arrivals of those who moved to Kentucky first and Ohio second.

So that a body of knowledge can be developed on this migration, the author offers her services as a repository for information. Perhaps it will help other researches find their ancestors, and who also at first believed "NY" for birthplaces in various censuses was a poorly written "KY."

What on earth would New Yorkers be doing in Kentucky!

Article submitted Linda Kmiecik, 431 S. Center St, Bensenville, IL 60106.

S.N. Shiffer, #546 17112 Rt. 31, Holly, NY 14470.

Miriam F. DeMers #231, 455 Murray Dr., El Cajon, CA 92020.

Miriam F. DeMers #231, 455 Murray Dr., El Cajon, CA 92020.

Gary R. Schireley, 11442 G.G. Bl.,Garden Grove, CA 92643.

Jackson Goddard, 123 Brook Street, Garden City, NY 11530.

Mrs. John E. Symons #412, 22381 Pearl Beach, Coldwater, MI 49036.

Mrs. John E. Symons #412, 22381 Pearl Beach, Coldwater, MI 49036.

Lola J. Warrick #761, 4119 Painter Way, No. Highlands, CA 95660.

Alfred Olsen #597, 3 Joslin Ave., Voorheesville, NY 12186-9537.

Directors: Julie Steitz (1992) & Bob Gustafson (1993)
President: Ruth Metzler
Co-Vice Pres. & Program Chairpersons: Marianne & Bob Hesselberth
Recording Secretary: Jeanne Wackerow
Corresponding Secretary: David M. Serianni
Treasurer: Herb Grabb
Membership Chairperson: Richard Halsey