Scipio Center, NY History

The Today Show Comes to Scipio

2009-11-12T10:03:00.002-05:00

I opened up my Citizen newspaper this morning and there on the front page just below the fold was an article about a very old and historic home in Scipio Center.
The home is up for sale, and has been for a while. Known as the Merrifield Estate, it will be featured on the Today Show on NBC on Friday 11/13/2009 in a segment they are running on real estate at bargain prices.
The original settler was Ozam Merryfield, as the name was spelled at that time. Born about 1775, he died in Scipio NY in 1852. In his will, he gave about 90 acres of his real estate to his widow Adelia; his only son Thomas received an additional 100 acres. Ozam also mentions the potential for a railroad to run across his property that was bequeathed to Thomas, and Thomas' right to collect any damages if that occurred.
One of the small settlements in Scipio was (and still is for locals) known as Merrifield, named for this family. And yes, the railroad ran through it!
The house was used for a period of time as a stop on the Underground Railroad. I seem to recall an article in the Citizen a few years ago with some interesting details about the basement, and the documentation that led to that conclusion.
If you can, watch the Today Show on Friday to see a little piece of Scipio's history!

Alphius Jaquette

2009-11-11T13:23:00.002-05:00

Civil War veteran Alphius (also spelled as Alpheus) Jaquette of Scipio, NY had the respect of his neighbors when he returned from the War.
His was I believe one of the marriages I mentioned in my last post. I did look his name up in the Complete Record of Officers, Soldiers and Seamen from Scipio completed by the Town Clerk, Allen Shorkley.
This book tells us some additional details about Alphius Jaquette's life post-Civil War. He resided in the neighboring town of Fleming when he came home; he had been born there in 1844. He served his country as a Private in the 111th NY Volunteer Infantry.
Alphius enlisted on April 19th, 1861 from Scipio, for a term of three years. The town paid a $50 bounty. He was discharged to Fleming, and married.
I also looked at the Special Census of 1890 for surviving soldiers, sailors, marines and widows. The census listed Alphius as a veteran, and his wife as Ann (perhaps a nickname for Dannis, or perhaps another Alphius) as his widow. This record showed he had enlisted in the 3rd NY Light Artillery on May 13, 1861, and served for 2 years and 19 days, coming out on June 2, 1863; no mention of the 111th.
This name is unusual enough for the size of Scipio at that time, so I believe this may be the same person. There are some possible explanations for some of the discrepancies; he could have enlisted in the 111th then transferred to the 3rd. He could have enlisted in the 111th for the bounty, not an unusual occurrence, then enlisted a second time with the 3rd LA and actually served with that unit.
This example shows why it is a good idea to be thorough in your research and use as many source documents as you can find. I will continue to look for information to clarify this matter.
The 1890 Special Census also tells us that Alphius had suffered a gunshot wound to his right arm. It also stated that he was a hard working man.
Not a bad record for an ordinary man who served his country when it was needed.
On this Veteran's Day, let's take a moment to thank Alphius and all our veterans, for all they have done through the years for all of us. Thanks, ladies and gentlemen, I appreciate it.

Scipio Marriages in 1865

2009-11-02T20:53:00.001-05:00

It was 1865 and the end of the Civil War was approaching. Transportation problems and successful blockades were contributing to severe shortages of food and supplies in the South. Starving soldiers began to desert Lee's forces. In February General Sherman moved from Georgia up into and through South Carolina, destroying almost everything in his path.
On March 25, General Lee attacked General Grant's forces near Petersburg, but was defeated -- attacking and losing again on April 1. On April 2, Lee evacuated Richmond, the Confederate capital.
On April 9 R. E. Lee and U. S. Grant met at Appomattox Courthouse, and agreed on the terms of surrender. Lee's men were sent home on parole -- soldiers with their horses, and officers with their side arms. All other equipment was surrendered. And on April 14, as President Lincoln was watching a performance of "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., he was shot by John Wilkes Booth.
Back in Scipio, as in many of our country’s small towns and villages, life continued as it always had. And that included eleven marriages recorded as of June 5, 1865, for the preceding year (June of 1864 – June of 1865). Some of these men were veterans of the Civil War, their names appearing in the Town Clerk list for Scipio that I have mentioned earlier this year.
June 7, 1864, Alanson Reynold, age 25, married Cathrine Hudson, 21, in Scipioville in a ceremony solemnized by a Baptist clergyman. And on June 11, 1864, Alphus Jaquette, 25, married Dannis Jones, 19, in Groton, NY. Alphus was a veteran of the Civil War.
September 6, 1864, Elwood H. Fell, 21, married Lavicy Akin, also 21, in Scipio.
On December 10, 1864, the last marriage recorded for the calendar year occurred between John Blowers, 21, and Phebe F. Thurston, 17, by a Justice of the Peace. John was a veteran of the Civil War.
On February 25, 1865, Theodore Smith and Thalia E. Reynolds, ages 21 and 20 respectively, were married in Scipio and that was solemnized by a Baptist clergyman. Theodore was a veteran of the Civil War.
Just a few days later on February 28, Artimus Ward, 35, married Phebe C. Ames, 23; also in Scipio in a Baptist ceremony.
March brought 4 more weddings:
James Dresser, 21 and Sarah Brister, 19, were married in Auburn in a Presbyterian ceremony on March 12. On March 14, Humphrey T. Crapo, 30, married Martha M. Van Liew, 28, in Scipio. March 23 brought wedding bells for John Knox, 32, and Elizabeth Bulkley, 29, in an Auburn Presbyterian ceremony; and March 26th saw Benjamin Houghton, 34 and a widow, and Eliza Forbes, 25, also married in Auburn.
On April 20th, Theodore Wallace, 27, and Charlotte Wadsworth, 21, were married near Utica, NY.
I will look up my copy of the Clerk’s Book of Civil War veterans, and will soon share with you what it has to say about John Blowers, Theodore Smith and Alphus Jaquette.

Veterans in Cornwell Cemetery

2009-10-09T13:38:00.000-04:00

Back in May of this year, I wrote about Ebenezer Cheever. Eb is buried in Cornwell Cemetery and like Frederick Van Liew, was a veteran of the American Revolution. When I started to work with the Owasco Chapter of the DAR on verification for the grave marking for Frederick Van Liew, I spent some time at Cornell University in Ithaca NY looking at some genealogical records for Scipio. I also used the NYS Library and the NYS Archives, the DAR website, fultonhistory.com and Footnote.com. It is always amazing to me to see how much information is available that would have been nearly impossible to track down and very costly, not so many years past.

In addition to Frederick Van Liew, I have verified that this little country cemetery includes the following Revolutionary War veterans:

Ebenezer Cheever, Privateer for CT
Samuel Hoskins, Private for MA
Elias Manchester, Private for NY
Caleb Wadham Sr., Artificer for CT
Nathan Webster, Private for CT
Elijah Weeks, Private for MA
Israel Ward, Member, NY Militia
Joel Coe, Member, NJ Militia

In addition, I believe that three more men, Nathaniel Olney, Ezekiel Parker and William J. Cook, are also Revolutionary War veterans but I have yet to verify them.
Some of these men can be found on our Scipio census for 1800, placing them here very early in Scipio's existence. Some of these names are still found in Scipio today. I will be writing more about them in the next month as I explore the Cornwell Cemetery more thoroughly, so stay tuned!

Frederick Van Liew

2009-10-08T17:34:00.000-04:00

I have a copy of Frederick's pension. It states that while he was residing in New Brunswick, NJ, he enlisted in the summer of 1776 and served 2 months as a Private in Captain John Taylor's Company of Colonel Duyckin's (also spelled Duychinck) New Jersey Regiment; from sometime in the summer of 1776 to about June 1, 1777, he served at various times on short tours, as a Private in Captain Lawrence Van Cleef's Company, Colonel Henry Vandyke's New Jersey Regiment.
About June 1, 1777 he enlisted in a company of light horse commanded by Captain John Stryker, New Jersey troops. He was not engaged all the time in active service but kept himself in constant readiness to mount and ride for an over all period of about 7 months.
August 1, 1779 he was appointed forage master under Sidney Berry, Deputy Quartermaster General; this service he rendered at different times until the close of the war for at least one year in all. Frederick participated in the Battles of Monmouth and of Springfield, as well as in a number of skirmishes. He was allowed a pension of $30.00 a year by application executed on September 25, 1832 under the Act of June 7, 1832, at which time he was 79 years old and lived in Scipio, Cayuga County, NY.
Frederick died June 20, 1835. Many of his descendants remain in Scipio and nearby towns to this day.

Cornwell Cemetery

2009-10-07T21:26:00.002-04:00

Exciting times are coming to Scipio. This Saturday, the Owasco Chapter NSDAR is having a grave marking ceremony in Cornwell Cemetery for American Revolutionary War patriot Frederick Van Liew.
Frederick Van Liew was born on the family farm near New Brunswick, Somerset County, New Jersey. The prior generation of Van Liews had migrated from Jamaica, New York to build farms along the Raritan River in the Harrison Tract. His birth date was 5/20/1753; he was one of 12 children.
During the Revolutionary War he was a Private in the Somerset county Militia serving under Captain John Stryker's Troop of Horse and Captain Lawrence Van Cleave's Company second regiment. Service dates Nov. 1776 to after June of 1780. He was in battles of Monmouth N.J.(June 1778) and Springfield N.J.(June 1780).
Frederick and some of his family migrated to Scipio Center NY in the late 1790's to early 1800's to claim land grants he was awarded or purchased for his service in Revolutionary War. Frederick was buried in Cornwall cemetery in Scipio; he died 6/20/1835.
Cornwell Cemetery sits in a farmer's field to the east of State Route 34, on a slight rise. The land is in the Military Tract Great Lot 16 and was part of a parcel originally purchased by another veteran also buried there - Joel Coe.
Joel bought the land from General George Fleming, the man the nearby town of Fleming was named for. The first burial in this cemetery was sadly an infant son of Joel's in 1799. If you search this blog, there is some previous information so I won't repeat it here.

Illnesses in 1865

2009-09-07T11:49:00.001-04:00

The Cayuga County Historian’s office has been a tremendous resource through the years. Most recently, County Historian Sheila Tucker was able to share with me some copies of old vital records she found for Scipio. Today I was looking over some death records. Some diseases have names I am not familiar with, so I looked them up online.
An 85 year old widow and a native of Connecticut, Rachel Remington died on April 21st of 1865 in Scipio of apoplexy. Usually, this referred to a sudden heart attack or stroke.
Milk fever, the cause of death for 26-year old wife Cynthia Lockwood of Cayuga on 2/6/1865, is sometimes called puerperal fever and is the result of infection. Before antibiotics were available, and when the notion of keeping surgical instruments and areas clean to prevent germs was still pretty new, women were frequently susceptible to this painful disease developed post-partum, and often did not recover.
Poor George Flynn; he was only a year and 7 months old when he died on 5/10/1865 of scarlet fever. This was a highly infectious disease and got its name from the scarlet rash developed by the infected person.
If you have wondered about a disease or cause of death on an old certificate, you may find it listed at this website: http://www.bignell.uk.com/glossary_of_old_names.htm or google the term “old illnesses.” Many of these diseases are still around today but we know them by another name.

Bolt's Corners District

2009-08-29T09:02:00.000-04:00

I ran into an old SCCS classmate at the Bouckville Antique Show this month. He is a self-professed “bottle nut” and had some interesting ones on display from Auburn and Cayuga County. I reminded him I am the Scipio Historian, and asked him if he had ever seen a bottle from Scipio.
In the 25 or so years that I know he has been collecting, he has never seen a bottle from Scipio. We lamented that fact, and then he reminded me that his family had taught in the Scipio school districts for many years, and he wondered if I had any information on them. He was particularly interested in Bolt’s Corners school district, and has some early photographs of the classes there.
If you do a search of this blog, you’ll find I have mentioned Bolt’s Corners before; at one time it was a thriving little district in the town of Scipio and now it is just another 4 corners marked by a NYS historical marker.
But as things have a way of doing, Bolt’s Corners crept into my conversation with another person this month; a teacher from SCCS who called to ask if I knew what happened to the NYS historical marker there.
Last year her class researched and created a book about the historical markers in the school district and this year, they are hoping to repaint these markers. The Bolt’s Corners marker was standing as far as we can figure until June of this year. Now all that stands there is the pole that it was attached to.If you know what happened to it, send a reply to the blog or e-mail me. We’d really like to see Bolt’s Corners get its marker back, wouldn’t you?

Henry Hudson and a Scipio connection?

2009-08-01T18:49:00.002-04:00

I was reading the Port Byron Historian's blog at www.PortByronHistorian.blogspot.com earlier this week and was interested to see her mention Henry Hudson. NY is celebrating the 400th anniversary of his voyage up the Hudson River this year.
A few years ago, Scipio had a visitor from North Dakota who was researching his Hudson and Pitts family lines. He had done a lot of research before his visit, and shared what he knew so we have a family file at the Scipio Offices. I had not known that the lovely cobblestone home in downtown Scipio was once owned by his ancestor.
There was also once a cemetery on Hunter Road and the ancestor named for both families, Pitts Hudson, was buried there. The Pitts Hudson gravestone is in broken pieces, stacked in a pile. He found that when he turned over some of the pieces he could still read the Pitts name and dates. A little further on there are other broken pieces scattered about, probably from some of the other Hudson stones.
He shared that he had heard two versions of his Hudson line. One version was that Henry Hudson had a son named Richard, who died while working for the British East India company. This Richard had two sons that eventually came to America. The second version was that this Hudson line would have to be through one of the brothers of Henry Hudson.
I think it is time for another trip to the NYS Archives, to do a little research and see what I can find about Henry Hudson. Isn't it interesting to think, one of his family members may have lived in our little town? You never know where genealogy and research will take you.

Family Reunions

2009-08-01T18:33:00.002-04:00

It's that time of year again when folks are having their family reunions. Last year was the 100th Stoker family reunion. It was wonderful to see over 100 relatives, and catch up on all that family news.
The 101st reunion will be Sunday August 9th at Fire Lane 22 on the east side of Owasco Lake. I have been busy updating my Family Tree Maker database and printing a new family tree and getting a list of questions together.
We have tables set up with albums of photos, family tree information, and old letters and other items. Those are always a popular spot. We keep it simple, with everyone bringing a dish to pass and their own table service.
If your family is having a reunion, I hope you are planning to attend if you can. If there is no reunion, give some thought to helping organize one for next summer. A five or ten year reunion can be fun, and if a small group can work together it isn't too difficult. Googling (or I guess Binging) "reunion planning" gives you lots of ideas for invitations, games, and feeding the crowd.
And you never know what relative will attend that will say "oh, I have the family Bible and all Aunt Matilda's pictures - with labels!"

Town History Day

2009-07-14T21:07:00.002-04:00

This Saturday, July 18th, is Town History day at the Ward O'Hara Agricultural Museum. Across from Emerson Park on Owasco Lake, the Ag Museum has really grown over the years under the careful management of its dedicated staff. I understand they have a little gift shop now so I look forward to seeing that.
Saturday, there will also be draft horses to look at and haying demonstrations to show folks how things used to be done. I don't remember a time when we did not have a tractor, but I heard my mother speak many times of the pair of workhorses my grandfather used to work his farm in Scipioville.
I enjoy the Ag Museum because there are many old tools and other equipment and it's interesting to guess about how they were used or what they were for. I will be joining some other municipal historians Saturday and I hope to see you there too. Let me know if you are there because you saw it in this blog!

Sharing Treasures

2009-07-14T20:56:00.002-04:00

I had an interesting phone call last week. It was a woman who lived in Scipio. She was doing some home remodeling and had discovered some old papers she didn't want to throw away, but wasn't interested in keeping.
Being a resourceful woman with a computer, in short order she had found out how to contact me and was dropping off a bagful of old papers that I couldn't wait to poke through.
Her discovery was of records for School #14 for about 1938 - 1942. A previous owner of the home, Mr. Wyant, had saved every scrap of paper and we now have tax and assessment information as well as receipts for teacher's pay. Some itemized lists are there, too, giving the prices of the everyday items needed to run the school like a coal pail, a water bucket, pencils and so on as well as the name and location of the merchants who sold the items. What a great little snapshot of a corner of our town for a few years!
So if you have some old papers lurking in a cupboard or a corner of your attic, that you don't quite want to throw away, let me know. I think we can find them a new home at the Scipio Offices.

Vacation Review

2009-07-05T11:37:00.000-04:00

You haven't lived until you have made a road trip with three adults, a ten-year-old and a teenager that lasts for 8 hours. It's a lot like making sausage - you don't really know what it will be like until you're doing it, and it can be really messy.
We made a family trip to Chincoteague Island in Virginia last month and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. We toured the wildlife Refuge at Assateague, which is a lot like our neighboring Seneca County's Montezuma Wildlife Refuge but larger, and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. We saw wild horses, egrets, herons, ibises, Seka (a type of elk) and some of the biggest mosquitoes and flies you can imagine.
Chincoteague is all about their ponies, largely due to Marguerite Henry's series of books beginning with Misty of Chincoteague, and some truly awesome seafood. We went to an indoor pony show one night and as a historian it was interesting to see that one wall had a mural depicting the Spanish galleons breaking up and the ponies swimming to shore, which is the story of how the ponies came to live there. Another wall held the family tree of Misty of Chincoteague. History is evident everywhere we look!

Scipio for Tourists

2009-07-04T11:28:00.002-04:00

One of the official duties of a municipal historian is to promote tourism. Scipio has a lot to recommend it to travelers, and I was pleased to hear that the Cayuga County Tourism Office is considering a booklet for various tourist-rich locations that gives a few details about our towns.
I thought it would be interesting to post a portion of my submission here on the blog:

Scipio, named for the Roman General, was formed as Township number 12 of the Military Tract on February 6, 1796. Our earliest settlers had arrived about 1790. Nestled snugly in the heart of the Finger Lakes region, our town’s eastern border is Owasco Lake, one of the loveliest Finger Lakes of central New York State.

A drive along State Route 38 on the west side of Owasco Lake from Auburn to Moravia takes less than half an hour and will show you some of the prettiest scenery in central NY, particularly in leaf-peeping season. Deer, turkey, songbirds and other wildlife are easy to spot on a leisurely drive or bike ride along our byways.

Our cemeteries are the final resting place for over 45 Revolutionary War veterans. Scipio also had 156 known Union veterans of the Civil War; approximately 10% of her population at that time; many of whom rest alongside their Revolutionary comrades.

Several of our buildings and structures are on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, including the entire Hamlet of Sherwood where free men and women of European and African descent lived in harmony in the early 1800’s. The Underground Railroad was also very active in Scipio, particularly in Sherwood where several Quakers and like-thinking people actively assisted the freedom seekers. The women's suffrage movement so often associated with neighboring Seneca Falls had its proponents here in Scipio as well.

The Town of Scipio remains a unique mix of farmers, independent businesses, lakefront users and short-distance commuters who enjoy a greener, more country style of life over that of the city. Visit her on the web at http://co.cayuga.ny.us/scipio/.

Revisiting Lucinda the Mountain Mourner

2009-07-04T11:06:00.002-04:00

If you look back through this blog, you will find a series of posts about Lucinda the Mountain Mourner. A sad story with a heavy moral, when written it most likely did not contain “just the facts” but was styled in such a way as to present the story in a light favorable to the female protagonist.
This series of posts has generated a lot of discussion, and discussion is a healthy thing. It provides an opportunity to be open-minded; to look at something from a different angle and maybe gain some previously missed insight into the way people thought and interacted in a previous era.
History is full of examples of the healthy exchange of opinion and information, and hindsight is a wonderful tool. It allows us to add to our knowledge and sometimes to understand another point of view even if we do not agree with it. It is important however not to stray from the subject so far that we are no longer engaged in presenting and interpreting information. There is always a back story, and that is what is fascinating about our history.

Vacation Time

2009-06-15T21:04:00.003-04:00

School is almost over for this year, and it is time for vacation! This year, we are going to drive to the Ocean City area with the grandchildren, and take some day trips nearby. I am hoping to spend an afternoon at Jamestown, a place that fascinated me from the first time I read about the disappearance of the entire town.
There are also a lot of Civil War sites in Virginia. I have been looking on a website: www.civilwartraveler.com for some routes to take. Several Scipio men fought in battles in Virginia. The 44th NY went through the Peninsula Campaign, and that was waged mainly in Virginia. I look forward to telling you all about some of the Civil War information I find and memorials I see.
Yesterday was the dedication of the new Veteran’s Memorial Park in Auburn, Cayuga County, NY. There were at least 200 folks there, many spending time before and after the ceremony walking the path lined with memorials to each war, from the Revolutionary War to the Iraqi War. If you are in the area, it is a beautiful park and well worth a stroll some sunny afternoon.
Wherever you vacation, take a few minutes to look for the monuments and parks. I'd love to hear about your favorite spot!

Ebenezer Cheever in the Revolutionary War

2009-05-23T09:52:00.004-04:00

Decoration Day, or Memorial Day as we now call it, is a day set aside to remember very ordinary heroes; our neighbors, our friends, the farmer down the road and all those who put aside their own needs for a time or forever for their country. Sometimes volunteering and sometimes not; injured, slain or returning in good health - what these men and women have in common is their sacrifice for others.
I have been working on compiling additional information on those from Scipio who served in any war and last week spent some time looking at the pension applications for Revolutionary War veterans. Today I’d like to write about Ebenezer Cheever, born in Connecticut and buried in Scipio NY. I would have enjoyed a conversation with him about his service!
Ebenezer was a privateer. Born in Lebanon, Connecticut in 1763, he enlisted in New London in September of 1780 when he was barely 17 years old, on board the privateer ship Randolph commanded by Nicholas Fosdick and was out to sea for 2 months. During that time the Randolph engaged in a battle with the British privateer ship Hibernia, which they won and so took the Hibernia as a prize.
In 1781, Ebenezer enlisted on the ship Young Crommel of ten Grives ( a name I’m not sure I am spelling correctly). They took a British privateer ship this time as well, one mounting ten 4-pounders and one 12.
1782 finds Eb serving on the privateer The Randolph. The crew was taken by the British frigate Vestall. Ebenezer was on board the Vestall as a prisoner for about 2 weeks, then put on a transport ship for another 2 weeks, detained a few days in another transfer then spent six or so months as prisoner on the Jersey prison ship.
Besides the sea, Ebenezer served on land with the Connecticut state troops for about another 9 months spent primarily in helping to build forts. He was taken another time by British Ship of War Gallatee after a running fight of 10 or 12 hours and spent another 3 months on a prison ship. What stories he must have had to tell!
After the war ended, Ebenezer lived for 4 years in Vermont, for 5 years in Montgomery County NY then spent some time in Saratoga County, NY. From there, Eb moved to Cato NY for 5 years then to Scipio about 1815 where he continued to live when he gave his sworn statement in 1833. For his service, Ebenezer was given $30.00 yearly pension. In 1841, he died in Scipio and was buried in the Cornwell Cemetery on State Route 34, leaving behind his widow Jerisha Cheever.
Just an ordinary man, a farmer in central NY, Ebenezer served his country as so many more continue to do today. My hat is off to you all.

Visiting Scipio - Then and Now

2009-05-23T09:52:00.003-04:00

Without fail when I hear from someone who is seeking information about their ancestors, they also want to know more about where they lived. What was it like? Did they have a log cabin, or a stick built home? What were the roads like and how did you find your way from place to place? Were there bears? Wolves?
Often, maps provide our best picture of the area and conditions at a given point in time, especially of transportation routes for the movement ever westward. Occasionally, local Historians or newspapers add some detail to that picture. I found one such article in an 1877 edition of the Auburn Journal.
The article describes the summer of 1825 in Scipio. 1825 was 26 years after Scipio was set off from Onondaga County, and 8 years before Ledyard and Venice were set off from Scipio. On a lot just east of Scipioville, where today Center Road leads us to Scipio Center, the news article states that a large number of Onondaga Indians set up an encampment.
During that summer they traded with Scipio’s early settlers by exchanging their handmade moccasins, brooms, baskets, and beadwork for farmer’s produce such as flour, butter, meal, lard, meat, vegetables etc.
When it became time to leave, the Indians simply cut down a large elm tree and made it into a canoe. Two neighboring farmers drew the canoe to Cayuga Lake, a distance of about 5 miles, with their teams of four horses.
The Indians launched it down Cayuga Lake; rowing until eventually they entered the Seneca River and moved on.

Going to the Movies

2009-05-16T11:08:00.002-04:00

I don't believe that Scipio ever had a theater. Her residents mostly went (and continue to go) to nearby Auburn, NY for that type of entertainment. My favorite place was Schine's Theater with it's planetary theme. Our choice of theaters has changed, but Auburn still supplies the product!
I went to see the new Star Trek movie last week with another "Trekkie" friend. Neither of us was sure that Star Trek without William Shatner as James T. Kirk would make the grade, but like gawkers at a natural disaster we couldn't resist going to see for ourselves.
And what you might ask does this have to do with a history blog? Well, in my opinion, this movie was a historian's view of the Star Trek crew. Where did they grow up? Who were their parents? How and where did they each meet? Were they friends right away? What was their childhood like and perhaps most importantly when did they learn to trust each other enough to follow Kirk and blast those Romulans out of the sky?
We are all influenced by our past, and the person we become is largely due to the customs and rules we were brought up to follow. This is the same whether we are looking back at our history as a country since the Revolution in 1776, or looking forward towards a Star Date in Kirk's Captain's Log.
Live long and prosper.

Thomas Gray and the Cold Winter

2009-05-10T22:23:00.002-04:00

Every winter I reach a point in time when I wonder why on earth I live in the northern USA. Then spring arrives in Scipio; the smell of lilacs and mock orange fills the air; the hummingbirds begin to dive and dart around the feeders while the blue jays squawk away and I remember why central NY is such a great place to live.
Winters can be harsh, and the new exhibit at the Scipio Town offices have some photos that show just how harsh they were only a few decades ago. The photos contributed by a former resident show snow banks on Skillet and Wyckoff Roads that reach to the tops of the telephone poles!
While those photos are from the 1940’s and 1950’s, it is not unusual for our wintertime environment to be harsh. The Fulton History website had an article from the January 28, 1914 Syracuse Post Standard that caught my eye.
According to the Post Standard, there was an extreme cold spell around January 14th, 1914. During that time, a Thomas Gray, age 63 and living alone, fell asleep beside the stove and when he woke several hours later, the fire had gone out leaving his extremities numb from the cold.
Even though he started the fire and tried to warm himself, the damage had already been done to his feet and hands. Two days later, a neighbor discovered his condition and called for help for Mr. Gray. Dr. Hoxie of Sherwood and Dr. Smith of Fleming came, and tried to send Mr. Gray to the hospital but he refused.
By the day of the article in the Post Standard, his condition had worsened and at the urging of Reverend Doran, he finally took the train to Auburn City Hospital, where he had several toes from both feet removed due to being frozen.
We forget sometimes how our early settlers had to work so hard just to feed their families, and to stay warm in the winter. Even in the early 20th century, before electricity came to Scipio, life was harsh and required a kind of constant vigilance to stay ahead of the game.

Harry Wilshire of Scipioville

2009-05-07T20:15:00.001-04:00

April turned into a very busy month and before I knew it, was gone! I was finally able to get outside and pick some daffodils; this week I have been watching the newborn calves in my neighbor’s field. There is a new one almost every day! No doubt about it, Scipio is still a farming community for many of us.
I was also honored to receive Registered Historian status from the NYS Association of Public Historians in April. I have been working towards that for a few years now. Maybe you are reading this blog because you saw the address in the nice article in our local newspaper, The Citizen about my achievement.
Or maybe you are looking for an ancestor, or to learn more about central NY and the Finger Lakes in our early days.
An interesting way to learn more is to use the Footnote website to look up old news articles (there is a link to Footnote at the bottom of this page).
In the first decade of the 20th century, there was a local paper called the Auburn Semi-Weekly Journal. I found a story about a Scipioville teenager named Harry Wilshire that was quite intriguing.
The headline boldly declares in capital letters “CHASED BY A WHAT-IS-IT – Scipioville Youth is Driven from Woods by Strange Wild Beast.” With a heading like that I just had to read more.
It seems that Harry was a good boy who did not indulge in alcohol, lending credence to his “bloodcurdling” tale. Out for an afternoon of squirrel hunting on the Searing farm, and doing a little daydreaming, Harry suddenly looked up to see a wild beast, not five rods away.
Being a smart fellow, Harry shot at the beast, causing it to jump into the air, then make a beeline for poor Harry who turned and ran. Or as the writer put it, Harry “put on the high clutch for the open country.”Somehow, Harry managed to outrun this beast, and safely made it home. The description he provided later matched that of a bobcat. The story mentions that a similar creature was seen a few years past in Union Springs, less than 4 miles away.

Port Byron History Blog

2009-04-05T08:34:00.003-04:00

I received an e-mail from the Port Byron Historian, Dawn Roe. She has started a blog for Port Byron. You can check it out at http://portbyronhistorian.blogspot.com/.
There is a lot of history in Port Byron, I have saved Dawn's blog address so I can "follow" it - be made aware when she posts an update. I look forward to learning more about this town, especially its ties with the Erie Canal.

Chamberlain Family Tree

2009-04-05T08:24:00.003-04:00

It happens every year about this time. The weather gets nicer (well, for a day or two) and people start thinking about vacations and visiting their ancestor's hometowns. I have been busy working with some folks doing just that. The Chamberlain family name has been in Scipio from early days, and I have found ties to several other families, including Schenck, Bliss, Post, Truesdell, and Bush - yes like the former Presidents. So I have spent some time at our Records Retention Office, the Cayuga County Historian's Office, and with the old Town meeting and town assessment records in an effort to help verify relationships back to Abner Chamberlain, a Revolutionary War veteran from Vermont who lived out his days in Scipio and Springport.
First up is to construct a family tree. I use Family Tree Maker software so I can add photos, comments, and facts about each family member then print a tree. This lets me see what is missing and who I need to concentrate on.

A Photo of Scipio Cemeteries Etc.

2009-03-10T09:15:00.000-04:00

I was looking for some information on our early businesses and citizens to give to the Committee working on Scipio's Comprehensive Plan when I found an old map. This map was apparently reviewed by a previous Historian and then provided to the Planning Board.
She had marked in some interesting places - old cemeteries that are gone or half-forgotten; houses that had walk-in fireplaces or were very old, etc.
With some help from our Cayuga County Rootsweb folks, I am now able to post a link so you can view this map for yourself. Let me know if you have anything to add!
Go have a look-see at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sandie.gilliland/ScipioCemeteries?feat=directlink

Town of Brutus and Civil War

2009-03-08T19:20:00.000-04:00

My last post started the list of information found on a yellowed sheet of paper, tucked in the Town Clerk book for Brutus. Here are the remaining entries on that paper. If the information is accurate, it means that Ausmun Titus was only 11 years old when he enlisted! Many young lads were caught up in the fervor of the times, and served maybe perhaps not directly in battle but in other ways shared the burden of the men:

William Goodwin Faatz, Brutus Cayuga County Born May 23, 1843, Weedsport, N. Y. E. Jan. 16, 1864. M. Jan. 16, 1864. Private 3 Y 16 Art(?) Bat. M. Enlisted at Elbridge, N. Y. Married. Parent’s names Jacob, Louisa Ernts (?). Occupation Stone Cutter. In the Battle of Fort Fisher. Discharged Aug 21, 1866. Still living. P. O. address Weedsport, N. Y.

Reenlisted: William Henry Christian. (Reenlisted) in 16 Cavalry, Co. G.
E August 1, 1863. M. August 19, 1863 for 3 Y. Enlisted at Buffalo, N. Y. Single. Parent’s names Jeremiah, Esther Ann Young. Occupation Butcher. In Battle of D(?)ranesville, Cull Pepper Court House, Warrington Station, Centerville, & wounded in the left shoulder, Ruckim (?). Discharged October 1, 1865. Still living. P. O. address Weedsport, N. Y.

Ausmun O. Titus, Brutus, Cayuga County N. Y. Born July 13, 1853 Cato N. Y. E. Sept. 2, 1864. M. Sep 2, 1864. Private, 3rd Art. Bat. A. 1 Y. Enlisted at Auburn, N. Y. collar (color) White, discharged July 3rd 1865. Still living. P. O. address Weedsport, N. Y.