Thanksgiving

This time of year many of us think about what we are thankful for in our lives. I am thankful for good friends and family, and banana cream pie! I am also thankful for the opportunity to continue to research the history of Scipio Center and Cayuga County, and share what I learn in this blog. Most of all I am thankful to have a working internet connection - and high speed, at that!
Though many competing claims exist, the most familiar story of Thanksgiving took place in Plymouth Colony, in present-day Massachusetts, in 1621. More than 200 years later, President Abraham Lincoln declared the final Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving, and Congress finally made Thanksgiving Day an official national holiday in 1941. In 2001, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative Thanksgiving stamp. Designed by the artist Margaret Cusack in a style resembling traditional folk-art needlework, it depicted a cornucopia overflowing with fruits and vegetables, under the phrase "We Give Thanks."
In a survey conducted by the National Turkey Federation, nearly 88 percent of Americans said they eat turkey at Thanksgiving. Fossil evidence shows that turkeys roamed the Americas 10 million years ago! According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Minnesota is the top turkey-producing state in America, with a planned production total of 46.5 million in 2011. Six states account for nearly two-thirds of the 248 million turkeys that will be raised in the U.S. this year: Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas, Missouri, Virginia, and Indiana.
In 1621, the only two items that historians know for sure were on the menu are venison and wild fowl, which are mentioned in primary sources. The Plymouth Pilgrims dined with the Wampanoag Indians. And the pilgrims didn’t use forks; they ate with spoons, knives, and their fingers.

This photo was taken by my trusty camera on a visit to our State Archives in Albany this summer. It is one page from the 1897 report of GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Post 632, Selah Cornwell based in Merrifield, Town of Scipio NY. Post 632 was one of many local Posts active in the years following the Civil War.

Selah Cornwell GAR Post 632

Between a recent donation from the owner of Scipio business St. John’s Memorials and another trip to the NYS Archives in Albany, I have gathered some more information about Scipio and Cayuga County in the early years.
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) records stored at the Archives are not complete, but there were several for Scipio, Union Springs, King Ferry and Auburn. I plan to share some of them in the weeks ahead, and of course will make them available at the Scipio Town Hall for anyone who is interested. Here are a few details about Scipio Civil War veterans who belonged to #632.

Yearly reports submitted by Post 632 of Scipio tell us who was an officer, how many members the Post had and what the dues were.

In 1895, there were 22 members reported with their Headquarters in Merrifield, Town of Scipio. Officers were Wm. C. Tripp, J. B. Hitchcock, Libeus Merry, Francis Flynn, W. M. Clark, P.T. Shorkley, M. M. Palmer, C. Sincerbox, T. C. Tallman and S. Williams.

June of 1897 shows the Post Headquarters listed as Association Hall, and there were 23 members; two members were lost by suspension leaving 21. Dues were $1.68 per capita.
Officers listed were: Wm. C. Tripp, W. M. Clark, J. B. Hitchcock, P.T. Shorkley, M. M. Parker, C. Sincerbox, S. Williams, T. C. Tallman, Libeus Merry and Francis Flynn.
They met the 1st and 3rd Saturdays in Morgan Hall.

For December of 1897, a report was filed showing 21 current members, and another two mustered in: John Muldoon, aged 72 and a resident of the neighboring town of Fleming and J. P. Northway, aged 52, born in Cortland and residing in Venice (which was formed off from Scipio in 1823).
John Muldoon was mustered in on December 30, 1862. He served as a Private in Company E of the 9th NY Heavy Artillery until his discharge on October 18, 1865 due to a surgeon’s certificate.
J. P. enlisted on January 7, 1864. He mustered in as a Private in Company H of the 16th NY Heavy Artillery. At discharge on November 29, 1865, he was a member of Company A of the 4th NY Cavalry. His discharge was due to General orders #144. Dues had been lowered to eight cents a member. Meetings were held the 1st Saturday of the month at Association Hall.
Officers listed were Morton M. Palmer, John P. Northway, William C. Tripp, Thomas C. Tallman, Pardon T. Shorkley, Chester Sincerbox, Leonard Williams, Wilbur C. Clark, Alonso A. Austin, James B. Hitchcock and Francis Flynn.

On June 28, 1902, 37 years after the end of the Civil War, Post 632 had just 13 members and they each paid eight cents for dues, so a total of $1.04 was collected. The roster of members was as follows:
Francis Flynn, J. P. Northway, W. M. Clark, P.T. Shorkley, M.M. Parker, Chester Sincerbox, Wm. C. Tripp, J. W. Jaquette, A. A. Austin and J. B. Hitchcock.

American's Creed

William Tyler Page, Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, wrote “The American's Creed” in 1917. It was accepted by the House on behalf of the American people on April 3, 1918.

Where were you?
Where were you 11 years ago? I had just arrived at work when I heard the news that changed our lives forever. We gathered to hear the news on a television, and in stunned silence watched as the second tower was hit. Wave after wave of broadcasts told us what was happening almost as it occurred. No one knew if this was the beginning of something or an isolated incident, and we were all fearful of what would happen next and where.
Washington DC then Pennsylvania appeared on the news and normally calm newscasters gave unguarded and personal accounts of what they saw. We heard report after report of strangers reaching out to each other, valiant men and women sacrificing their lives to save other. In the days and weeks that followed, people untouched personally gave deeply of their time and money to help those left devastated in the aftermath.
Today I participated in a remembrance ceremony in Auburn, NY at City Hall, at the monument erected last year to commemorate the 10th year since the attacks took place. Surrounded by military, police, fire and rescue personnel, politicians and civilians we once more renewed our pledge to each other and to our country:
“I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes. I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.”

BATTLE OF ORISKANY

BATTLE OF ORISKANY
New York State played a large role in the Revolutionary War. The Daughters of the American Revolution Owasco Chapter currently has 81 members; many of their Revolutionary ancestors fought in and are buried in New York.
Many of us have seen “Drums Along the Mohawk” with Henry Fonda and more recently with Daniel Defoe. The movie is an attempt to accurately portray life in central New York during the Revolution, and the brave men and women who defended their homes and families.
Of all the battles fought in the American Revolution, few, if any were as violent as the Battle of Oriskany. The National Park Service provides us with some details.
The Battle of Oriskany occurred on August 6, 1777, when the local Tryon County Militia attempted to come to the relief of the besieged Fort Schuyler (Stanwix). In 1777 Tryon County covered the area that now embraces the Counties of Fulton, Montgomery, Tioga, Ontario, Herkimer and Hamilton.
On July 30, 1777, the militia's commander, General Nicholas Herkimer, had ordered his men to begin assembling at Fort Dayton located in the modern Herkimer NY area. By August 4, around 800 of the militia were assembled and ready to begin the march to relieve Ft. Schuyler. General John Burgoyne was attempting to force General Philip Schuyler's army of some 1,000 men to abandon their positions along the Mohawk, opening the route to Albany. He selected Lt. Colonel Barry Saint Leger (1737-1789), to command the expedition. Between regular troops, Hessians and Indians there was a British fighting force of about 1,400 men.
Brigadier General Nicholas Herkimer's Command consisted of the Tryon County, New York Militia. Along with his eight hundred men, Herkimer had between 250 and 400 ox carts filled with supplies for the besieged Fort. The column was almost one mile long.
The militia brigade was composed of four regiments, mostly of Palatine German immigrants or their descendants. The 1st (Canajoharie) Regiment under Col. Ebenezer Cox, the 2nd (Palatine) Regiment under Col. Jacob Klock, the 3rd (Mohawk) Regiment under Col. Fredrick Visscher, and the 4th (Kingsland-German Flatts) Regiment under Col. Peter Bellinger.
The battle of Oriskany was devastating on both sides. Losses on the Tryon militia side may have been as high as 500 killed, wounded, or captured out of the 800 engaged. The battle of Oriskany led to Gen. Herkimer's death and destroyed the Tryon County Militia Brigade as an effective fighting force for the remainder of the war. This made it impossible for the militia to effectively defend their settlements from the Indian and loyalist raids that would plague them for the rest of the war.
General St. Leger's claim to victory in his letter to General Burgoyne of August 11th, 1777 was true enough. He had stopped the attempt to resupply and relieve Fort Stanwix. The Americans' claim that they still held the field of battle is an empty boast, as they did not achieve their goal. But, that they broke the back of St. Leger's fighting force and gave the British Indian allies something to think about was a true victory. Through their heroic defense, in the worst possible circumstances, they were truly victors.

Thank a Veteran Today

We have a lot to be thankful for, and today is a good day to seek out a veteran and tell them that.
Maybe your veteran is your neighbor or someone you work with. Maybe it is an ancestor who fought in the Revolution, Civil War, or so many many more to preserve our freedom. Send a thank you to the VA Hospital. Visit the cemetery. Write a letter to the Editor for your local paper. "Like" a vet on Facebook. Or just sit on your porch, enjoying your freedom to do just that,while you look at the flag and reflect upon the meaning behind the day.
Thank you every one!

Scipio and British Aliens in 1812

I have done some research on Scipio and the War of 1812 as you can probably tell from my last couple of postings. June 18, 2012, marks the 200th anniversary of the tart of the War of 1812.
I obtained some information from the NYS Archives on Scipio during the War of 1812. There were Scipio residents loyal to the USA who fought in the War of 1812; some had already served their country in the Revolutionary War. They are a story I will write another day. Today, I’d like to tell you about the list I found of British aliens (non-citizens) who were required to register with the government due to the outbreak of the War of 1812. This was done per a notice from the Department of State dated July 7, 1812 regarding British aliens residing in the USA during the War of 1812.
Some Scipio men on that list are:
Timothy Reddy, aged 34 with 15 years in the USA, a tailor with a wife and 6 children. He had made no application for Naturalization, and was noted as being “in opposition to the administration.”
Joseph Varty, aged 55 with 1 year as a resident and a married farmer but no children. He had made no application for Naturalization and was noted as being “an inoffensive subject.”
Robert Wallace, age 50 and a 23-year resident, a farmer with four children. He had not applied for Naturalization and in the remarks it was noted he appeared “to be unfriendly to the administration.”
Edmund Wright, age 52 with 23 years in the USA, a distiller of whiskey with a wife and 5 children. He had made no application for Naturalization, but the comments reflect that he was reputed to be “an honest man with a respectable family, and a good friend to the American government.”
William McMillin, age 52 and 24 years in the USA. A farmer with no family and no Naturalization, he was noted as being “a stranger, but an inoffensive man.”
Patrick Brannan, age 66 and 12 years in this country. He had a wife and 4 children and was a farmer who made application for Naturalization in January of 1812. He was noted as being “a respectable subject and a good friend to the government.”
John Kellett, who was a 32-year-old farmer here for 6 years with a wife and 3 children. He had made no Naturalization application, and was noted as being “opposed to the present administration of the government.”
Thomas Cowen, who at age 34 had been here for 20 years. He was a farmer with a wife and 4 children. No Naturalization application, but noted as being “friendly to the American Government.”
Patrick McLaughlin, who was 28 years old and had been here for 5 years. He was a Distiller with a wife and child. He was noted as being “peaceable and well disposed.”
Lawrence Gaffany (Gaffeny?) who was 25 and had been in the USA for 9 years. A labourer with no family, he was noted as being “a respectable young man and friendly to the Government.”
John Flynn, age 22 and in the USA for 9 years. Also a labourer without a family, he was noted as being “peaceable and inoffensive.”
Joseph Bird was 27 and here for 1 year. A farmer but no family, he was noted as being “a respectable young man and inoffensive.”
Samuel Brannon, age 22 and here 12 years, had no family. It appears from the notations on the list that he was related to John Brannon, also on the list as age 18 with 12 years in the USA. Both were farmers, and the notes say the two young men are “sons of Patrick and friendly to Government.”