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?
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Henry Hudson and a Scipio connection?
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.
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
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!"
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!"
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Town History Day
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!
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
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.
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.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Vacation Review
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!
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!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Scipio for Tourists
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/.
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/.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
