fingerlakeshousehistories.com

Surnames:

Peter Campbell and family-Caledonia,N.Y. 1798-1957
John MacKay and family-Caledonia,N.Y. 1798-1870

Duncan J McArthur and family-Johnstown and York,N.Y. 1800-1875

James and Rachel Chambers and family-Mt Morris, Nunda, N.Y.

Richard and Elizabeth Powers-Buffalo & Mt. Morris area of Livingston County, N.Y.

John Rowan and family-Arcade, East Arcade and Warsaw in Wyoming County, N.Y.

George C and George G Miller-Redfield, Oswego County, N.Y. 1850’s

Sarah A Hogan-Madison County, and Redfield, Oswego County, N.Y. 1850’s

Thomas Miles/Mighells-Madison, Onondaga and Ontario Counties, N.Y. 1800-1875

Steven-Stephen Skinner-Barre Center,Orleans County, NY 1800-1840’s. Found and died ca 1880 in Rockford Illinios. Should not be confused with Stephen D Skinner who died in Albion and was not related to Jarvis Skinner.

Orlando S Gardner and family-Monroe and Rensselaer County, NY also Hancock Massachusetts 1807-1891 See Gardner entry below:

Gardner families-from Hancock, Mass and Stevenstown, NY to southwestern Monroe County, N.Y. Name also spelled Gardiner. Main interest in Orlando S, Platt and Henry Platt Gardner or Gardiner. Capt Caleb Gardner owner of an Inn and land near Hancock also called Jerico Mass.

William Huggins-Livingston County, N.Y.

Auble-Tompkins and Schuyler Counties, N.Y.

John and Honora King-Johnstown, N.Y. 1870’s

Aber-Livingston County, NY

Arthur V and Alfred H Perry-Redfield, Oswego County, N.Y. 1850’s

Nicholas Craner-Jordan,N.Y. A tailor who lived in Jordan. Owned at one time a house at the corner of Lawrence and Quince street. Believed to have been a school house and a meeting place for the congregation of the 1st Presbyterian church (1831-1930). Also owned 7 other properties. Had a tailor shop on Clinton Street in the village.

Asa J Woolsey or Wolsey-Jordan, N.Y. prior owner of the house at Lawrence and Quince Streets.

Benjamin O Ball-Jordan, N.Y. Blacksmith owned shop at Main Street and Elbridge Street (NY Rt 317). 1850’s

Lewis (L L) Parker-Jordan, N.Y. Blacksmith successor to Benjamin Ball

Amos Jackson-Jordan, NY Purchased LL Parker property. Owned mill on south side of Elbridge Street.

Christopher Jenner-Jordan, NY Blacksmith. Last owner to use property as a blacksmith shop. 1870’s-1920

Herman E Spohner-Jordan, NY Cobbler who owned property adjacent to Jenner’s. Sold 4′ wide strip of land to Jenner, possibly to allow for easier access to north side of Jenner’s shop.

Harriet A.Disbrow-Rochester, NY owned lot #2 and #3 starting in 1881. Used the properties as investments.

Eliza Marcille-Rochester, NY Partner with Harriet in a Lime Manufacturing business.

John H Stedman-Rochester, NY Invented the pipe cleaner and the trolley transfer ticket. Reintroduced to Rochester the “Christmas Candle” tradition. A custom of one lighted candle in the every window of a house.

E. Kirby West-Baldwinsville, NY Carriage maker and land holder of several village lots on the VanBuren side of the village.

Dewitt C Greenfield-Baldwinsville, NY Lawyer and land holder similar to Mr. West

Jonas Baldwin-Baldwinsville, NY Early pioneer and founder of Baldwinsville. Was the first to recognize the water power potential at the village’s location on the Seneca River.

Enos Stone (father)-Rochester, N.Y. Land speculator from Massachusetts. Purchased 18,000 acres in the vicinity of Rochester in 1789 with four other partners. Will lists family members including wife. Mentions Lenox, Massachusetts in Berkshire County.

Enos Stone (son). Believed to have inherited land from his father upon his death in 1816. Created and sold lots in what was then know as the Vineyard Tract in Rochester starting in 1842.Estate papers list financial records and names. Estate Papers filed in 1852

Enos Stone (grandson) Dies in 1889 with out surviving wife or children may have been Widowed or unmarried. Leaves no property and personal items only. Estate split among relative.

Lillian Preston Hull-Rochester, N.Y. Owned the Italian Tea Room at 36 East/Winthrop Street. Rented the building for both her business and residence. A 1902 Graduate of Smith College, a native of Northampton Massachusetts. Newark NY was her adopted home. Restored the Fenton House there. Founded the “Tuesday Club” in N.Y.

Asa Jayne-Rochester, N.Y. He was the owner of 39 Charlotte Street having purchased the lot from Enos Stone.

Silas Cornell-Rochester, N.Y. Hired by Enos Stone to survey land that became the “Vineyard Tract”

Demming Boardman-Seneca Falls,N.Y. owned property in Jordan, N.Y. Purchased what was then know as the Max House at a sheriff sale.

Sarah A Boardman-Worth- Seneca Falls-Syracuse, N.Y. Purchased from her father Deming, the Max House. Believed to have renamed the building the Redfield House. This is believed to have been a canal stop for travelers on the Erie Canal. subsequently sold the property to Nicolas Craner. Time period between 1860-1872.

Spruce: John, James and Stephen. Monroe county-Chili-Gates-Greece. 1850’s to 1912. From England to the US, Were farmers. James is buried in Mt Hope Cemetery. John died in 1912. Burial place unknown. Estate took 37 years to settle and his probate file is 441 pages long.

Reverend Herbert W Morris : Officiated at James’ service when he died in 1891. Residence in 1894 15 Park Ave, Rochester, NY. Associated with the “Brick Church” in Rochester, also pastor of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Gates, NY. Received Doctor of Divinity Degree from the U of R. Rochester, NY in 1876.

Geneva-Steuben County-Yorkshire England-Reference Pulteney Estates:

William Earl of Craven, Joseph Fellows, Zita Potter, Mary C & Cornelia Porter; All are associated with a property in the City of Geneva between 1860 and 1912. The Earl of Craven was a land holder in Steuben County among other places that tallied 25 Townships. Joseph Fellows was his attorney and filed the majority of Craven’s deeds under his name.

Robert Troup-Geneva, NY and NYC. Land agent and Lawyer for the Pulteney Estates. Owned house at 98 Washington Street next to the Land Office for the Estates.

James Wadsworth and Robert Scott-Respectively they were appointed by Robert Troup to act on his behalf as individuals who worked and sold land in the Pulteney Estates area in the Finger lakes and Southern Tier. Deeds with these individuals plus Troup may identify people who purchased land from them.

William Young, “the Younger” also a Land Agent for the Pulteney Estates. Successor to Robert Troup

Westchester: William H Delanoy, Tarrytown NY (Westchester County) Occupation Boatman (1870 census) and Railroad Gate Keeper (1880 Census)From the 1860/61 census:

William  Delinois  Laborer house Beckman north of Cortlandt

1878/79 Directory:  Edward Delanoy, Harry Delanoy, Henry Delanoy, John Delanoy, John J Delanoy, John J Delanoy Jr, William H Delanoy a switchman and William H Delanoy a tinsmith

Lockport NY and Medina NY

Reverend L.L. Rodgen, Dr. Parkhurst, Reverend J.E. Williams and Reverend C.E. Winchester-Medina Methodist Church, Medina NY. From 1896-1908, these men presided at this Church and would like to find their Journals or records this Church. Burnett s and Capwell/Capwill families may have attended this Church.

Universalist Church, Lockport, NY  1850-1880

As Trustees and members: Benjamin Stout, W.T. Stout, and S Messeroll.

8th NY Heavy Artillery-Company K  Newfane, NY

Phillip H Messeroll-Captain in the Civil War, Company H. Lived in Newfane and enlisted there.

NYC:

Charles Storm Humphry (Possibly from Beekman, Dutchess County) Married Mary Louise Delanoy mid 1860’s Lived in New York County (35 8th Avenue Manhattan) until ca 1875

Montgomery County, town of Mohawk:

Walter and John Butler, Jellius Dowd Fonda, Joseph B0shart. All connected land and buildings on Switzer Hill, town of Mohawk. 1740s to 1850.would like to see Journals, letters, account books, diaries for these men and merchants who may have done business with them-dry goods-building supplies-food and other provisions.

Lt Col CB Briggs ex Site manager of Johnson Hall. Extensively researched the Butler family and collected information that may have been an unpublished book. Retired as Site manager, now deceased, where did his paper collection end up? Canada? US ?

Please contact me at: flhhinquiry@fingerlakeshousehistories.com if you are researching or have any connection or interest in

the above names.

Useful documents- a starting point.

Census records:-state and federal

Land Transaction Documents: Deeds, Discharged Mortgages and Mortgages. Also Sherriff’s sales. If an individual died holding property and the heirs sell the property, the deed will be recorded and noted sometimes as an “Estate”.

Power of Attorney: Usually listed in a deed as the agent for the Grantor or Grantors. The Power of Appointment sometimes identified other lawyers to act on his behalf. Sometimes had a description and location of the land if known.

With the date and place of the Appointment and recorded prior to any sales and that document maybe listed in the Miscellaneous Records of the County where it was recorded. The nominated Lawyer will act as Agent for the Land Owner who may not be a US Citizen with the right to sell land. Or acting on behalf or a Trustee of a Will as the result of an inheritance.

Estate Documents: Wills and Probate files with a special interest in locating inventory lists (Room names and specific furnishings maybe listed, the house may also be appraised with it description and condition) as well as debtors and creditors lists. The heirs are often listed during the probate process to settle estates. Address may be found here of those individuals connected with the Will. (Addresses will be the current or last known during the probate process) Changes in Executors-Administrators and Heirs may also be noted.

Maps-Atlases-Sanborn Maps-Survey-Land Ownership: These maps show many interesting geographical, political (wards) and other information. Atlases and Ownership maps can be useful in linking modern day boundaries with the original land maps showing township, section and ranges or tract names often associated with large landowners.

Aerial photos: Will sometimes show groups of buildings. Detail maybe compromised, but road and land development and use will be easy to see.

Gazetteers: Often contain descriptions of villages, towns and cities with respect to early industry, commerce and residential development.

City-County Directories: lists of private residences with the occupation or business engaged in. Where they resided and where the business was located. Business lists, advertisements, street directories and street lists (often showing when a street was formed or the name was changed.

Civil Actions-Court of Common Pleas: These records, generally held at the county courthouse, can help to fill in gaps in your records, give you a clue as to how your ancestor lived. These are manually intensive to search, sometime not in great condition and generally no index, but stored by Month and year. Take patience and a pair of white cotton gloves and good luck if you look through these records.

Church records: incorporation papers, deeds, session or weekly records and business records. Notations of admitted by letter will often record the Church previously attended. Baptism, Marriage and Death records are often found in Church records that may not be in any civil record collection.

Letters, Journals, Diaries: First or second hand accounts of private matters not usually published.

Local and Regional histories: settlement patterns, first settlers and other firsts listed.

Photographs and Post Cards: Can be the only surviving evidence of structure and how it looked at various times.

Property inventory cards or assessment cards: Often held by the Assessor’s office with jurisdiction over the property. Older cards often have an inventory of the structures on a parcel or lot, dimensioned sketches and occasionally improvements when they can be identified. They sometimes have photos of the house or building in question.

Tax books or rolls: Usually limited to a specific town, village or city. Useful in tracking an individuals real estate holdings, with location, quality and quantity listed. Fluctuations in the value can be attributable to the general economy, land improvements (farm land), buildings being added or demolished. If held for a long period the price can reflect a sudden influx of settlers and the resultant rise in the price per acre.

Account Books: These records are a gold mine of information if they have survived. Transactions of mill owners, store keepers, doctors and Blacksmiths can often establish the presence of a single ancestor or family when census and other records do not list them. They also reflect the activity of an area during certain periods and use the terminology that has been lost down through the years. The relative value of certain goods or services can be reflected in the prices paid.

Geographical Information System or G.I.S.  The program used by Assessors to establish the tax liability and current description of the properties under their jurisdiction. May also include aerial photographs of a given area, showing lot lines, dimensions, Great Lot numbers from original land layouts, and other useful information. Will help to track a property backwards from a present day location. May list the latest deed and include the parcel number for a property.

Where it was: It is a sad fact that today, road changes, commercial and industrial parks will gobble up the original structures. Comparing current G.I.S maps with older maps may show the changes to the area and why Gramma’s house is no longer there. With a little digging you may find who bought the property to make the changes and may find demolition permits the will describe the current state of the condemned property.

Names listed in the 1779 Act of Attainder or Bill of Attainder: Pertains to Revolutionary War confiscation of Land and property due to the political leanings of individuals that were Pro British. This act focused on 59 individuals listed as “public enemies” and stripped them of their real estate, offered no civil or religious recourse and imposed the death penalty if found in the state. If your ancestor was effected by this bill, they may had reason to go to Canada. Monetary losses were apparently never offered after American independence. It is also said that land claims by the State, were subject to a claim by a survivor of a person named on the list, as void do to an inheritance of the land in question.

Please contact me at flhhinquiry@fingerlakeshousehistories.com should you have any questions or comments concerning the above documents, or would like to add others you have found useful.

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