Wordless Wednesday - Mother & Baby

Unidentified Mother & Baby from the personal collection of my gr-grandfather's sister, Daisy Belle (nee Dyer) Kerr Thomas (1869-1945). Daisy was born in Madison County, NY and after her first marriage lived in Ontario, Canada for the remainder of her life. This photo was taken at J.V. Doust studio in Syracuse, NY.

Mystery Monday - Help With Afro-American Man Photo

This photo was found among the belongings of my gr-grandfather's sister, Daisy Belle Dyer, b.1869 d.1945. She married 1) Lucas Kerr, and moved to Crosby, Ontario, Canada where Lucas was the town butcher; and 2) Hilliard Thomas, Smith's Falls, Ontario, Canada. Daisy Dyer was born and raised in Madison County, NY and Daisy and the Dyer family lived a short while in Redwood, Jefferson County, NY where they ran a hotel/boading house in the late 1800s/early 1900s.

The Dyers were from an early New England family, arriving in America in the 1600s. Daisy's father had fought in the Civil War for the Union and unsubstantiated family stories say that her father and grandfather had aided in the underground railroad, providing refuge on their farm as a stop on the route to Canada.

Daisy left a trove of many photos behind, many of which are unidentified. But one unidentified photo stands out - the only photograph, much less a studio portrait, of an African American in her collection! Who was this man and his connection to her families? The photo was taken at Sprague Studio in Walton, NY. There are serveral other unidentified photos in her collection that were taken at the same studio, but they are all fair haired and very light skinned Caucasian men and women.

Who is this man? And what was his significance to my family that they would have his photo saved?

Look at this picture please and tell me what you see. Are there any hints or items of interest in the picture that might date it or shed some light in general about this man? I'm open to any and all input and help. This has really piqued my curiousity!

Thanks,

Talented Tuesday -An Inventor In The Family

Asa Shadrack Sherman, Part II

On this past Sunday, I wrote about my maternal gr-gr-gr-grandfather, Asa Shadrack Sherman.  His 1904  obituary stated "Mr. Sherman, who has been engaged in laying cement walks in the village,...". I had heard stories that Asa had laid cement sidewalks in Canastota (Madison County, NY), and even heard stories that some plaques in the sidewalk cement still existed. But yesterday, I learned so much more about this whole endeavor, thanks to a 2010 news article link sent to me by a 3rd cousin, Robin Hadden.

You see, Asa not only laid the concrete for the sidewalks, but he had invented a formula for a concrete that would withstand the harsh upstate NY winters!  Prior to this, other concretes had been tried, but they had all failed to survive the New York winter frosts. Asa substituted ground stone dust for sand and increased the amount of cement used. Some of his concrete sidewalks that were laid have lasted over 100 years. There are still seven original brass plates embedded in Asa's original concrete sidewalks that survive.

The brass plates embedded in the sidewalk concrete say:

A. SHERMAN'S
FORMULA
GUARANTEED.
CANASTOTA,N.Y.
1901  

The surviving brass plates can be found embedded in the sidewalk in these locations in the Village of Canastota:

• near the corner of Wilson Avenue and Spencer Street
• near the corner of Elm and Spencer Streets
• near the corner of Ball Avenue and Spencer Street
• near the corner of Spencer and Chapel Streets
• near the corner of Main and Lewis Streets
• on Hickory Street in the direction of Main Street
• near the corner of Peterboro and Hickory Streets

In July 2010, as part of Canatota's bicentennial celebration, the "Canastota Walk Through History Contest" was sponsored by the Canal Town Museum. Part of the contest was locating all seven of these brass plates successfully.

You can read more about this - and see a photo of one of the original sidewalk embedded plates - in the July 29, 2010 Oneida Daily Dispatch article by Matt Powers, Dispatch Staff Writer.

I had no idea that Asa had actually invented the formula for this special concrete himself. When his obit said he had been laying cement, I just assumed he was mixing up and laying standard everyday common cement. This is so cool to learn that he was a creative thinker and problem solver.


I'm so excited to learn this new-to-me information!

Wampsville Presbyterian Church

113 years old in 1946


My great-great-great grandfather Burton H. Dyer and his older brother Benjamin W. Dyer were two of the original supporters of this church when it was formed. Most early records of the church were lost in a fire. I have been informed that the church has stood empty for several years. It is on the historic register. I've been told the church looks much the same today as it did originally. 

Syracuse (NY) Herald-Journal
Wed. 27 March 1946
Page 3 column 6

Wampsville Church is 113 Years Old

Wampsville -- Wampsville Presbyterian Church, situated on a high knoll at the eastern outskirts of the village, will be 113 years old April 9. The Rev. oJhn(sic) R. Kay is the pastor. The society was organized April 9, 1820, or 117 years ago.

The edifice is one of the oldest in Madison County. The attractive church was the scene of the Syracuse Presbytery meeting a few years ago.

Actual dates on which the edifice was started are boscure(sic) as records were lost in a fire. The first trustees were Jared N. Avery, James Stewart, and Elisha Cranson. Worship was held in the village school prior to erection of a church.

The Rev. Hezekiah N. Woodruff was the first pastor, coming in April, 1829, as a supply. Other pastors have been George Nicholls, 1889-93; Frank W. West, 1894-5; John Burkhardt, 1896-1900; Spiko Rederus, 1901-03; D. G. Christmas, 1910-12; Jay N. Taft, 1912-15; John N. Steele, 1915-16; William Phillips, 1917-18; J. H. Nichols, 1918-24; John S. Willbanks, 1925-33; George B. Swinnerton, 1933-40; Paul Conine, 1940-42; Mr. Kay.

Families supporting the society at the time it was formed include Jared N. Avery, Harvey Cobb, Solomon Klock, James Stewart, Joseph Van Sice, Joseph A. Phillips, Jacob Foland, Alexander D. Stewart, Daniel Van Vleck, Ambrose Hill, William Spencer, Jeremiah, Jacob and Peter D. Cooper, Franklin Johnson, Elisha Cranson, Simon P. New, Benjamin and Burton Dyer, Malachi Gardinier, Ira Thompson, John A. McDougall, John Stewart, Joseph Benedict, Hartwell Johnson,  ames(sic) Cooper, Truman Benham, Thomas Loomis, William Ure and Miles Johnson.

*************************

Photo by Anita Ingalls

 
"This Federalist meeting house is one of the earliest churches in the area." Cited in Country Roads: Madison County's Heritage: a Resource for the Future" edited by Jennifer G. F. Solms & Paul A. Schoonmaker; published by Madison County Planning Board, Wampsville, New York; July 1976


* Many thanks to Anita Ingalls for her input about the current state of this church. Visit Anita's "Madison County, NY" website for a treasure trove of Madison County historic resources. http://home.comcast.net/~ingallsam/index.html

Sunday's Obituary - Mary Dyer Jackson, Early Suffragette

Mary Dyer Jackson (1844 -1934) 
(Oneida, Madison County, New York)

Mary (Dyer) Jackson was my maternal gr-gr-grandfather (George B, Dyer)'s first cousin. She was a fascinating and accomplished woman. She married her sister's widower, was a founding member of the county historical society, was an early activist in the women's suffrage movement, and did so much more in her full life.

Note that in the obituary, Mary's mother's name, Mahala Barnard Dyer, was misspelled as Masala.

Oneida Daily Dispatch
Thurs., Nov. 8, 1934
page 1 column 4 - page 6 column 1


ONEIDA PIONEER WOMAN PASSES
____________
Mrs. Mary Dyer Jackson Dies Early Today - A Leader in Civic Activities
_____________

Mrs. Mary Dyer Jackson, 90, a pioneer resident of this vicinity and prominent club woman, died in her apartment, Gables, at 7:20 o'clock this morning following an illness of two months.

She was born February 29, 1844 at Wampsville, daughter of the late Benjamin Wood Dyer and Masala Barnard. Although 90 years old, Mrs. Jackson only celebrated 21st birthday anniversaries in her lifetime.

Mrs. Jackson was graduated from Oneida Seminary, then located on the present C. Will Chappell estate at Elizabeth and Grove Streets. Later she studied voice culture at New England Conservatory of music and for seven years sang in a quartet choir in one of the Boston churches. She possessed a fine contralto voice.

Mrs. Jackson was the widow of the late Darius Jackson whom she married in 1874. He died two years later. During their married life they lived in Brooklyn where Mr. Jackson was a commission merchant. His first wife was Mrs. Jackson's sister, Julia Dyer, who died in 1870.

After the death of her husband, Mrs. Jackson established her residence in Oneida and became active in civic affairs which she continued until her recent illness.

She was the founder of the Progress Club in 1889 which today is one of the outstanding women's organizations of this city.

Mrs. Jackson was also a charter member of the Madison County Historical Society, founded in 1898, and the Political Equality Club established in early 90's which is now merged with the Madison County League of Women Voters.

She was more prominently known as a member of the latter organization as Mrs. Jackson was the first woman to circulate a petition in Central New York for women's suffrage cause. She obtained 50 or 60 names on the petition which was mailed to Albany asking the legislature to allow women to vote.

This was in 1897 or 1898 and although the document received little or no attention at the time, Mrs. Jackson lived to see her work accomplished about 20 years later as the 19th amendment was adopted.

She was a member of First Presbyterian Church.

************

Mary is buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Oneida, Madison County, New York in her father's family plot. Frank Dyer was her brother. Her husband, Darius Jackson and his first wife Julia Dyer Jackson are buried in the same family plot, Their memorial is inscribed on another side of the shared Dyer/Jackson family monument.

The Dyer - Jackson Family Monument

Glenwood Cemetery

Oneida, Madison, County, New York

Surname Saturday - Maternal New England/ NY State

My Maternal New York State & New England 
Ancestry Surnames

See any familiar names here? We may be related!

My mother was born and raised in Upstate New York. Mom's father, Raymond Hirst, was from Philadelphia; her mother, Ethel Dyer, came from a long line of early New England and New York State families. Some members of grandma's family tree crossed the border back and forth to Canada - living at times in US and at other times in Ontario, Canada. These are some of the surnames I've found in my direct line while working on my maternal grandmother's part of my family tree (in alphabetical order):

Barnard, Barrett, Brownell, Burleigh, Carpenter, Claghorn, Crofoot, Dodge, Dyer, Gardiner, Gorham, Greene, Hall, Hamby, Hartwell, Hawes, Hewes,Howland, Hutchinson, Johnson, Marbury, Nichols, Niles, Odding, Sayles, Sherman, Smith, Spink, Spooner, Tilley, Walker,Warner, Williams, Wood


Surnames for my paternal side of my family tree can be found in this earlier blog post: Click Here,

Wordless Wednesday - Whither Thou Goest...

OK, so it's Not-Quite-Wordless Wednesday

My Maternal Grandparents

Raymond & Ethel (Dyer) Hirst

North Watertown Cemetery

Watertown, Jefferson County, New York

 

Married on May 21, 1926, Raymond died of a heart attack on December 17, 1965. A heart broken Ethel followed him just four months later, dying of heart failure on April 26, 1966. 

Military Monday - Grandpa Raymond Hirst

My maternal grandfather, Raymond Hirst 

US Army Cavalry

stationed at Madison Barracks,

Sackets Harbor, Jefferson County, NY

This photo was taken while he had the rank of Corporal. He was later promoted to Sergeant F. A. (Field Artillery). He was in the cavalry at the time the Army was in the final stages of transitioning from using horses in the battlefield to going all motorized. My mother tells me that on occasion as a young girl, her mother would take her and her siblings to the barracks parade ground and they would get to watch their father perform maneuvers on horseback. 

As a corporal, Raymond married a local girl. Even though Raymond was originally from Philadelphia PA, when he left the Army, he and his family stayed in Jefferson County and raised their family near his wife's kin in Upstate New York. He became the patriarch of a family with a tradition of military service. Raymond and his wife had 2 daughters and 7 sons who survived to adulthood. Of those seven sons, six went on to serve in the military. Each of the two daughters married servicemen stationed at nearby Fort Drum. Raymond was born in 1902 and died in 1965.

Wednesday's Child - Dyer Infants

Dyer Infant Boys
Died Four Months Apart in 1851

Redwood Cemetery

Oneida, Madison County, NY

These two older graves sit by themselves to the left and behind the adults in the Dyer/Tuttle Family plot. Burton H. Dyer was my gr-gr-gr-grandfather and he  and his wife are also buried in Redwood Cemetery to the front of the boys.

(original photo taken by Polly Held)

The stone to the left is inscribed:

William J. Dyer
 Died
 August 24, 1851
 Aged 3 yrs & 9 mos
 Son of
 Burton H. Dyer

The stone to the right is inscribed:

Little G A R Dyer

 Died
 April 11, 1851
 Infant Son of
Burton H. Dyer

[Note: the photographer guessed at the G A R as it was almost illegible]

~ Karen the AncesTree Sprite 

Thanks Polly for your act of genealogical kindness. 
 

Mystery Monday - Recipe for Chicken Dodger?

Mystery Monday

What Is "the chicken you call dodger"???

 

My gr-gr-grandmother Clarissa Jannett (Sherman) Dyer Knowlton was twice a widow. From 1926 to her death in 1931, she lived with her daughter, Cordelia Rebecca (Dyer) Patten (known as "Codie") and Cordelia's husband Melvin Patten, in Williamsville, Erie County, NY.

Sometime during this period, Clarissa wrote an undated letter to her other daughter, Daisy Belle (Dyer) Kerr, who lived in  Crosby, Leeds, Ontario, Canada. In the letter, Clarissa tells Daisy about their evening meal:

 

"We had the chicken you called dodger for dinner with mashed potato, turnip cabage salad and all fixings."

Does anyone know what "the chicken you call dodger" might be? Any clue as to how to make it? 

Any input, suggestions, or guesses would be much appreciated.

Curiously,

~ Karen the AncesTree Sprite

Sunday's Obituary - George Burton Dyer 1841-1905

Obituary: George Burton Dyer (1841 - 1905)

(my maternal gr-gr-grandfather)

George Burton Dyer in his Civil War Uniform

Oneida Independent Calvary Company (NY)

George Burton Dyer

May 1893

Oneida Democratic Union Page 2 Column on Thursday, February 9, 1905

GEORGE B. DYER

George B. Dyer, a former well known and respected citizen of Oneida, died in his home in Redwood, Jefferson Co., on Saturday morning, aged 62 years. He was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Burton H. Dyer, of this city, and until removing to Redwood a few years ago had passed the most of his life in Oneida and vicinity. Mr. Dyer was a veteran of the civil war, having enlisted August 10, 1861 in the Oneida Independent Cavalry, and remaining as orderly sergeant of the company to the close of the war, being mustered out of service June, 1865. Since removing to Redwood he had been proprietor of the Dyer Hotel, which he was conducting at the time of his death. He had been in failing health for about two years, though able to attend to business the greater portion of the time. He is survived by a widow, three sons and two daughters; also by one sister, Mrs. John F. Tuttle, of Syracuse. He was a genial kind hearted man who enjoyed the esteem of a large acquaintance. He was a member of John R. Stewart Post G. A. R. and numbered among the friends he prized most highly outside the family circle were his old Army comrades. It was his expressed desire, shortly before his demise, that his body be borne to the grave in Glenwood, by some of the survivors of his old company. Dwight Chapin was apprised of this fact through a communication from a son of the deceased and made arrangements accordingly, himself, Joseph Veiling and Patrick Clark, of this city, and Treat Miner, of Georgetown, serving as bearers and accompanying the body to Glenwood Tuesday afternoon. The funeral took place at the late home of the deceased that morning, and accompanied by members of the family, the body arrived in Oneida that afternoon.

==============

 Notes

Oneida in this article refers to Oneida in Madison County, New York State. Redwood Cemetery in located at Oneida.

Dwight Chapin mentioned in the obituary, served in the Oneida Independent Cavalry Co. with George Dyer and later married George's cousin, Hannah Dyer.

For more information about the Oneida Independent Cavalry Company and their unique role in the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War, click here.

My relationship to George is as follows
George Burton Dyer > Harry Sherman Dyer > Ethel (Dyer) Hirst > Olie (Hirst) Yohn Adam > me

George B. Dyer

Oneida Indpt. Cav. Co.

1841 - 1905

Dyer/Tuttle Family Plot

Redwood Cemetery

Oneida, Madison Co., NY

~ Karen the AncesTree Sprite

Wordless Wednesday - Hunting Pride In Upstate NY

Dyer's Hotel, Redwood, Jefferson County NY

(original undated photo held by Robin Hadden)

Arthur Dyer (my gr-grandfather Harry Sherman Dyer's brother) is the fellow in the suit on the right. Upon their father's death in 1905, Arthur took over ownership and the running of the family's Dyer's Hotel.

~ Karen The AncesTree Sprite

Treasure Chest Thursday – Great Grandma's Ring

It wasn't fancy or flashy. Just a small rose cut dark reddish-purple amethyst solitaire set in a simple rose gold band. My mother would show it to me from time to time when I was little and tell me that when I was older, it would be mine to wear.

The ring had belonged to Mom's maternal grandmother, Olie Lillian (Warner) Dyer of Wampsville, Madison County, and later Carthage, then Watertown, both in Jefferson County, New York. It had been given to Olie (pronounced OH-lee) when she was in her mid teens. No one knows if it was new when she received it or if the ring had been handed down to her from another relative. Amethyst was Olie's birthstone.

Olie had nine children who lived to adulthood, and more grandchildren than I've been able to determine. But she and my mother shared a special bond. You see, my mother was born on Olie's birthday and was named after her. When my mother turned sixteen, Olie pased her amethyst ring on to Mom, who wore it with pride, only eventually replacing it with her own engagement and wedding rings. At that time, Mom put the ring anyway for safekeeping to one day pass to her daughter.

On my 16^th birthday, I unwrapped a small gift and there was gr-grandma's ring! It wasn't my birthstone, but I loved that ring and the connection to the past it had for me. I wore it with such pride.

Sadly, the ring is long gone and I don't have a photo to share of it. In high school, I participated in band, and part of our performance uniform was the wearing of white gloves. One day, I had a new pair of white gloves and to my chagrin, I realized at the last moment the gloves would not fit over the ring – the stone sat too high. I slipped off the ring and quietly stashed it inside the mouthpiece compartment of my instrument case. When I returned from the performance, I discovered the ring missing from my case – never to be seen again by me or my family.

Twenty four years later, I still think of that ring and wish I could go back in time to leave the ring at home that evening. 

*insert wistful sigh here*

~ Karen the AnceTree Sprite