to Gail Rogers Yes, I know of the Wilders in Bristol, Ontario County, for whom Wilder Creek was named. My great-great-grandfather, William Gooding, writes fondly of playing on the banks of Wilders Creek as a child, and of the school there in the first decade of the 19th century. I also have a sketch map of the creek (I think it was in the family papers) which indicates the Wilder's property. I am particularly interested to hear about the French family, however, in Otsego County. Gideon Burgess, who married the Sally French I am looking for, kept a tavern on the old Cherry Valley Turnpike (then called the Burgess Tavern, but later the Angel Tavern, which burned down in the 1960s), across from the Burgess farm between Winfield, Herkimer County, and Richfield Springs, Otsego County. All of that family are buried there (I have visited their graves) and old John Burgess (Gideon's father) had his will probate by Gideon in Cooperstown. Since you have found Frenchs in Otsego County, that may be where Gideon Burgess and Sally French met after all. If so the autograph book ties the Otsego County French family to Plainfield in Connecticut. It also means I should be looking in Otsego County for them. What detail do you know about the French family in Otsego County? Is there a good source for that family there? DEAN

I have been doing some checking. It might be worth while to check out Herkimer County which borders Otsego to the north.(Who knows what county was formed from what county! That has certainly sidetracked me before!) Here are some more sites to check out and next time i get to the Library I'll recheck French, but unfortunately it won't be before next Saturday. Have another week before vacation!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyherkim/ http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyotsego/ http://nysha.org/research.htm Gail At 04:23 PM 8/12/00 -0400, you wrote: >to Gail Rogers > >Yes, I know of the Wilders in Bristol, Ontario County, for whom Wilder >Creek was named. My great-great-grandfather, William Gooding, writes >fondly of playing on the banks of Wilders Creek as a child, and of the >school there in the first decade of the 19th century. I also have a >sketch map of the creek (I think it was in the family papers) which >indicates the Wilder's property. > >I am particularly interested to hear about the French family, however, in >Otsego County. Gideon Burgess, who married the Sally French I am looking >for, kept a tavern on the old Cherry Valley Turnpike (then called the >Burgess Tavern, but later the Angel Tavern, which burned down in the >1960s), across from the Burgess farm between Winfield, Herkimer County, >and Richfield Springs, Otsego County. All of that family are buried there >(I have visited their graves) and old John Burgess (Gideon's father) had >his will probate by Gideon in Cooperstown. Since you have found Frenchs >in Otsego County, that may be where Gideon Burgess and Sally French met >after all. If so the autograph book ties the Otsego County French family >to Plainfield in Connecticut. It also means I should be looking in Otsego >County for them. > >What detail do you know about the French family in Otsego County? Is >there a good source for that family there? > >DEAN >