To Sandy, Dick Hillenbrand, and anyone else who cares: I found my source for Peter Smith's Eyes. Hurray! In a talk she gave on Feb. 18, 1937, Edith Hamilton White, the adopted daughter of Gerrit Smith Miller, mentioned that "the two islands in Oneida Lake near Brewerton were called "Peter Smith's Eyes" by the Indians. I imagine that Miss White was told this by Mr. Miller, who was the great-grandson of Peter Smith. Mr. Miller was still living in Feb. 1937 (he died the next month). Because of the probable source, I would give this some credence. Or, at least, it's what Mr. Miller was probably told by his family. Donna ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sandy Wilsey" <swilsey@twcny.rr.com> To: <nymadiso@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 9:07 AM Subject: Re: [NYMADISO] Peter Smith's Eyes > Oneida Lake has very few islands. The two largest islands are Frenchman's > and Dunham's Island - located close together near the south shore in the > west end of the lake, north of the Town of Cicero. They could be > described > as being located close to Brewerton. If you have a copy of Jack Henke's > "Oneida Lake From thee Beach to Brewerton", you will find a sketch of the > lake showing the islands on the inside cover. > > The lore surrounding Frenchman's Island has fascinated me for years. I've > read a number of references to it, but have never run across the nickname > "Peter Smith's Eyes. Guess the position and shape of the islands could > lead to calling them eyes --- very sad or angry looking eyes! > > Sandy > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Donna Burdick" <dburdick@stny.rr.com> > To: <nymadiso@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 8:05 PM > Subject: [NYMADISO] Peter Smith's Eyes > > >> Hello All >> >> There is a tradition that 2 islands in Oneida Lake, near Brewerton were >> named by the Indians "Peter Smith's Eyes," a reference to Peter Smith of >> Peterboro, father of Gerrit Smith. >> >> Could this have been a reference to Frenchman's Island and Dunham's >> Island? Are they near Brewerton? >> >> I tried to go online to find a map of the Lake that included islands but >> couldn't find one. >> >> Thanks, Donna B. >> >> >> >> E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.1.0.447) >> Database version: 6.14780 >> http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> NYMADISO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NYMADISO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.1.0.447) > Database version: 6.14780 > http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.1.0.447) Database version: 6.14780 http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/
I have found these tidbits of information fascinating, and I live in Florida. I have long thought that in any "family tale" there is a kernel of truth in it somewhere. Dorothy --- On Wed, 4/21/10, Donna Burdick <dburdick@stny.rr.com> wrote: From: Donna Burdick <dburdick@stny.rr.com> Subject: Re: [NYMADISO] Peter Smith's Eyes To: nymadiso@rootsweb.com Date: Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 10:01 AM To Sandy, Dick Hillenbrand, and anyone else who cares: I found my source for Peter Smith's Eyes. Hurray! In a talk she gave on Feb. 18, 1937, Edith Hamilton White, the adopted daughter of Gerrit Smith Miller, mentioned that "the two islands in Oneida Lake near Brewerton were called "Peter Smith's Eyes" by the Indians. I imagine that Miss White was told this by Mr. Miller, who was the great-grandson of Peter Smith. Mr. Miller was still living in Feb. 1937 (he died the next month). Because of the probable source, I would give this some credence. Or, at least, it's what Mr. Miller was probably told by his family. Donna ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sandy Wilsey" <swilsey@twcny.rr.com> To: <nymadiso@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 9:07 AM Subject: Re: [NYMADISO] Peter Smith's Eyes > Oneida Lake has very few islands. The two largest islands are Frenchman's > and Dunham's Island - located close together near the south shore in the > west end of the lake, north of the Town of Cicero. They could be > described > as being located close to Brewerton. If you have a copy of Jack Henke's > "Oneida Lake From thee Beach to Brewerton", you will find a sketch of the > lake showing the islands on the inside cover. > > The lore surrounding Frenchman's Island has fascinated me for years. I've > read a number of references to it, but have never run across the nickname > "Peter Smith's Eyes. Guess the position and shape of the islands could > lead to calling them eyes --- very sad or angry looking eyes! > > Sandy > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Donna Burdick" <dburdick@stny.rr.com> > To: <nymadiso@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 8:05 PM > Subject: [NYMADISO] Peter Smith's Eyes > > >> Hello All >> >> There is a tradition that 2 islands in Oneida Lake, near Brewerton were >> named by the Indians "Peter Smith's Eyes," a reference to Peter Smith of >> Peterboro, father of Gerrit Smith. >> >> Could this have been a reference to Frenchman's Island and Dunham's >> Island? Are they near Brewerton? >> >> I tried to go online to find a map of the Lake that included islands but >> couldn't find one. >> >> Thanks, Donna B. >> >> >> >> E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.1.0.447) >> Database version: 6.14780 >> http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> NYMADISO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NYMADISO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.1.0.447) > Database version: 6.14780 > http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.1.0.447) Database version: 6.14780 http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYMADISO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message