Hi Listers, I want to thank everyone who helped me with my research regarding the cigar factory that was in Oneida, NY. I was given a link to a website that had a picture of those who worked at the Powell & Goldstein Cigar Factory. It is quite possible that this is where my g-g- uncle, William Clapp worked as it was less than a mile from his home on Williams Street in Oneida. Considering the transportation available in 1900, (of lack thereof) it is probable but not definite. I can't claim a definite match as further research shows that there were at least eight cigar factories in Oneida. Using 21st century thinking, it is hard to believe that there was so much demand for cigars. It is also hard to believe that my g-g uncle was working as a cigar maker in Pennsylvania at the age of 12. One of the listers mentioned that Clay, NY was once called Cigarville. With Oneida having nine or more cigar factories, how many did Clay NY have? Again, many thanks for your kind help. My next project is getting his marriage certificate and I have already contacted the Historical Society for their help. Depending on what they find, I may pursue street directories, voter registration lists, etc. This particular uncle disappears after the 1900 Federal Census. For whatever reason, my grandfather's family, grandmother's family, even my husbands family did not stand up and be counted when the census taker came around. Maybe because it is tax time, I was wondering that if they were not counted, how would anyone know if they paid taxes or not. The withholding taxes from paychecks did not start until much later. Any thoughts? Regards, Lynn Eivers

-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Lynn Eivers Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 12:11 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [NYMADISO] CIGAR FACTORY When I was a young girl, there were miles and miles of tobacco growers in Connecticut around Hartford, and many of us kids even worked on them during the harvesting season for extra cash. Most of them are gone now and have been turned into miles and miles of bedroom communities. They grew both shade tobacco and non shade grown. I remember being told that the northern tobacco was usually used for wrapping. Whether true or not, I don't know!! Very early some of the cigars were hand rolled and each man had his own tools much as a sculptor has his own tools, and they carried them wherever they went. It was close to an art form. They were also very expensive and highly prized. I never knew my grandfather, but he had his own tools which have not survived after his death in 1917. I surely wish they had. However, almost every male member of the family would smoke a cigar on occasion. Most, however, smoked pipes, but an occasional cigar was a treat. My late husband also smoked a cigar on occasion. Most women hated the smell of them...actually either a pipe or a cigar. My Husband told the story that his grandfather had to go out in the hall to smoke, whatever he smoked. (They lived in a three family tenement.). My mother was more lenient. Maybe because her father smoked both, and she adored him. My father smoked both too, but during the depression there was not much money around. He smoked Granger tobacco and had paper to roll his own cigarettes, but if someone gave him a cigar, it was a treat. As far as taxes are concerned, it was also a different era. Many states like Connecticut had a Poll tax. I think I paid it once when I was 21 or 18. People hated the Poll tax. When I had to pay it, it meant I was all grown up. It was as I recalled declared unconstitutional and repealed in the early forties. You had to be really well heeled to make enough to pay income tax before WW2. My parents never did. It certainly wasn't as common as it is today to have enough money as income to have to pay taxes, but senators didn't get paid what they get paid today either. This is probably why so many politicians were so well heeled in those days. I don't think we have many poor people in Congress today either. Dorothea

Lynn, It would have to be an exceptional case if they were not in the census somewhere. I'm impressed that the census takers were as thorough as they were. The only case I know of where a relative of mine was definitely missing is the Louisiana census of 1860, in which case the copies of the census itself were manhandled and partially lost. I've found all types of phonetic misspellings, one case of a water spot obliterating a last name (luckily the first names were very unique and all kinds of other issues. Max -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Lynn Eivers Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 3:11 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [NYMADISO] CIGAR FACTORY Hi Listers, I want to thank everyone who helped me with my research regarding the cigar factory that was in Oneida, NY. I was given a link to a website that had a picture of those who worked at the Powell & Goldstein Cigar Factory. It is quite possible that this is where my g-g- uncle, William Clapp worked as it was less than a mile from his home on Williams Street in Oneida. Considering the transportation available in 1900, (of lack thereof) it is probable but not definite. I can't claim a definite match as further research shows that there were at least eight cigar factories in Oneida. Using 21st century thinking, it is hard to believe that there was so much demand for cigars. It is also hard to believe that my g-g uncle was working as a cigar maker in Pennsylvania at the age of 12. One of the listers mentioned that Clay, NY was once called Cigarville. With Oneida having nine or more cigar factories, how many did Clay NY have? Again, many thanks for your kind help. My next project is getting his marriage certificate and I have already contacted the Historical Society for their help. Depending on what they find, I may pursue street directories, voter registration lists, etc. This particular uncle disappears after the 1900 Federal Census. For whatever reason, my grandfather's family, grandmother's family, even my husbands family did not stand up and be counted when the census taker came around. Maybe because it is tax time, I was wondering that if they were not counted, how would anyone know if they paid taxes or not. The withholding taxes from paychecks did not start until much later. Any thoughts? Regards, Lynn Eivers ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message