Dear Folks, I know that you're really not that interested in a slight error I made in my story but it's most important for me to write it down and call it to your attention. In the story I told you that I kept Ken's books from 1985 to 1991. That wasn't true. I kept his books through 2000. Therefore our close business relationship lasted 15 years. We certainly became shipmates over that period of time. vee

Dear Folks, This will probably be a long story but I know that I have to write it down. So you're in for it! I know that I've mentioned my friend Ken the Contractor on a number of occasions. Most recently I told you that he was the one who managed to bring my laundry room up from my basement and install it all in my old "copier room" on the first floor. Our relationship started back in early May 1985 when both of us were drilling reservists at the Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center in Buffalo. I was a Chief Petty Officer and he was a Warrant Officer 4. We drilled with different units there. At noontime one weekend I sat across the chow hall table from a Master Chief Petty Officer who I barely knew but we got engaged in conversation. As a consequence I told him that I had recently gone into the free-lance bookkeeping business for small businesses who needed someone to keep their books for them. I had a flyer with me regarding my services and I gave it to him. Shortly before secure time the Master Chief came into my office and told me that he had someone he wanted me to meet and that the three of us would get together at the Chief's Club afterward. That sounded intriguing to me. At the club the Master Chief introduced me to Mr. (Ken) Smith and before we had hardly taken our first few sips of beer, the conversation started rolling. Ken had just gone into the construction business and he was in dire need of someone to keep his books and take care of his payroll. He didn't have a proper office as such and so my services were a God-send to him. We set up a date to meet at my house to discuss the setup and a few days later he showed up. It didn't take me long to understand what sort of books I would have to set up regarding expenses for materials, supplies, payroll, etc. and I let him know that I was already experienced in payroll and payroll tax returns. Not only that but I could pay his invoices and payroll out of his business bank account if he would trust me to give me free reign with issuing checks signed by me for his business. When he left we were both happy campers. I had a long-term client and he had a good trustworthy bookkeeper. Over the years we both struggled together to keep his business going as smoothly as possible. And during our conversations in my office we also talked about our personal Navy experiences. He was one helluva Craft Master in charge of an LST and he told me magnificent stories about his experiences. I on the other hand told him about my earlier days in the Naval Aviation and more than that, we swapped stories of the ultimate disappointments that we both went through during our mutual 30-year naval careers. Note: when it came time for my retirement ceremony in 1987, Ken made certain he was in proud attendance. I kept his books up to around 1991 which was when the construction business around here took a serious downturn. But during those intervening years Ken and his men shored up my old barn and put new siding on it, put in a new bathroom on my second floor, built me a porch on the front of my house and put a new roof on my house. I had carpenters, plumbers, electricians, roofers and dry-wall experts all over my house and property. Ken charged me for materials and labor and added only a small percentage as a profit to himself. It's now over ten years later and once again I called on him, this time to put in a new laundry room upstairs for me. He did a great job but let me tell you what happened just a few days ago. He showed up on my doorstep during my dinner hour. I welcomed him in but I sensed that he had a lot on his mind. He pulled up a chair at my kitchen table across from me and neither he nor I minded that I continued to eat the dinner I had prepared for myself while we talked. I eventually realized that he came over to my house to download on me what the latest awful situation was that he was currently going through. Between bites of my fried chicken I responded with serious comments (including a bit of sailor swearing) in empathy. When we had exhausted the subject and I had taken my dinner plates over to the sink, I sat down at the table again. It was then that I told him that he was the only one who had ever sat across from me while I picked up my fried chicken with my fingers, licked my fingers, my elbows sprawled all over the table and with my hair a complete disaster and didn't wince at all. I felt completely comfortable with him. His response was only that we were shipmates and things like that didn't matter in the least. His parting comment was his confession that the only reason he stopped by that night was to have someone to bitch to about his current disaster and that he knew that he could count on me to listen and understand. I guess that's a good definition of a true shipmate. vee

Dear Folks from both lists, The other day I learned something about the 1900 census I never knew before. I belong to the list of the Association of Public Historians of NY State (I believe that's what APHNYS stands for) and someone asked a question about the census (at bottom of message) and Dee responded. You learn something new every day. vee ----- Original Message ----- From: Delia Robinson To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 2:31 PM Subject: Re: Fw: Historical definition Hi everyone, This is concerning the 1900 census which lists occupation as "capitalist". There is a website which has the instructions for enumerators of the census from 1850 to 2000. The site is: http://www.ipums.umn.edu/usa/voliii/tEnumInstr.html It states there in the instructions for 1900 -- "163. Many a person who does not follow any occupation still has an income. In that case indicate the source of the income. Report a person whose income comes from the rent of lands or buildings as "landlord." Report a person who receives his income, or most of it, from money loaned at interest, or from stocks, bonds, or other securities, as a "capitalist." " Hope this helps a little. Dee Robinson, President APHNYS ----- Original Message ----- From: Gilbertsville Free Library Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2004 07:45:31 -0500 To: [email protected] Subject: Fw: Historical definition From: Blodgett, Jan To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 4:08 PM Subject: Historical definition For those of you familiar with the 1900 census - is there a specific definition for the term "capitalist" under occupation? I'm running across a number of women with this listed as their occupation (and I don't know enough about them to know what it might mean from their context). Would it be something like an investor or just someone who owned rental property? Jan Blodgett College Archivist and Records Management Coordinator E.H. Little Library - Davidson College P.O. Box 7200 Davidson, NC 28035-7200 704/894-2632 fax: 704/894-2625 -- ___________________________________________________________ Sign-up for Ads Free at Mail.com http://www.mail.com/?sr=signup

Dear Folks, In case you're in need of a smile today, here's a pun I heard recently: Leif Erickson returned home after his travels to North America. Since he had "disappeared" over the horizon, the town officials assumed he was dead and removed him from the town register. When his wife complained, the mayor explained: "I'm so sorry. I must have taken Leif off my census." vee

Louise and group: Don't feel so bad about goofin up, Vee, can tell you about the many times I goofed! Forgive me if I sound a little fuzzy today, I was up all night with the flu and now I'm losing my voice, thank goodness for email! I'm glad you've enjoyed Phoebe's diaries! Awhile back, I lost all my files on my old computer. I was trying to install one of those wireless keyboards & mouse deals, and inadvertently, while doing so, I erased all my files! I was heartbroken. I ended up buying a new computer, and I had to start all over on some things, I did back up a few files on CD, tho. Anyway, to make a long story short, I knew a couple of computer savvy guys, and they were able to retrieve a lot of my lost data. They saved everything for me on CD, and thank goodness I don't have to rescan all those pictures! I guess you could call this a lesson learned! Kim

ditto ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 9:53 AM Subject: Phoebe's Diaries > Hi Listers > I think I goofed and sent my reply directly to Kim's e-mail. When I read Phoebes entries there was a mention of "Harvey and Mary Jane" coming to visit. My g-grandparents names were (Phillip) Harvey Swick and Mary Jane (O'Hara) Swick. The chances of another Harvey in Wilson I think were slim so I take it they were my relatives. Also Harvey's father Christopher Swick lived on the Coomer Road. > Kim I don't know much about the O'Hara's, I believe Mary Jane had a brother named John who married Helen ? and moved to Michigan. I know in the 1900 census the mother Mrs. O'Hara was living with Harvey and Mary Jane and was listed as being 97 years old. > I loved reading Phoebe's diaries, makes you think you are almost there seeing things thru her eyes. > > Louise > > > >

Louise had sent this to the wrong address so I'm forwarding it to the list. vee ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, March 12, 2004 9:43 AM Subject: My Interests > Hi > Of course I would like to compare notes, never know when you will find something new. I have quite an extensive amount of Swick information thanks to other people who have shared and who I have shared with. Where do we start? > > Louise > >

Vee, I have a case of the same sort of paper except mine is the standard 8.5x11 size and has the perfs to tear off the holes. I haven't found a suitable home for mine either. Ruth ***** My son moved into a home where someone left a full box of the 8x11 track computer paper. He was going to throw it out BUT I asked for it. I just take a bunch, rip off the strips on both sides, seperate the paper and use it in my 'jet printer". Great for making copies I just want to save and file in my folders. Does not take long to do a bunch. Susane

Silas and Benjamin Dickerson are related to my Douglass and Pease families of Wilson, NY, being direct ancestors of my cousin Kathryn Dickerson. Her dad, Raymond Dickerson, was the son of Elva Douglass Dickerson. By then, of course, they had moved on through Michigan to McHenry County, Illinois, and were farmers (and then townspeople) of the tiny town of Hebron, Illinois. The town is famous for one basketball team consisting of only 5 players (no second string!!) who had played B-ball together since they were young boys. They went on to win the Illinois State High School championships, much to everyone's shock. Books have been written about this amazing event and the town's watertower is a brown basketball, of course! People still talk about the five guys from little ol' Hebron who conquered the big high schools at the "downstate" win. Vee L. Housman wrote: >Wow, Miriam, what a surprise discovery regarding your grandparents! > >When I first saw the Hopkins name I immediately thought of the prominent >Hopkins family who lived on Lower River Road in Lewiston. Now with your >mentioning of Willard Hopkins Cornell and Silas Hopkins Dickerson, I was >certainly right. Your Church/Cornell families must have been very close if >not actually related to the Hopkins family. What follows below is what I >just scanned from the book, "Landmarks of Niagara County, New York," edited >by William Pool, 1897 > >Enjoy, >vee >Pg. 134 > >Hopkins, S. Silas, was born in the town of Lewiston, Niagara county, March >29, 1852, and has been engaged in farming and fruit growing all his life. He >has fifty acres of apple orchard, fifteen acres of pears, and ten acres of >plums on the homestead. On the farm situated on the Niagara River Road below >Lewiston he has twenty-five acres of quinces, twenty acres of pears and >plums and other fruits. He is a member of the Niagara County Farmers' Club >and has been its president for two years. In 1875 he married E Amanda Young >of Cambria, and they have two children, Edna Young and Arline Douglass. Mr. >Hopkins's parents were Silas S and Abigail H. Hopkins. After the >Revolutionary war his great-grandfather immigrated to Canada from New Jersey >and settled near Hamilton, Ontario, but his two sons, Silas and Benjamin, >not liking the country, Silas came to Lewiston, and later Benjamin settled >in Michigan. His son Silas was the first judge of Niagara county and was >grandfather of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Hopkins's father made a >valuable permanent improvement in the town of Lewiston by draining the great >cranberry marsh opposite his farm and reclaiming a valuable tract of land >which is still in possession of the family. He died June 20, 1871, while his >widow is still living at the age of eighty years. Mrs. Hopkins's family, the >Youngs, came from Pennsylvania about 1810, traveling in wagons and unloaded >near Niagara Falls by an old oak tree, the site of which is to-day marked by >some willows; there they took up land and settled. These were her great >grandfather, John, her grandfather, Samuel, and his brothers, John, >Christian and Jacob. They were driven from their homes three times bv the >Indians during the war of 1812. Mrs. Hopkins's grandparents on the mother's >side, the Hittles, came from Pennsylvania in 1828; her great­grandfather >served through the Revolutionary war as an officer. > >Pg. 146 > >Hopkins, Willard, was born in the town of Lewiston and has been engaged in >farming and fruit growing all his life. He is in fact one of the most >extensive fruit growers in Niagara county, having upwards of 300 acres of >fruit farms picturesquely situated on the banks of Niagara River, besides >other fruit farms situated in the Model City and on the shore of Lake >Ontario, having about 30,000 fruit trees in bearing. He was one of the >pioneers in planting extensive peach orchards on the Niagara frontier. He >married Sarah A. Peet, and they have two sons: W. Frank and Silas Seward. >His parents were Silas S. and Abigail H. Hopkins, and his father was one of >the best known and most honored men of his day in the town. His grandfather, >Silas Hopkins, was one of the pioneers of Lewiston and was the first county >judge in Niagara county. W. Frank Hopkins married Mary Tower of the town of >Porter. The name and history of the Hopkins family are inseparably >associated with Lewiston from its early days down to the present time, in >which the family continues to uphold its old-time prestige. > > > >

Wow, Miriam, what a surprise discovery regarding your grandparents! When I first saw the Hopkins name I immediately thought of the prominent Hopkins family who lived on Lower River Road in Lewiston. Now with your mentioning of Willard Hopkins Cornell and Silas Hopkins Dickerson, I was certainly right. Your Church/Cornell families must have been very close if not actually related to the Hopkins family. What follows below is what I just scanned from the book, "Landmarks of Niagara County, New York," edited by William Pool, 1897 Enjoy, vee Pg. 134 Hopkins, S. Silas, was born in the town of Lewiston, Niagara county, March 29, 1852, and has been engaged in farming and fruit growing all his life. He has fifty acres of apple orchard, fifteen acres of pears, and ten acres of plums on the homestead. On the farm situated on the Niagara River Road below Lewiston he has twenty-five acres of quinces, twenty acres of pears and plums and other fruits. He is a member of the Niagara County Farmers' Club and has been its president for two years. In 1875 he married E Amanda Young of Cambria, and they have two children, Edna Young and Arline Douglass. Mr. Hopkins's parents were Silas S and Abigail H. Hopkins. After the Revolutionary war his great-grandfather immigrated to Canada from New Jersey and settled near Hamilton, Ontario, but his two sons, Silas and Benjamin, not liking the country, Silas came to Lewiston, and later Benjamin settled in Michigan. His son Silas was the first judge of Niagara county and was grandfather of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Hopkins's father made a valuable permanent improvement in the town of Lewiston by draining the great cranberry marsh opposite his farm and reclaiming a valuable tract of land which is still in possession of the family. He died June 20, 1871, while his widow is still living at the age of eighty years. Mrs. Hopkins's family, the Youngs, came from Pennsylvania about 1810, traveling in wagons and unloaded near Niagara Falls by an old oak tree, the site of which is to-day marked by some willows; there they took up land and settled. These were her great grandfather, John, her grandfather, Samuel, and his brothers, John, Christian and Jacob. They were driven from their homes three times bv the Indians during the war of 1812. Mrs. Hopkins's grandparents on the mother's side, the Hittles, came from Pennsylvania in 1828; her great­grandfather served through the Revolutionary war as an officer. Pg. 146 Hopkins, Willard, was born in the town of Lewiston and has been engaged in farming and fruit growing all his life. He is in fact one of the most extensive fruit growers in Niagara county, having upwards of 300 acres of fruit farms picturesquely situated on the banks of Niagara River, besides other fruit farms situated in the Model City and on the shore of Lake Ontario, having about 30,000 fruit trees in bearing. He was one of the pioneers in planting extensive peach orchards on the Niagara frontier. He married Sarah A. Peet, and they have two sons: W. Frank and Silas Seward. His parents were Silas S. and Abigail H. Hopkins, and his father was one of the best known and most honored men of his day in the town. His grandfather, Silas Hopkins, was one of the pioneers of Lewiston and was the first county judge in Niagara county. W. Frank Hopkins married Mary Tower of the town of Porter. The name and history of the Hopkins family are inseparably associated with Lewiston from its early days down to the present time, in which the family continues to uphold its old-time prestige.

Hi Found this list purely by error. My ancestors that were/are from Niagara County are the Swicks and the Staats/Statts. I have found lots of information on the Swicks but very little on the Staats. I know they were born in Canada and made their way to Wilson but not too much else. I did read in 'Phoebe's Diaries" several mentions of Brother Staats but no first name. Louise

Might I suggest, donating the paper to a preschool or kindergarten class. They are always needing paper to draw, scribble or paint on. Maybe you know a teacher that could direct you to one of these grades to donate. This was done in my girls classes. Janey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ruth Barton" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2004 11:03 AM Subject: Re: [FOLKS] What can I do with a case of paper? > Vee, I have a case of the same sort of paper except mine is the standard > 8.5x11 size and has the perfs to tear off the holes. I haven't found a > suitable home for mine either. Ruth > > > > > At 11:04 AM -0500 3/10/04, Vee L. Housman wrote: > >Dear Folks, > > > >In the process of recently converting my Copier Room into my Laundry Room > >I came across a case of paper that I had forgotten that I still had. I > >had purchased it back in the olden computer days when I had an extra wide > >dot matrix printer that used continuously fed paper with sprocket holes in > >it. It was called tractor-fed. No the paper isn't the green bar type > >that was generally used for spreadsheets, printouts and such at the time > >but is plain white paper with the sprocket holes in it. And now I don't > >know what to do with the almost unused case of paper. The paper size is > >11 x 14-3/4 inches including the sprocket holes and there are no > >perforations along the sides so that you can tear off the strip of > >sprocket holes. My guess is that I still have close to 1,500 sheets of it > >left. > > > >Frankly I've found the sheets useful in lining bureau drawers and such > >over the years but other than that, I can't envision my having any other > >use for it. The case of paper is now comfortably stored in my Laundry Room > >but my question is why? And that's why I turn to you folks for > >suggestions as to who might chearfully haul it off my hands and make good > >use of it. It's still in pristine white condition and I just KNOW that > >there's a good home for it. But where? > >vee > > -- > Ruth Barton > [email protected] > Dummerston, VT >

Hi Vee, Regarding the wedding invitation sent to the Hopkins family regarding the marriage of Sarah Church and Wallace Cornell on 16 Dec 1869 - that was an interesting bit of information for me since Sarah and Wallace were my grandparents. I don't suppose you know which Hopkins family it was sent to. The name Hopkins was used as a middle name fairly often, including Wallace's second child - Willard Hopkins Cornell, and also Wallace's grandfather - Silas Hopkins Dickerson. If I ever get back to Lewiston Historical Assoc. again I would like to make a copy of the invitation. Information I've received regarding the wedding is the wedding was held at the residence of Sarah's father in Lockport and the witnesses were Wm. H. Cornell and Marietta Cornell. During the Civil War Wm. H. was captured and survived imprisonment at Andersonville. Marietta (Church) Cornell was Sarah's sister and the widow of Job Cornell killed at Cold Harbor. Thanks for the interesting information you always share with us. Mariam (Cornell) Standen, Calif.

Vee, I have a case of the same sort of paper except mine is the standard 8.5x11 size and has the perfs to tear off the holes. I haven't found a suitable home for mine either. Ruth At 11:04 AM -0500 3/10/04, Vee L. Housman wrote: >Dear Folks, > >In the process of recently converting my Copier Room into my Laundry Room >I came across a case of paper that I had forgotten that I still had. I >had purchased it back in the olden computer days when I had an extra wide >dot matrix printer that used continuously fed paper with sprocket holes in >it. It was called tractor-fed. No the paper isn't the green bar type >that was generally used for spreadsheets, printouts and such at the time >but is plain white paper with the sprocket holes in it. And now I don't >know what to do with the almost unused case of paper. The paper size is >11 x 14-3/4 inches including the sprocket holes and there are no >perforations along the sides so that you can tear off the strip of >sprocket holes. My guess is that I still have close to 1,500 sheets of it >left. > >Frankly I've found the sheets useful in lining bureau drawers and such >over the years but other than that, I can't envision my having any other >use for it. The case of paper is now comfortably stored in my Laundry Room >but my question is why? And that's why I turn to you folks for >suggestions as to who might chearfully haul it off my hands and make good >use of it. It's still in pristine white condition and I just KNOW that >there's a good home for it. But where? >vee -- Ruth Barton [email protected] Dummerston, VT

Mary, I do hope Cora had a happy birthday, even if I am a day late in reading about it. I do so enjoy conversations with the very elderly people I meet. They know so much about things I have only read about. I get a lot out of living with, and talking with my Dad even though he is only 85 and his mind is not what it once was. A few weeks ago a young woman I had met briefly at our genealogy group e-mailed the group that she was doing a documentary as part of a school project, on the subject of school buses in the past. Dad tells of being bussed to school in a horse drawn wagon and he also owned and drove a school bus in the 1950s so I contacted her and she came and interviewed and video taped us for her project. I can't wait to see the finished product. Ruth 7:31 AM -0500 3/10/04, Mary Hess wrote: > Today is Cora Gushee's 101st birthday. She's a little puzzled as to >why she's still here, but pleased nonetheless -- as we are to have her >around. Cora is my father's cousin, a favorite niece of my grandmother, >Nettie Anderson. And, as most of you know, she was the historian for the >town of Porter. She has lived most of her life in Porter, and happily >so, and will hopefully return from Tennessee with the warm weather. > >Vee is a favorite of Cora's, and Cora does give you a hard time, Vee, as >she does when she likes someone. I think you were there when she talked >about seeing Halley's Comet! Fantastic detail: "a long sparkling tail " >that they saw out in the cornfields in the dark. My great-grandmother >woke them up and brought them outside to see the comet. I'm trying to >get to transcribe her conversations with us (my family) and will share >them when I am done. As Vee has told you, a remarkable lady. -- Ruth Barton [email protected] Dummerston, VT

Dear Ruth, I'm glad there is someone else who gets as confused as I. I know that the Village of Youngstown was officially incorporated as a village in 1854. Therefore now that it's 150 years later it must be our susquicentennial. Let the games begin!! :-) vee ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ruth Barton" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 7:25 PM Subject: Re: [FOLKS] Update on my Veterans Project > Vee, How many years is Sesquicentennial? A bunch of towns here in Windham > Co had their 250th last year and the Veteran's Memorial dedication was part > of that celebration. > > I have known Memorial Day to be cold enough I'd be glad to have a nice warm > wool outfit. Ruth

Dear Folks, I'm sending this message to both of my lists because I feel that you will all appreciate hearing about it. I'm still sorting out the last remnants of papers that I "inherited" from Cora Gushee our former Town of Porter Historian and recently I came across lovely scanned copies (in color) of two little souvenir booklets regarding the names of pupils attending two of the Town of Lewiston school districts in the early 1900s. It didn't take a rocket scientist to decide that the copies should be given to the Historical Association of Lewiston. However, there was an old little envelope I came across that I had to study very carefully. It was an original wedding invitation addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins inviting them to attend the wedding of their daughter Sarah Church to Wallace Cornell in 1869. I checked my local Cornell family records but couldn't find a Wallace. And I knew that the Church family wasn't Town of Porter either. However, over the years I had gotten to know some of the Lewiston families and I knew that the Cornell family was an important one in their history. In addition, I knew that the Hopkins family was also an important Lewiston family. And somewhere along the line the Church family sounded familiar to me as a Lewiston family. To make a long story short, I took the school records and the wedding invitation to the Lewiston's historical society's musuem this afternoon and gave them to the curator Nona. She was thrilled to pieces to receive such obscure school records in such a pretty simple form (scanned right off the original) but when I showed her the wedding invitation, she quickly dug through her Cornell family file, first found Wallace listed in the census as a 2-year-old and then up through the census records to the 1875 where it showed Wallace and Sarah having been married by then and raising a family. Regarding the school records of that sort even though they certainly aren't primary source records, they certainly add flesh to the bones of ancestors as to when and where they went to school. There's even a photograph of their school teacher. Regarding the original wedding invitation of 1869, it's only a few generations removed from a primary source. First it's an original document with names and dates of the individuals and their intent to get married on a specific date. Further census records support their marriage and the birth of their first child. And so by my digging up the two different records that have been buried in the Town of Porter Historian's files for I don't know how many years, they're now where they belong--in the Town of Lewiston records. What a pleasure to give such lovely artifacts away and have them placed where they really belong. vee

Yes, today is Cora's 101st birthday. What a dear old girl she still is! Regarding Mary's grandmother Nettie Anderson, I remember when Mary and her mother and father came here to visit Cora last(?) summer to talk with her, and Cora referred to Mary's father as "Nettie's little boy!" Yes Cora always gave me a hard time but it was more as a teacher and mentor than as a mother figure. You see, my mother was also born in 1903 but Cora was born in March 1903 whereas Mother was born nine months later in December 1903. It was well over 10 years ago that I started volunteering up at the Town of Porter Historical Society Museum and Cora was there to answer any question my eager mind could think up. But any time that I appeared to be getting too big for my britches, Cora always managed to bring me back down to earth by explaining how the real world worked. Over the years Cora would call me on the phone to ask me a question about one of our Town families (she knew that I was researching them throroughly) and we would get into an exciting conversation when I let her know that I knew precisely who she was talking about and that I had a lot more information about them. By the same token, I would call Cora and ask her questions about the history of the Town of Porter or the Village of Youngstown and right off the top of her head she gave me the whole nine yards. And I swear she can still do that if I asked her a question. During the more recent years Cora and I would call each other on the phone and just blurt out something along the lines of "I've got a problem." We'd listen to each other, help each other get through the problem with some sage advice on both of our parts and feel much better after we had hung up. Although Cora was more than old enough to be my mother, I never thought of her in that way. To me she was more of a dear aunt closer to my own age, someone I could turn to for advice or for historical information and someone to share our mutual interests with. Also someone to laugh with. Whenever she would get stern with me it was always with a twinkle in her eye. Isn't that right, Mary? vee ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mary Hess" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 7:31 AM Subject: [FOLKS] Cora's Birthday > Today is Cora Gushee's 101st birthday. She's a little puzzled as to > why she's still here, but pleased nonetheless -- as we are to have her > around. Cora is my father's cousin, a favorite niece of my grandmother, > Nettie Anderson. And, as most of you know, she was the historian for the > town of Porter. She has lived most of her life in Porter, and happily > so, and will hopefully return from Tennessee with the warm weather. > > Vee is a favorite of Cora's, and Cora does give you a hard time, Vee, as > she does when she likes someone. I think you were there when she talked > about seeing Halley's Comet! Fantastic detail: "a long sparkling tail " > that they saw out in the cornfields in the dark. My great-grandmother > woke them up and brought them outside to see the comet. I'm trying to > get to transcribe her conversations with us (my family) and will share > them when I am done. As Vee has told you, a remarkable lady. > > > > >

Dear Louis: Thank you for enjoying Phoebe's diaries! What were the last names of your great grandparents? Phoebe's last name was Williams (maiden name), and her father was Rev. Enoch Williams. Phoebe is my gg grandmother. Kim

I just found this site and have been reading the diaries. It is especially meaningful because my ancestors came from the Wilson, Newfane area. In fact in one of her entries 1/19/1857 she mentions a Harvey and Mary Jane coming to visit. Harvey and Mary Jane were my great-grandparents. Louise