The city of Elgin, Texas is a little over 5000 strong and growing. I live on my farm outside of the city with my wife, her brother and my youngest son and family who retired from the Army 1 1/2 years ago after 23 plus years of service. We have one horse, 16 head of cattle, five inside cats and seven out side cats but no snakes. Charles

Dear Folks, For those of you who don't realize what a rural area the Town of Porter is, let me tell you that the population of the village of Youngstown is around 2,000. That plus the rest of the town/township equals a total population of around 7,000 which includes the hamlet of Ransomville. vee

Dear Folks: While this post has nothing to do with genealogy whatsoever, we are having a major blizzard here in Nebraska. Interstate 80 is closed from here to the Wyoming line the last I heard. We started out with much needed rain, 1/2 inch, we are now getting blasted with high winds and blowing snow. I wonder how Phoebe would have reacted to a blizzard of this proportion! She probably would have stayed inside and sewed! Tonight, it is not fitting for man nor beast to be in this weather! BTW, North Platte is about 22,000 people, the biggest town in Lincoln co. Kim

Dear Folks, I know that I had mentioned to you over a year ago in November around Veterans Day 2002 that I was determined to collect all of the names of the veterans who had ever served in the military in any war or peace time whatsoever and the only criteria is that at some point they either resided or now reside or were eventually buried in the Town of Porter, Niagara Co., NY. What I wanted was to have an all-name list of those of us veterans who had served from the Revolutionary War up to those who are still on active duty. I prepared a Veterans Questionnaire blank form that was distributed to all of the shops and stores and libraries and municipal offices, etc., throughout the Town of Porter. The Niagara Gazette picked up on the story and it got the ball rolling. It wasn't long before the questionnaires started flooding in. It was all that I could do to keep up with the volume. Prior to even making up the Veterans Questionnaire, I had already set up a simple database with only their names, what war, dates, other basic bits of information and from what source the information came. In addition I set up a Veterans Personal Page in word processing form that told the whole story of their military career including whether they served in combat, what theater of operations, what medals they were awarded and any additional comments that were provided. During the eventual trickle down of questionnaires coming in, I dug into all of the local records that could give me more names of our veterans. Cemeteries, tax records, census records, obituaries, newspaper articles, you name it. I dug it up and entered the names and information into both my database and word processing program (double entries). Now this evening as I'm fading fast, it looks like the tally of names and personal information will go well over the top of 1,000 of our veterans from the Revolutionary War to the present. About 175 of the names and information came from the questionnaires we've received. The rest of information is from our town and historical society records including the cooperation of the local VFW. What will be done with such a list of information on our veterans? In the first place it will be stored as history and for the public to view in the historical society museum's computer and undoubtedly all of the information will be printed out. Note, the database printout will be about 30 pages but the word processing personal information will take over two reams of paper to print all of the records out. More than that, I continue to hope that an all-name list of our veterans will be displayed publicly in some fashion. There certainly is an interest in both the village of Youngstown and the Town of Porter but in the meantime at least the mayor of Youngstown in very interested in viewing the list inasmuch as Youngstown will be celebrating it's 150th (Sesquicentennial?) this year and he wants to honor our veterans as part as the celebration. I have to admit that I'm bustin' my buttons here with what I've accomplished all by myself. However, I have to give credit to the historical society for maintaining a supply of questionnaires around town. But the bottom line is that I can't imagine any village, town/township, city, county or any other area ever putting together such a list of the history of their veterans. What has been driving me on this project? It's my feeling that very few (if any) of us veterans over the many wars have ever been properly publicly acknowledged as ever serving our country whatsoever. And I feel that it's long overdue. Vee L. Housman PNC, USNR (Ret.)

Dear Vee, The town of Savannah, I live in, has a population of 7000 people; and we are a small town! Thanks, Vee, for continuing the "Folks" list. I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts and Phoebe's diaries. I just wish I had something to add that would be of interest. Our investigation quest about my grandfather, Peter Sczepczenski, came up with no new leads. I think someone was suppose to call you back or something. This was about a year or so ago. I am thankful for the little information I do have, which isn't much. Sure wish I knew why he disappeared, and what happened to him. I suppose he took that with him to his grave! The things I have found out, are more then any other family member ever knew, including my father. I think it's kinda sad my father died never knowing his real last name was Szymiak. It's still a mystery to me why a person would change that name to Sczepczenski, and not a simpler one. Thanks to everyone for all the new stories and interest. Janey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vee L. Housman" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, March 01, 2004 12:37 AM Subject: [FOLKS] Note regarding the Town of Porter > Dear Folks, > > For those of you who don't realize what a rural area the Town of Porter is, let me tell you that the population of the village of Youngstown is around 2,000. That plus the rest of the town/township equals a total population of around 7,000 which includes the hamlet of Ransomville. > vee >

I am about a third of the way through transcribing the letters. Mr. Ayer very kindly sent be a bunch of info about Luther and his Regt, which he was obviously very attached to. Mr. Ayer inadvertantly rather spoiled things for me by telling me that Luther was killed in May 1863, when the last letter is dated. I had purposely not read ahead as I had the feeling Luther was killed and I really didn't want to know. Today I have been feeling rather down, I think I am mourning the loss of Luther. Somebody give me a kick in the pants to get me started again will you. I subbed to the Saratoga list but I think it is one of those dead, in name only, lists as I haven't heard a peep from them all day. I will just have to search and see if Saratoga Springs has a Historical Soc and library and go over and see for myself. If you want it done right you have to do it yourself, I guess. Ruth At 1:06 PM -0600 2/29/04, Kim & Mike Paul wrote: >Dear Ruth: > >Those Civil War letters sound fascinating, I can't wait to read some of them. > >Don't feel bad about only having a dial up connection. I could get a high >speed connection if I wanted, but it's a little pricey. We live just >outside of town, so that slows things down even more at times. The only >time I would really love having a high speed connection is when I am >downloading something. After a certain amount of time, I'll get a >time-out. > >Ruth, have you thought about scanning those letters? If you don't have a >scanner, maybe you know someone who does. I found that when I was >transcribing Phoebe's diary, viewing the scanned pages on your computer >made it so much easier, and you can zoom in or out, making small or faded >handwriting easier to read. > >Kim -- Ruth Barton [email protected] Dummerston, VT

Dear Group: I had always been curious about Henry L. Johnson, who stood Phoebe up, and after a little searching, I think I may have found him. All the dates seem to match. Henry Lewis Johnson b. 15 Mar 1834, in Lockport, NY, parents were Albert G. Johnson & Lucy T. Henry was married twice. First spouse was Mary C. Davis, m. 23 April 1858[which matches close to the dates in Phoebe's 1858 diary.] Second spouse was Mary Ella Dickinson, m 15 April 1867. The thing I find interesting is Henry ended up in Marshall, Calhoun Co, MI, while Phoebe ended up in Allen, Hillsdale Co, MI. Phoebe's son, William Enoch Clickner, divorced his 1st wife, then moved to Battle Creek, Calhoun Co, MI. I wonder if either Henry or Phoebe ever had any contact with each other in Michigan? I guess we'll never know! Kim

Susanne: I'm so glad you enjoyed Phoebe's diaries, I only wish I had more to post! Thanks so much for your interest in the diaries! Kim

Ramond: I really don't know for sure where Phoebe was living, I was assuming she was back at home and working as a seamstress. At one point, it sounded like she could have lived at a minister's house, where she was working as a seamtress. But after reading all three diaries, Phoebe did get around a lot. Phoebe's father, Enoch Williams, also got around. I really think Phoebe's family had the wanderlust in them, they sure didn't stay put for too long! Kim

Dear Ruth: Those Civil War letters sound fascinating, I can't wait to read some of them. Don't feel bad about only having a dial up connection. I could get a high speed connection if I wanted, but it's a little pricey. We live just outside of town, so that slows things down even more at times. The only time I would really love having a high speed connection is when I am downloading something. After a certain amount of time, I'll get a time-out. Ruth, have you thought about scanning those letters? If you don't have a scanner, maybe you know someone who does. I found that when I was transcribing Phoebe's diary, viewing the scanned pages on your computer made it so much easier, and you can zoom in or out, making small or faded handwriting easier to read. Kim

Vee, Thanks for the info, I was sure you or someone on the list would know. I don't really mean to be so lazy and not look these things up myself but my computer is old and slow and I can only get a dialup connection out here in the boonies so I don't do much web searching. Usually I'll get almost to what I need and the computer will freeze up and I just give up in frustration. I have subbed to the Saratoga list and now I'll send off to them to see if I can get any more info about Luther. Letters sent to his mother are frequently addressed to his father with Esq on the end. I don't know if that means his father was a lawyer or not. So many questions, so few answers at this point. When I am done transcribing I'll post the letters. If many more are as faint as the one I started last night I'll be till doomsday transcribing them all. However, most have been fairly easy, his penmanship is good, his spelling excellent and the paper is in very good condition. I think this was before wood pulp based paper and rag paper lasts much better. Also the ink doesn't seem to be faded, just I think he used it very sparingly to make it last. Thanks again and I hope the Saratoga list is as good as this one. Ruth At 10:17 PM -0500 2/28/04, Vee L. Housman wrote: >Dear Ruth, > >I'm glad you've started transcribibing the Civil War letters and are willing >to share them with us. > >In addition, I'm also glad you realized that Saratoga Co., NY, might be >interested in their content also. In order to subscribe go to >http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/NY/saratoga.html. > >Good girl and good work. >vee -- Ruth Barton [email protected] Dummerston, VT

Thank you Kim for the Translations. Enjoyed reading them. Susanne

Do you know where Phoebe was living in 1863? At first I thought the Cambria area of Niagara County, because she mentioned visiting Dickersonville and Pekin. But in the last installment she also visited Drake Settlement in Newfane and Somerset way over on the eastern side of the county. It's a good twenty five miles or so from Cambria to Somerset, a long drive via horsepower. If she was living in the Newfane area, it still seems like quite a distance either way, to Cambria or Somerset. She certainly got around. --- Ramond Scott Woolson Niagara County

Dear Ruth, I'm glad you've started transcribibing the Civil War letters and are willing to share them with us. In addition, I'm also glad you realized that Saratoga Co., NY, might be interested in their content also. In order to subscribe go to http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/NY/saratoga.html. Good girl and good work. vee ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ruth Barton" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, February 29, 2004 12:16 AM Subject: [FOLKS] Civil War letters > Well folks, I have started on the Civil War letters, got up to #17 out of > about 60. Someone went through and numbered them at some point and they > are numbered up through 64 but there are a few missing--of course. > > As always there are more questions than answers as I get into them. Let me > say right up front that I am NOT a genealogist--if anything I MIGHT be > called a "family historian." I am not as interested in straight line names > and dates as I am in "the rest of the story," sorry Paul Harvey. > > These letters are from a Luther WHEELER, written to his mother, Mrs. F. D. > WHEELER; and his brothers, Frank, Jr and Wendell. His father is still > alive but he rarely mentions him except to say he will be sending him > money. All are addressed: Saratoga Springs, New York--no street address > or anything. Guess it wasn't a very big place, maybe it still isn't. I > know nothing of New York at all. My niece who lives in NY says Saratoga > Springs is in Saratoga Co. Does anyone know if Saratoga Co has a list like > this and instructions to sub? > > At first I thought this man was not related to us in any way and wondered > how these letters came to be here in my ggrandmother HOUGHTON's things, now > I'm almost positive he was related some way. I had two ancestors who had > involvement in the Civil War, I think they were great grand > uncles--brothers of my great grandfather. One was in the Army and the > other apparently just went and took photographs--Ken Burns used some of his > pictures in his documentary. Luther mentions both of these men in his > letters calling one of them "uncle." I don't know if they were related or > just close family friends. I figure if I can get on a list for Saratoga > Co. I might be able to get some questions answered. Thanks for any help/ > suggestions. Ruth > -- > Ruth Barton > [email protected] > Dummerston, VT > >

Well folks, I have started on the Civil War letters, got up to #17 out of about 60. Someone went through and numbered them at some point and they are numbered up through 64 but there are a few missing--of course. As always there are more questions than answers as I get into them. Let me say right up front that I am NOT a genealogist--if anything I MIGHT be called a "family historian." I am not as interested in straight line names and dates as I am in "the rest of the story," sorry Paul Harvey. These letters are from a Luther WHEELER, written to his mother, Mrs. F. D. WHEELER; and his brothers, Frank, Jr and Wendell. His father is still alive but he rarely mentions him except to say he will be sending him money. All are addressed: Saratoga Springs, New York--no street address or anything. Guess it wasn't a very big place, maybe it still isn't. I know nothing of New York at all. My niece who lives in NY says Saratoga Springs is in Saratoga Co. Does anyone know if Saratoga Co has a list like this and instructions to sub? At first I thought this man was not related to us in any way and wondered how these letters came to be here in my ggrandmother HOUGHTON's things, now I'm almost positive he was related some way. I had two ancestors who had involvement in the Civil War, I think they were great grand uncles--brothers of my great grandfather. One was in the Army and the other apparently just went and took photographs--Ken Burns used some of his pictures in his documentary. Luther mentions both of these men in his letters calling one of them "uncle." I don't know if they were related or just close family friends. I figure if I can get on a list for Saratoga Co. I might be able to get some questions answered. Thanks for any help/ suggestions. Ruth -- Ruth Barton [email protected] Dummerston, VT

Dear Group: I just finished posting the last installment of Phoebe's 1863 diary. It was very short, and the entries ended abruptly in mid-July. I don't know what happened after that. I sure wish I had a few more of Phoebe's diaries, but I guess I can't be too greedy, I'm fortunate to have what I do have! I hope everyone enjoyed Phoebe's diaries, and I enjoyed sharing them with out list! I learned a lot about life in the 1860's through Phoebe, and I also learned a lot about my gg grandmother. She's a special lady that will always be close to my heart. Thanks for letting me share a little of my family history with you! Kim

Wednesday, July 1 Very hot. We visited all day. Thursday, July 2 Canned Mrs. Smith's cherries. She went home. Friday, July 3 Busy at cheries. I cleaned upstairs. 20 years since the cottage was raised. The Southwick's came. Saturday, July 4 All at home. The Southwick's here. Great victories. Sunday, July 5 Went with Father to Warren's to church. Monday, July 6 Washed. Mrs. Colbert, Mrs. McNitt, Mrs. J., Mrs. Adriance came. After tea we went berrying. Ironed. Cut out pants. Tuesday, July 7 Finished ironing. Cut out pants and sewing. Enoch's birthday. [Note: Phoebe's younger brother is also named Enoch. K.] Wednesday, July 8 Sewing on pants. Alice and I went to Somerset to the sewing socity. Thursday, July 9 17 years since Mother was lamed. Ida's birthday, 8 years old. Came home. Called on the Drake settlement on Mrs. D. Miller to see James. At prayer meeting. Friday, July 10 At the pants. Saturday, July 11 Finished the pants and began to alter Mother's dress muslin. Sunday, July 12 Quarterly meeting. Father, Mother, Fanny and I went to love feast. Harry Sherrill's birthday, 10 years old. Frank's buried 6 years. Monday, July 13 Washed and went berrying. Got 14 quarts. Riot began in N.Y. Tuesday, July 14 Rainy and dark but Mother and Father went to Pekin. Alice and I went to the Post Office. Wednesday, July 15 Sewing on Hester's things. Riot in N.Y. continued. Mother came home. Thursday, July 16 Sewing all day. The riot quelled. Friday, July 17 Sewing still. Saturday, July 18 Finished Hester's things. Sunday, July 19 At home all day.

Dear Folks, I just responded to Gwen regarding a question she had regarding the Holland Land Co. and I thought some of you might find it informative. vee ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vee L. Housman" <[email protected]> To: "Gwen Boyer Bjorkman" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2004 11:35 AM Subject: Re: Holland Land Company > Dear Gwen, > > Whenever a piece of property is sold the buyer needs to obtain a Title > Search to make certain the title is free and clear of any liens and anything > else that would make it invalid. The attorney requsts a title company to > search the history of the property all the way back to when it was first > sold. In Western New York the property first changed hands when the settler > bought it from the Holland Land Co. > > The buyer is given a copy of the Title Search and it's from that document > that you can see at what time the settler finally paid off his contract with > the Holland Land Co. For the most part it was about 30 years after the > original purchase. > > If you know where your ancestor's land was, you could go to the county court > house and do the research yourself. The deeds are indexed both by location > and by names. You won't find when the settler first contracted with the > Holland Land Co but there's another resource that will tell you. They've > microfilmed the Holland Land Co.'s original records. > > I hope this helps. > vee > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Gwen Boyer Bjorkman" <[email protected]> > To: "Vee L. Housman" <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2004 12:05 AM > Subject: Holland Land Company > > > > Hi Vee: This was a very nice article and thanks so much. Can you tell me > where you found deeds > > from the Holland Land Company? This has perplexed me for years. I find my > ancestor selling land, > > but cannot find where he bought the land. This land was right on the line > between Warren Co, PA and > > Cattaraugus Co NY. Thank you for your help. > > > > Gwen Boyer Bjorkman > > [email protected] > > >

Dear Folks, I had no intention of writing down this bit of memory of mine but when I just now recalled a tinkle or a clanging that sounded like cow bells, I knew I had to share the story. Back in 1979 when My Friend Fred was giving me the grand tour of Switzerland, we had stopped for the night at a simple inn. We had already eaten dinner and started to settle down for the evening. It was dusk and everything was quiet in the small town. No traffic, no rowdiness outside on the small road passing through the town and so we figured that it was the end of a perfect peaceful day in Switzerland. And then we heard bells, loud bells approaching toward us from down the road. We immediately went out on our balcony to see what it was all about. And oh what a sight and sound to behold! What was passing by below us right down the middle of the road was a herd of cows led by the farmer herding them back to the barn after the end of the day after being fed in a nearby pasture. Note: Because the cows were herded down the middle of the road, they were holding up cars and trucks and such from both directions. But oh what joyous sounds! Every cow had a large brass bell tied around its neck. And I believe that each bell had its own distinctive pitch so that the farmer could distinguish one cow from another. And as they passed us the air was filled with a glorious sound of different bells clanging together from the necks of the cows. It was a true symphony to our ears. We realized that it was simply Switzerland at its best and as the cows continued down the middle of the road with the farmer at their heals wielding a switch, we knew that the Swiss Tourist Bureau didn't have a clue what was really Swiss in the eyes of us foreigners. The parade of cows down the main street wasn't a tourist ploy. Oh no, the farmer was a tired man who obviously only wanted to get his cows back into the barn at the end of the day. But oh the joy of the privilege of hearing such a symphony of such a variety of beautiful cowbells in Switzerland! vee

Ethel: I'm so glad you have been enjoying Phoebe's diary. She was a remarkable lady, and I wish I could have known her in real life. Phoebe was my gg grandmother, and I think I probably have inherited a lot of her strength and determination. We have quite a few strong women in our family it seems, including my mom, and I believe they have given me the strength and fortitude to keep going, even when the chips are down. Phoebe lived to be in her 80's, and I think she died in the early 1920's. so even though Phoebe had some "close calls", I think God wanted her to have a long life! Kim