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Tri County Clippings- Troy Gazette
Register 1902 - Yesterday's News |
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| These clippings from ancient
and fragile newspapers stored above the Troy Gazette-Register office are
being typed by Tri-County volunteers for presentation on site. Primarily
we are preserving the neighborhood news columns and the obituary, marriage
and birth information included in them. I intend also to include articles
that show the influences on the lives and attitudes of our local populations
at the time, and I will also illustrate the individual pages with ads from
the era. Nothing is more revealing of lifestyle than the goods and services
available.
The TGR covers the area of all townships surrounding Troy and many neighborhoods have a local column submitted, but not necessarily every week or even every year. Our thanks goes to the staff of the Troy Gazette-Register for giving us access to this valuable old news so that we can share it with you. There is no better way to understand the culture and customs of our old communities than by sifting through these clippings. Even the names of some of these old communities have ceased to exist in today's world, but we have them captured and preserved here. If you do not have the time to enjoy the luxury of sifting through clippings, these will be included in the Partitioned PICO Search Engine which you can reach from current What's New Page of the site. There is a partition just for the TGR Clippings. |
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Twenty-first Year, #1021, Thursday, August 21, 1902
Benedict Family. First Annual Reunion Held in Elmira.
The first reunion of the Benedict family was held at Eldridge Park in Elmira Thursday afternoon, August 14th. The morning was spent in visiting and social chat and at noon a basket picnic was held and 160 members of the family sat down to the tables in the picnic grove. J. Monroe Shoemaker of Elmira, at the request of organizer E. D. Benedict of Austinville, called the meeting to order and the business session was began at 2 o’clock, after a group picture had been taken of the assembled members of the family of Photographer Frank E. Benedict of Canton. The following officers were nominated and elected for the ensuing year: President, Professor W. H. Benedict of Elmira; first vice-president, Edwin Dewitt Benedict of Austinville; second vice-president, Dr. A. L. Benedict of Buffalo, Professor J. C. Benedict of Leroy, Bingham Benedict of Canton, W. D. Benedict of Greene, George W. Benedict of Scranton; secretary, F. Eugene Benedict of Elmira; treasurer, Miles T. Cassada; chairman reception committee, J. Monroe Shoemaker; historian, Colonel James Tallmadge Benedict of Columbia Heights, Brooklyn.
It was decided, on motion of J. C. Benedict of LeRoy, to tax each family 50 cents a year to provide for the expense of holding the reunions. Eldridge park was selected as the place at which the next reunion will be held, on the second Thursday in August, 1903.
A vote of thanks was given to F. Eugene Benedict of Elmira, Dr. A. L. Benedict of Buffalo, Colonel J. T. Benedict of Brooklyn, George W. Benedict of Scranton, W. D. Benedict of Greene, N.Y. E. D. Benedict of Austinvile, and Bingham Benedict of Canton, for energetic work in making this, the first reunion, a success and also to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Buffalo Express, Buffalo Commercial, Buffalo Courier, Buffalo News, Elmira Advertiser, Elmira Gazette and Elmira Star for the publicity given then event.
Several short speeches were made by members of the family. W. D. Benedict of Greene was the oldest member present. He is 73 years of age and pitched five loads of hay Wednesday afternoon.
Colonel James T. Benedict of Brooklyn has the record of 78 Benedicts who served in the revolutionary war and 400 served in the civil war.
The history of the Benedict family, all of the name in this country being descended from the same ancestor, Thomas Benedict, who settled in Connecticut in 1638, is one of widespread interest, but it dates far back of this sturdy English ancestor, whose emigration to this country and whose services as pioneer aided materially in the growth and development of both colonial Connecticut and Long Island, through a long line of English ancestry to the days of the Battle of Hastings and the establishment of the Normans, still back through French and Italian ancestry to the first Benedict recorded in history, St. Benedict, the Italian hermit, who built 12 monasteries and found the order of Benedictines, which has embraced during its history 15 centuries, 40 popes, 200 cardinals, 50 patriarchs, 4,600 bishops, four emperors, 12 empresses, 46 kings, 31 queens and 3,600 canonized saints.
The name itself is derived from the Latin, Benedictus, signifying "blessed," "well spoken of."
Thomas Benedict, the first American ancestor, was a man of great energy. Finding Boston, where he first settled after leaving his native home in Nottingham, England, not wholly to his liking, he settled in Connecticut, shortly after crossing the South with his young wife, Mary Bridgham, to aid in the founding of Southold, the first Long Island settlement, and becoming one of the leading influences, not only of that community, but subsequently of Huntington, Jamaica, Norwalk, Conn., and Danbury, of which he was also one of the founders.
Old Long Island records show that he was appointed to many positions of trust, being frequently called upon to settle disputes between the colonists and the Indians; was made a member of the commission sent to New Haven to petition the English government of Connecticut to relieve the east end of Long Island from the control of the Dutch, and aided in the establishment of the First Presbyterian church of Long Island. In 1666 he was made a magistrate by Peter Stuyvesant; at the time of the establishment of the British government at New York he was chosen by Governor Nichols to meet with certain other "sober, able, discreet persons at Hemstead to settle good and known laws" for the island, the committee composing the first legislative body ever convened in New York. As a reward for his services he was voted a 10-acre lot in Jamaica, while to the present day the stream bounding the plot of ground where he first settled at Southold bears the name of Thom river, the title being a contraction of Thomas. At Norwalk he served as town clerk and for 17 years was a representative in the Connecticut assembly.
Nine children were born to Thomas and Mary Benedict. These settled in different Connecticut, New York, Long Island and New Jersey towns and communities, when but little better than wilderness, and in emulation of their father worked hard to introduce civilization and Christianity and further in every way the development of the struggling young nation.
When King Philip’s war broke out every Benedict old enough to carry a gun took up arms.
Throughout the revolution and the War of 1812 their services were conspicuous, while during the war of the rebellion, of which Colonel Benedict is a veteran, 400 Benedicts served their country, all with one exception arrayed on the side of the Union, and many thrilling tales have come down of their war experiences.
Naturally not all the attendants of the Benedict gathering will bear the family name. Intermarriages with other families whose names have also been connected with the stirring events of history have taken place, adding much to their achievements. The largest and most interesting of these is the Gano family, with which the Benedicts united in 1808. This family is descendant from Francoise Gerneaux, a French Huguenot, who escaped from the Island Guernsey in 1686 in an empty wine hogshead which was rolled aboard a vessel of his own about to set sail for this country.
A curious little incident not recorded in general history associates the name of Benedict with the capture of Major Andre.
As Nancy Benedict, the comely daughter of Joseph Benedict of Tarrytown, stood talking with her lover, one David Williams at dusk one autumn evening in 1780, in a secluded spot near the village, she espied a group of soldiers crossing a distant field and sent him after them to induce them to accompany him to Tarrytown to assist in rescuing the effects of the widow of a comrade that had been killed in action. The party, consisting of Isaac VanWort, John Paulding and four others, turned back with Williams, and on their way they met Andre, who was trying to make the British lines after negotiating with Arnold. They succeeded in capturing him and during his captivity and execution which followed he was guarded by two other members of the Benedict family.
A cousin of Nancy Benedict, Mary Gano Cobb, 99 years old, living in Kokomo, Ind., is the oldest living daughter of the revolution.
One of the most remarkable characteristics of the Benedicts is their longevity. Throughout all the branches they have been long lived and to state only the incidents of the direct kindred of Colonel James T. Benedict of Brooklyn before mentioned, who has passed his 86th birthday, and is now the oldest Brooklyn representative of the Benedicts, within the last for generations 70 have lived to be over 75 years of age, and a very large percentage to be between 90 and 100. –Elmira Advertiser.
Twenty-first Year, #1022, Thursday, August 28, 1902
Lilley Reunion.
Upwards of seventy members of the Lilley family were at their sixth annual gathering at Minnequa on the 14th inst. The weather was fine, the tables were laden with the best that culinary art could provide, and the papers and recitations gave evidence of thorough preparation. The following officers were elected: President and Historian, A. T. Lilley; Vice-President, C. S. Lilley; Secretary Mrs. D. M. Lilley; Treasurer, R. B. Lilley. The history and genealogy were reported as nearly ready for publication, whereupon funds were pledged to prepare work so that the members of the family could secure it in book form.
Recitations were rendered by Miss Helen Fassett, of Canton, Miss Floy Lilley, of Towanda, and Miss McCarthy, of Texas. A paper was read by Miss Lucy Rising, of Elmira, followed by a song by Miss Carrie Williams of Canton, a select reading by Miss Maud Roby, of Watkins. From Towanda were present, M. E. Lilley and family, C. S. Lilley and family, E. B. Pierce and family and Alfred L. Pierce and wife; from Watkins, Mrs. Pamelia Roby and family; from Elmira, Mrs. Lucy Rising; from Hartford Conn., A. L. Lilley; from Troy, E. F. Lilley and Liston Bliss and wives; from Blossburg, Edgar Lilley and family. These with all the Lilliey descendants from Alba, Canton, Grover, Carpenter, East Canton and LeRoy swelled the number to more than seventy. Short talks were given by M. E. Lilley, J. W. Stone, Roy Lilley and Robert Lilley. The principal part of the day was occupied in social greetings. The next reunion will be held at Minnequa on date to be fixed by the president. –Canton Sentinel.
Twenty-first Year, #1023, Thursday, September 4, 1902
Hicks Family Reunion.
On Tuesday, August 26th, occurred the second annual reunion of the descendants of Wm. Hicks at the home of J. N. Rice in Wetona. About 90 of the family were present. Among those from a distance were Mr. and Mrs. Guild and Mrs. Gustin of Elmira, C. E. Guild, Lorin Grace, Miss Hubbard and Mr. and Mrs. Stanton of Owens Mills, Joe McIlain and wife of Carpenter, Pa.; others from Troy, Big Pond, West Burlington, Riggs and East Smithfield.
After a most generous repast, a business meeting was held. J. R. Hicks was elected president, and Alparon Park, Troy, Pa., was decided upon as the most convenient place for the next reunion. Several new members were noticed at the reunion. Little Edna Hicks, Leo Rice, Carl Reeser, and Cecil Young.
Twenty-first Year, #1025, Thursday, September 18, 1902
Grace-Salisbury Reunion.
The annual reunion of the Grace and Salisbury families was held on Aug. 27, at the home of A. W. Grace in Springfield. The day was all that could be asked for and friends and relatives all enjoyed it. Relatives met on that day who had not seen each other for over 40 years and many had never met at all; it was a grand rally, surely. All of Addison Grace’s children were there, 26 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was the only one of William and Hannah Salisbury Grace’s children present, his brother Salisbury not being able to be present.
Those present from a distance were Miss Grace Slade of Round Grove, Ill., Mrs. Ellen Eshelman of Harrisburg, Mrs. Grace Pryne of Shotsville, N.Y., Mrs. J. B. Schmidter of Bay City, Mich., and many others who came from Waverly, Owens Mill and Chemung, N.Y., Mansfield, Troy, Shunk, Granville, West Franklin, Smithfield, Milan, Towanda and Wetona. The time was spent in visiting until all were invited to dinner, and then all were surprised not only seeing so many good things to eat, but by a wedding party.
The contracting parties were Claude Allen of West Franklin and Anna Kelly of the same place. The bride was nicely gowned and all were well pleased to welcome them to the circle of relatives. After congratulation came the dinner, and a splendid one it was. Over 200 were there and yet there was food for nearly as many more. When all business was concluded they all agreed to meet at the Troy fair grounds, on the last Thursday of August, 1903, the gathering to be a basket picnic.
Twenty-first Year, #1027, Thursday, October 2, 1902
Brooks Family Reunion.
The first annual reunion of the descendents of Joseph and Martha Brooks, was held at Alparon Park, Saturday, September 27.
The unfavorable weather prevented many from attending, yet all who were there report a pleasant time.
The following officers were elected: President, Addison Brooks; Vice President, W. W. Brooks; Secretary, Mrs. F. N. Hubbard.
Literary Committee: Miss Anna J. Brooks; Mrs. Ada Bailey Keir; Miss Myrtie Brooks Brown; Mrs. Mary Brooks Ballard; Mrs. Bertha Teeter; Miss Anna Brooks; Miss Edith Brooks.
Historian; Lee Brooks, Esq.
Table Committee: Mrs. Carrie Young, Mrs. Isadore Bailey, Mrs. Mary Watson, Mrs. Linnie Keir, Mrs. Lydia Brooks.
The next reunion to be held at the same place the first Saturday in September, 1903.
Ayres Family Reunion.
Fifty of the descendants of Moseman and Rachel Ayres met at Williams grove, Troy, for their second annual reunion. After dinner they were called to order by the President, A. C. Ayres, singing "We Will Never Say Good By." Prayer by Rev. L. D. Ayres, recitations by Miss Eva Ayres of Canton, Miss Grace Ayres of Coryland, Mr. Leonard Ayres of Springfield, Miss Emma Ayres, Miss Mabel Ayres.
Rev. L. D. Ayres of Conring, N.Y., gave us a short talk on another reunion where there will be no parting.
Officers for the coming year were elected as follows: President A. C. Ayres; vice president, Eleazar Ayres; Secretary, Charles Ayres; treasurer, Mrs. Loretta Ayres. The next reunion is to be held at Alparon Park, Troy, the last Saturday in August 1903.
Hart Family Reunion.
The sixth annual reunion of the descendants of Daniel and Polly Hart was held at the pleasant home of George Rumsey, at Mainesburg, Sept. 13, 1902. After dinner the meeting was called to order and a vote was taken to retain the same officers as follows: President, G. H. Hart; Chairman, Almon Hart; Secretary, J. E. Hart; Treasurer, D. O. Hart.
It was decided to hold the next reunion the second Saturday in Sept.
at the home of Mr. Allan Purvis on Armenia Mountain.
