Women's History Month Presentation

 I am pleased to announce my next presentation, 

in honor of Women's History Month, 

at

Hallockville Museum Farm 

in 

Riverhead, New York 

on 

Sunday, March 30th at 2:00pm

In celebration of Women’s History Month, we will have a presentation about the life of an East End farm wife and mother between the years of 1880 and 1910. Author Debby Warner Anderson will explain how the discovery of a shoebox of letters written by her great grandmother Carrie Warner of Baiting Hollow launched Debby on a journey through local history, family genealogy and a woman’s life on Long Island around the turn of the 19th century.

Sunday, March 30 at 2 p.m.

Free but registration is required. Click here: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/6YBlrqcBknR-G93r0iE6dQ

Hope to see you there!

      Suffolk County Historical Society

300 West Main Street

Riverhead, New York

Registration

 

Carrie's Letters A Glimpse into Rural Family Life 

Baiting Hollow, NY

A box of long-forgotten letters written by a young woman, mainly to her sister, provides an intimate insight into her life as she studies to be a teacher, becomes the wife of a farmer, then the mother of six sons before her untimely death at the age of 48.  You will get to know Carrie, her thoughts, sense of humor, and views of the world around her.  The addition of detailed sidebars containing connections of family members, along with newspaper accounts of events referred to in the letters offers an amazing glimpse into rural family life from 1880-1910.

For additional posts and information click Tab Carrie’s Letters

Hope to see you there,

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share, I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,

Debby

Terry Family Reunion

Genealogists enjoy finding out all they can about the family that came before them.  Another great part of genealogy is finding and connecting with ‘cousins’ whether they are first cousins we’ve never met or, 2^nd or 3^rd cousins.  This year I had the amazing privilege of meeting a large group of my ‘Terry’ Family cousins at a reunion in upstate New York.

Probably about 10 years ago while I was working on Carrie’s Letters (see tab Carrie’s Letters) I became obsessed with finding the descendants of the siblings of my paternal great grandmother Carrie (Terry) Warner.  Carrie was the daughter of Gilbert and Almeda(Robinson) Terry of Peconic, Suffolk County, New York.  The children born to Gilbert and Almeda were Carrie, Forrest, Ella, Millard and an infant daughter.  The infant daughter never appeared to have been named since she only lived a few weeks.  Millard died suddenly of apoplexy at age 11.  I knew Forrest and Ella had children, so, I went on a mission to find them.  Carrie had written most of the letters to her sister Ella but also spoke of her brother Forrest.  Forrest came several times in the summer when he was out of school to help on Carrie and John’s farm in Baiting Hollow, New York.  While reading the letters I also obtained confirmation of my suspicion that my grandfather, Olin Forrest Warner, had been named after his uncle Forrest.

First, I looked for the descants of Forrest and Ella through online family trees and then DNA matches.  After much searching I found Theresa who was a granddaughter of Forrest Terry.  An email was carefully crafted explaining that I believed we were related through her grandfather Forrest Terry and my great grandmother Carrie Terry, Forrest’s sister.  Then the hopeful reply came and I couldn’t wait to open and read it   only to hear Theresa say that she was sorry but she didn’t believe we were related because Forrest only had one sister named Ella.  I sent her a copy of a census report that listed Gilbert Terry, wife Almeda and children Carrie, Forrest, Ella and Millard.  Today we still joke about this initial email exchange. Because Carrie died so young and tragically she was not talked about by her siblings as their families grew.  Life goes on.  I know my grandfather and brothers kept in touch for a while (see post Discovering the Purpose of a Group Photo) but…life goes on.  They married and had families and as the generations continued, family lost touch.  But now I had found a connection to Forrest.  Theresa and I keep in touch and when I am in Florida I try to visit. 

Theresa had told me about a family reunion with her Terry cousins in upstate New York each year and said if I could ever come that would be great.  The timing never seemed to work until this year.  Finally, on Saturday, July 16, 2022 everything aligned and I was in the right area at the right time and was able to attend the Terry Family reunion.  What an amazing time this was!  For over four hours I was able to meet so many of my ‘cousins’ and their families.  I was able to soak up stories about their families and growing up a ‘Terry’.  I was able to gain information about their descendants and make connections on several DNA matches I have.  Harley (my furry companion) even had a good time with several of the dogs that were there.

Grandchildren of Forrest Terry and myself

click on image to enlarge

Grandchildren, spouses and Great grandchildren of Forrest Terry

After the party, on my way to my stop for the night, there was a huge double rainbow.  

What a great end to a wonderful day!  Hope to see everyone next year.

Remember whether you are connected by blood or are just related by heart to take time to be together and enjoy that time.

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share, I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,

Debby

PUBLISHED Carrie’s Letters: A Glimpse Into Rural Family Life Baiting Hollow, NY (1880-1910)

Over ten years ago my father showed me a shoebox of letters written by my paternal great-grandmother Carrie (Terry) Warner. Carrie was a woman I really knew nothing about except that she died suddenly when my grandfather was barely five years old. Thus began an amazing journey to make the letters available for others to read. (See tab on blog entitled Carrie’s Letters for additional stories)

At the beginning of this journey the task seemed rather straightforward: scan and transcribe the letters in to a digital format so that others could read them. And that’s exactly what I did. My father and I scanned all the pages of all the letters and I began transcribing them. Many of the letters had unnumbered multiple pages in them. The letters had been folded in envelopes for over 100 years and creases sometimes made the letters difficult to decipher. I used Microsoft Word and did a separate file for each letter. In some of the letters the writing had become rather light. In several of the letters Carrie wrote vertically and then horizontally across the pages. Carrie also wrote in the margins, across the top space of the letter and sometimes around the edges of the letter. Some of the letters took hours or even days to transcribe. But, I was so grateful to have these letters!

As I transcribed and read the letters I realized I had no idea who some of the people were that she was talking about. Who was Aunt Em or Aunt Carrie, Sizzie, etc.? I needed to figure out who the people were that Carrie was talking about to better understand what she was saying to her parents and her sister Ella. Realizing that more detail was needed I tried to figure out the best way to add that information without distracting from the story in the letters. Sidebars seemed like the best way to add the needed information. Somewhere along the way I heard about a program by Adobe called inDesign was the best place to put the transcribed letters to make it easier for others to read. Thank goodness for my son who was able to help me set up the program with the margins, sidebars and headings I would need for the letters. Now the research began. Thanks to Jill Morelli

Once Genealogists begin researching anything it is VERY difficult to stop that research. My husband frequently reminded me that at some point I had to stop or I’d NEVER finish this and get the pages published for others to read. This became like a 5,000 piece puzzle just sitting there waiting to be put together. How could I just leave it? When was there the right place to say…OK, I’m done? Each time I went back over pages I would figure out who someone else was that Carrie talked about. I also started an Index for the letters. Who were all these people and why were they important enough for her to mention in her letters? Once I started looking at who married whom, women’s maiden names, etc. the letters made a lot more sense. Years passed, I was working full time and we all know life gets busy. I kept saying that when I retired this project would get my full attention and I would complete it. Retirement arrived in June 2020.

The last four months I have devoted the majority of my time to completing this project. A final edit and the comparison of the 2^nd full edition of the letters to the digital format was completed. Hours were spent to complete a listing of the over 600 people mentioned in the letters and/or in the sidebars. Notes were made as to who the people were and who they were connected to. Justine Warner Wells book entitled The Descendants of Daniel Jr. & Eleanor Howell Warner of Baiting Hollow LI, NY and the Warner Ancestors in England and America was an enormous asset. This helped me keep several generations of the family straight as Carrie told me about the family in her letters. I also used free online digital newspapers. Whether Carrie talked about the Train Depot Robbery or the death of a local person, the newspapers added more details. Since news was traveling by word of mouth back then I was also interested in how closely the story she told matched the accounts in the local newspapers. When Carrie talked of someone’s death or marriage, a little research helped me figure out who exactly she was referring to. Sometimes only first names were used. If I could find other clues in the letters, I might have even been able to determine a last name. I believe through the letters I was even able to date a picture the family has of the Mill in Peconic that Carrie’s father Gilbert ran for many years and even determine who took the picture.

So, the research is done, now what? Several years ago I attended a seminar given by Jill Morelli entitled “Just Do It! Self-Publishing Your Family History at the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree. (See Blog post Southern California Genealogy Jamboree 2018-Thursday) I came away believing ‘I can do it-publish Carrie’s Letters’ and actually wrote that on my notes. Silly me thought that getting the letters transcribed and with sidebars was all I needed to do, the hardest part. Well, trying to complete the information in the program was very time consuming. From this part forward I always felt that I was operating at a level that was just beyond my realm of knowledge. There were countless long phone calls to fix errors in the file. Hours spent trying to understand the new vocabulary of this program and how to work within its limits. Overwhelming, to say the least. I took a chance and reached out to Jill who was so encouraging and helpful. Hopefully, I can encourage someone else as she encouraged me.  She also advised me to print a sample book of a few pages to see how things looked.

Then a printing company needed to be determined. A cover design needed to be developed. My son graciously worked with me to design an amazing cover! Oh, but just having a cover design then led to a new program to make an entire book cover. More new vocabulary and things to learn. While doing things digitally is very convenient you frequently cannot pick up the phone and talk to a person any more. They might email and answer your question but several times when I asked a specific question I was directed to their general resource articles to search for my answer. So frustrating!  What were the costs involved, etc. The book has an 11x8.5 inch page size to allow for the sidebars next to the actual letter.  The book has over 100 letters and is over 300 pages including an Index of about 20 pages that includes notes on relationships.  The process was daunting! Yes, this is doable online and easier than I’m sure it was 50 years ago but still a very high learning curve.

Last week I was able to upload everything needed to be able to print the first 25 hardcover books! YEA!!! Big sigh of relief. I also pushed my luck and successful uploaded a file and cover for a digital eBook version. Now others can learn about Carrie, her husband John, their six sons and about the community they lived in. If you have ancestors that lived in the Baiting Hollow/Riverhead area from 1880-1910 then your ancestors might be mentioned. Maybe, like me, you’re just interested in seeing what life was like back then for a young woman as she studied to be a teacher, then became a wife and mother. The letters definitely tell about everyday life then, from getting ice at the ice house to make ice cream, putting in a windmill, building a barn, killing livestock for food or sale, growing crops and flowers, and even the latest gossip about who was dating who in the area.

Hardcover copies will be donated to the local libraries, Town Historian’s Office, and Suffolk County Historical Society for those researching in the area. If you’d like your own copy to read, the hardcover, can be ordered through CarriesLettersBook@gmail.com. The online version should be available soon where you would normally purchase eBooks.

My Dad received the first copy and I was able to watch him open the box and view the book via FaceTime.  How exciting!!

I know, without a doubt, that this is the most important genealogical project that I will ever do. I am so grateful to all who have helped me accomplish this and who have encouraged me along the way. I couldn't have done it without all of you.  This truly was a group effort!

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,
Debby

Snow, Snow, Snow, What Do You Do With It

Have the times changed?  Maybe or maybe not depending on what you are referencing.  This morning while talking to my parents on Eastern Long Island in New York I heard the latest winter weather update…snow yet again tomorrow.  Afterwards I came across a letter that my great-grandmother, Carrie (Terry) Warner had written on January 15, 1893 to her brother Forrest Terry [17 years old] and thought of all the wintery weather happening across the United States. 

• Carrie was living in Baiting Hollow, Suffolk County, New York with her husband John B. Warner and 2 young sons.  Ella [20 years old] is her sister. Carrie’s parents and siblings lived in Peconic.  Today the temperature in Baiting Hollow will have a high of 36 degrees, a low of 23 degrees and is overcast.  While snow is not predicted for today it is predicted again for Thursday and Friday.

 

Here are two excerpts from Carrie’s letter in 1893:

“Snow, snow, snow, what do you do with it.  I guess Father [Gilbert Terry] has got the old sleigh down this winter has he not.  Ella I suppose is sleigh riding.  There is entertainment in the sleigh now instead of the buggy.  Cannot indulge very much however unless it stops snowing.  In that case, a little ride might be taken before it comes on again.  Perhaps it is too cold.  I have been out of the house but twice since I came from “P”[econic],once to church and the next day after my return, over to mother’s [mother-in-law Eleanor Warner] for a few minutes.  I would make a poor thermometer, staying by the stove all the time.”

• My paternal great-grandparents, Carrie and John B. Warner had two sons at this time.  Terry was almost 5 years old and Wesley was about 2 1/2 years old.

“Terry has fine times with his sled.  His father [John] gets on the horse’s back and takes hold of a string fast to the sled and away they go.  Took Wesley out riding so one morning.  The children go out every day and have not taken cold yet.  Wesley can not stand it but a short time, this cold weather.”

The following is a paragraph from the Orient section in The Long Island Traveler, January 20, 1893 on page 3:

“Snow storms have been so many we have lost count.  Cloudy weather it snows, and when the sun shines it snows some more.  Then the clouds obscure old Sol and the flakes flutter softly down upon us some more.  Really, some of us  (younger children) never, never saw the like before or since.”

Despite the dreariness of this never ending winter season many kids and adults are still managing to have fun just like they did 128 years ago.  Others are just done with the cold and snow.  I hope you are all managing through this crazy weather we are having and staying safe.

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.

Enjoy the journey,
Debby

For additional posts about Carrie’s Letters click on the second tab at the top of the page entitled Carrie’s Letters.

The Childhood of Gerald Gilbert Warner

One of my paternal great uncles was Gerald Gilbert Warner. Gerald never married and he died before I was born. All I remember hearing when I was growing up is that he had a farm in South Dakota. Who was he? What type of person was he? Why did he move to South Dakota from Long Island, New York? When did he move to South Dakota? What was his life like in South Dakota? These are just a few of the questions I have.

Gerald Gilbert Warner was the third child (and third son) born to Carrie Terry and John Benjamin Warner on the 15^th of August 1894 in Baiting Hollow, Suffolk County, New York. Gerald’s maternal grandfather was named Gilbert (Terry), so, I guess that is where his middle name came from.

Thank goodness Carrie wrote all these letters over the span of 32 years to her sister Ella, who saved them, and I have them to refer to. (See post Carrie’s Letters-Bringing Ancestral Letters to Life) These letters give me glimpses into everyday life and tell me the little things that I would never know if the letters didn’t exist.  

Luckily, I have scanned and transcribed the letters and indexed all the people mentioned in the letters.  I wondered what I could learn about Gerald as a child from these letters?

• The first mention in his mother Carrie’s letters I find of Gerald is when he is 13 months old (1895) and she states “Gerald was sick all last week.” Over the years Carrie talks to her sister Ella Terry Billard about making the clothes for her sons and Ella helping with that until she herself married and had three sons of her own.
• When Gerald is two years old (1896) Carrie states, “Gerald bothers me so I can not write.” In another letter she talks about her seven year old son Wesley writing a letter to his maternal grandfather and how “Gerald got it and put his mark on, much against Wesley’s feelings.” I can so picture the two year old Gerald doing this just like any other two year old might.
• In a letter dated 31 January 1897 when Gerald was about two and half years old Carrie states, “Gerald is beginning to talk at last, says almost everything though not very plain yet.” 
• Later on 19 April 1897 we learn that “Terry (oldest child and nine years old) and Gerald get along quite peaceably but put Wesley (second child and seven years old) between them and they both have somebody to pick on.” 
• About a month later on 18 May 1897, 11 days after the birth of the fourth child, yet another boy, named Hollis, Carrie talks about still feeling ill and glad that Wesley is off visiting his maternal grandparents and aunt. “Gerald (age three) is an awful trial and if Wesley was here too believe they would set me crazy. Gerald don’t want any one to do any thing for him but John or I.” Sounds pretty typical between brothers even today.
• The last mention I find of Gerald is in a letter dated Monday, 25 December 1905 when Carrie tells her sister “Hollis (eight years old) and Gerald (eleven years old) were getting up soon after eleven Sunday night. I had just been up with the baby (my grandfather Olin) so heard them and sent them to bed again.” At this time there were now 5 children, all boys.  Guess they were excited about finding their Christmas gifts?

From these letters, and only looking for the mentions about Gerald, I can begin to see Gerald, the child. Gerald seems like a very typical child growing up.  In a family of 6 boys I wonder if he maintained the closeness he seemed to have early on with his older brother Terry?

Gerald’s mother would die suddenly and tragically on 2 June 1910, just 2 months before his 16^th birthday, and leave her husband and six sons to go on without her.

But what can I now learn about the man Gerald became and of his life in South Dakota?


If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby


NOTE: When I am researching my ancestors in a particular time period I enjoy learning about things like the furniture or clothing of the time.  I wondered what a cradle would have looked like about the time Gerald was born.  I found the cradle on the top of the post in the 1897 Sears, Roebuck & Company catalog with the following advertisement:

"A $2.50 Cradle for $1.40

You would not think after seeing this cradle that it was possible to make it for the price, but the manufacturers are long on cradles and short on cash, and we are hence able to name our own figures.  We give our customers the advantage of every squeeze in the market.  We recommend this article as most desirable in every respect and quoted at an unheard of Price.  This cradle is made of the best selected hard wood with bent wood work and finished in antique or dark finish, as desired.  The size is 24 inches by 44 inches, and is shipped knocked down when taken apart, thus saving very largely on freight.  It is very easily set up and put together with screws."

Tombstone Tuesday A Cautionary Tale, The Partially Incorrect Warner Story

Information found on a tombstone should always be considered a gift and not fact until you prove or disprove it.  Growing up I knew of this tombstone and the story it told.  As a young girl I remember there was some concern that perhaps the story wasn’t quite right but that was all I knew.

On the side of the tombstone:

Transcription:  William Warner immigrated from England in 1637.  He had 2 sons and 1 daughter.  John, Daniel. and Abigail.  Daniel had a son in 1642 who was the father of Nathaniel Warner, who was born Oct. 1690.  Daniel son of Nathaniel was born April 30, 1731.  James son of Daniel was born April 26, 1762.  Daniel son of James was born Sept. 18, 1784.  Daniel son of Daniel was born June 9, 1818.

On the front of the tombstone:

Baiting Hollow Cemetery

Riverhead, New York

                                                   Daniel Warner                         Eleanor Howell, His Wife

                                                           Born June 9, 1818                   Born May 15, 1825           

                                                           Died June 15, 1895                 Died March 7, 1895

On the sides:

Their Children

Allen M.                                     Frances M.                                   Josephine A.                              Martha R.
b-Oct. 6, 1842                            b-July 11, 1844                             b-May 27, 1846                         b-March 3, 1848
d-Aug. 27, 1927                         d-                                                  d-Oct. 17, 1848                          d-

Franklin E.
b-Jan. 5, 1868
d-May 3, 1908  

Eunice                                       Mary A.                                         Julia                                          
b-Feb. 15, 1850                        b-Dec.   , 1851                               b-Dec. 14, 1853                       
d-                                              d-                                                   d-May 10, 1871     

                     

Charles H.                               Eleanor F.                                      John B.                                      Eugene G.
b-May 17, 1858                       b-July 20, 1860                              b-Aug 12, 1862                         b-Nov. 27, 1864
d-                                            d-Aug. 8, 1892                                d-Jun. 20, 1920                        d-
   
   Waldo D.    
    b-Feb. 11, 1856
    d-

(see post The Joy and Blessings of Meeting Cousins to see pictures of several of the 13 children as adults)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
I have a copy of a Memoranda page from a Warner Bible that lists this same story.  I am guessing this is what was used for the tombstone.  There is no date as to when this was recorded and I do not know who in the family currently has the Bible.  Where did the story first come from?  I remember as a young 13 or 14 year old being determined to solve this mystery.  I looked at the local library and while able to find William Warner I was not able to match up dates of the Warner’s from Long Island with the dates I found for William Warner’s line.  I was sure I was on to something when I found a listing for an Andrew Warner with a son Daniel and grandson Nathaniel but was never really able to pursue it at that time.  Later, I learned the story listed on the tombstone was indeed incorrect.

The Warner line on Long Island, of which I am a direct descendant, did indeed start with Nathaniel, born 1690.  He was the father of Daniel, born 1731, who was the father of James, born 1762.  James’ son Daniel was born 1784.  Daniel had a son Daniel, born 1818 who married Eleanor (parents of the 13 children listed above).  Nathaniel, who came to Long Island was the son of a Daniel Warner.  This is perhaps where the problem came.  This Daniel, born 1632 or 3, was the son of Andrew Warner and not William Warner.  Andrew came to America about 1630 from England.  Names that frequently repeat in the family, like ‘Daniel’ can create problems if you do not carefully review other vital record information.  (click on highlighted names to read additional stories)

I recently came across a document written by Justine Warner Wells, granddaughter of Eugene Warner, listed above.  Justine was the family historian for many many years.  This document, Justine stated, was a Historical Sketch of the Nathaniel Warner Family, Given at the Annual Warner Reunion on July 17, 1976 at Wildwood Park.  In this document Justine tells of having a letter sent to Eugene Warner in 1926 from a J. A. Warner of Brooklyn.  J. A. Warner stated that he was a direct ancestor of William Warner and his son Daniel.  J. A.  had done research on that line for over 20 years and did not feel that ‘our’ Nathaniel was a descendant of William Warner.  Justine also states that Elaine Warner Tuthill, granddaughter of John B. Warner, listed above, found a letter written to her father Hollis Warner by Alice Hammond Warner (Eugene’s wife) that acknowledged her concern that if the information inscribed on the stone was incorrect it should be removed from the stone.  The inscription was never removed but time and the elements make it hard to read now.  

Caution: Remember to use the information on tombstones as a starting point to research and do not assume they are facts until thoroughly researched.

If you have any corrections, additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby

Searching Through Old Photos Produces An Unusual Find

This Summer while visiting family back East, my father had several boxes of old family photos ready for us to look through when I arrived.  We reminisced about some photos, wondered who some of the people were and why my grandparents had these and I listened to stories my father told about people, the memories sparked by the photos.  A wonderful experience!  I was so grateful he had saved them for us to look at.  Somewhere within one of the boxes was a small note card.



If you are familiar with the northeastern end of Long Island the Plum Gut Lighthouse is a common site.  Then I opened the notecard and saw the following:



I skimmed the note card and realized it was from Ella to my paternal grandparents Agnes (King) and Olin Warner, Sr.  This makes sense.  Ella (Terry) Billard was my grandfather’s maternal aunt.  If you have followed my blog posts about Carrie’s letters (see post Carrie’s Letters) you know that I have over 150 letters written by my paternal great-grandmother Carrie (Terry) Warner.  The majority of the letters were written to her sister Ella.  I was so happy to know that my grandparents were still in touch with my grandfather’s Aunt Ella some 45 years after his mother Carrie had died suddenly in 1910.  Then I carefully started to reread this note card:

                                                                                                                                                                        Oct 23, 1955
Dear Agnes and Olin,
So sorry to have missed you this afternoon.  So long since you had been here, do wish you had come to Natalie’s or if Irv. had called up.  I would have come home, doing nothing in particular but looking at Sunday papers and taking a nap in a big chair.  Eleanor was home with her hubbie and baby who is just as cute as it is possible for a baby to be.  Irving says you are in the chicken and egg business and not to the exclusion of ducks, Eh?  Hope the young folks are fine and getting along nicely with the best and the most beautiful baby ever.  Do try and come again some time, many thanks for the candy. 
Much love,
Aunt Ella

At first read I thought, that’s a nice note.  Sounds like my grandmother Agnes to take a box of candy when she and my grandfather went to visit Ella.  Then I looked at the date.  When I looked it up Oct. 23, 1955 was a Sunday.  Of course it was a Sunday.  My grandparents liked to go for rides on Sunday afternoons, often to no place in particular.  I always enjoyed the times when I was able to go for one of those rides with them.  Ella was 82 years old in 1955.  ‘Irv’ was Ella’s son Irving Billard.  ‘Natalie’ was Ella’s son Ellis’ wife and ‘Eleanor’ was Natalie’s daughter Eleanor Billard Carter.  This all made sense and then I thought about the 2 babies mentioned but no names listed.  Hmm.  Once again I went back to the date…Oct. 23, 1955…  Finally, I realized that the “baby who is just as cute as it is possible for a baby to be” refers to my third, and recently found, cousin Rebecca.  (See post 
The Joy and Blessings of Meeting Cousins) As I looked again at the date and the reference to my grandparents I realized that “the best and most beautiful baby ever” was referring to me, their first grandchild who was just a few months old at the time and the ‘young folks’ referred to my parents.

The genealogical significance:
      there really isn’t any new information here.  I know who the people are and I have their birth, marriage, death dates.  The significance to me is the everyday information that it gives me.  I now know that my grandparents stayed in touch with Ella.  I know they were taking their Sunday drives even back in the mid-1950s and bringing candy.  I know that Ella knew about me and was bragging not only about her great-granddaughter but also about me, her great-grand niece.  For Rebecca and I it showed a family connection way back then. 

I don’t know why my grandmother kept this little note card but I am very glad she did and that it has survived some 63 years.  The significance to me is mainly sentimental.  Taking the time to reread and think about this ‘ordinary’ note was what I needed to do.  We shouldn’t just judge the information by a quick look and by it’s ability to add just facts to our family trees but in the story it helps us tell about our families’ lives. 

I am so happy to have found Rebecca (see post Exciting News: Carrie’s Letters) and look forward to many more tea times and to exploring all those boxes of ‘stuff’ from Ella and Natalie.  What other treasures will we find?  Take the time to investigate those ordinary notes and letters.  Look for the little treasures as well.  What a treasure you may find!

If you have any corrections, additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby

P.S. My grandfather never did raise chickens just ducks. (see post Labor Day: Four Generations of Duck Farmers)  Not sure how that was misconstrued.

Back at ‘College’ in 1880

My paternal great-grandmother, Carrie Terry Warner, in the Fall of 1880 returned to the Trenton Normal School to complete her studies to become a teacher.  She wrote in a letter dated 12 September 1880 to her father, Gilbert Terry, about getting settled back at the Normal School and about her classes.  (See last week’s post about the journey back to school-Heading Back to School in 1880)  I am guessing that her father, a mill operator in Peconic, Long Island, NY wanted a full account of what was happening since I’m sure he was paying for her ‘college’ experience.


“ As I got off the cars [train] at Trenton, I met Miss von Seyfried.  She came down from Newark on the same train with us.  I don’t believe I had been at the Hall ten minutes before my trunk was brought up and I began to unpack.
The screw that you put in catches in front wore out and done when it got here.  I brought a couple of tumblers back with me and one of them was all broken to pieces.  Those grapes were in a pretty bad condition when I unpacked.  The juice had run out of the box and I found places all around in the tray of the trunk where the juice had run through on to it.  It got on within the trunk but my old water proof a nd a little bit on one of my sheets.  I think I was pretty lucky not to have something spoiled by it.  I found all my things just as I left them when we went away. 

Normal Schools, Trenton, N.J.

I found an old postcard online

There were very few of the old girls when we got back but, Oh! so many new ones.  I heard that Mrs. Deane said there were one hundred new girls.  They have had to put two extra tables in the dining room so we have eighteen tables now all full.  In the boarding hall every room is full, and in the small hall it is the same.  Besides these two buildings there is a third building which belongs to these establishments and which they keep to fall back on in case of necessity.  This year they have to put five or six in there.  It seems strange that while the number of girls increases every year, the number of boys decrease.  Very few boys entered this year.

Wednesday morning we went over to school and got our books and had lessons assigned for the next day.  Thursday morning there was a teacher meeting so we had not recitations [period of classroom instruction] the first two periods, and one thing and another kept hindering so we had only two recitations that day.  Friday everything went on as usual except two periods occupied in seating us.  I have a seat second from the front.  They have divided the chapel into two rooms so we will hereafter have opening exercises in the school room and will have no marching.  

The first period we have rhetoric and American Literature; the second Mental Science or Outline of Man, the third Arithmetic; the fourth Zoology; the fifth drawing, the sixth Methods in Arithmetic or Carr’s Methods as they are called because they are taught by Prof. Carr; the seventh period we have elementary methods or methods in objects, color, geography, &tc.  Hannah is with me the first period, third period, fourth &tc; fifth periods.

We went down town yesterday morning.  The Universalist Church has been closed this summer.  I supposed it would be open by this time, but I heard it is not.  To day nothing has been said about it.  We have all remained at home.  I think it will open again in a few weeks, but it is doubtful because I heard yesterday they thought some of giving up the society.  It it doesn’t open so I can go there where shall I go?  I will not go to the Presbyterian or Baptist, if I can help it.

It was said when we went away last summer that there would be several changes made in the Hall before our return.  The laundry was going to be moved and various other changes intended, but none of them have been accomplished, everything is just the same as it was before.  I suppose you have often thought of me because I was so nearly sick when I left home, but I got all over that in a few days.  Last Friday afternoon we went to call on Mrs. Packer to find out about church but she was not at home.  

Don’t forget to send me some stamps when you write and I trust that will be soon.  I feel so tired and stupid today that I can’t write any more to you this time.

From

       Carrie.”

I have done a lot of research around Carrie’s letters that has helped me understand who people were and understand things she talked about.  While Carrie gives me a lot of description in her letters, research and photos was helped me bring them a little more alive.  I start to see the connections between people and places that only add to my understanding of Carrie and the time period she lived in.

By looking at the 1880 US Federal Census for Trenton, New Jersey I was able to find a section for the Normal School and I learned that:

• there was a Miss Sophie von Seyfried who was born in Brazil that attended the Normal School
• there was a Mrs. Susan Deane listed as a matron of the girls boarding school
• Ironically, Carrie’s name does not appear on the census record.  Not sure why.  The census was taken on 12 & 14 June 1880.  Hannah King is listed.  Was she home already in NY or just somehow forgotten?

I found a listing on-line for New Jersey State Archives and was able to get a copy of the dates that Carrie attended and a copy of the Graduation Program.

While I have no way of knowing what Carrie’s trunk or the train cars she rode in from Newark to Trenton actually looked like I can search on-line and find pictures.  I picture Carrie’s trunk looking like the above picture of an 1880 era trunk that I found.  From a picture of train car seats I can imagine Carrie and Hannah sitting side by side as two young women heading to their second year of ‘college’ at the end of a long, over night journey from Long Island.

I believe this all adds a richness and an understanding to the story of Carrie’s Letters. 

Almost 100 years later I too became a teacher.  I did not know at the time I was taking classes about Carrie being a teacher.  I would love to know more about the composition of her classes and how they laid the groundwork for education today.

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby

Heading Back to School in 1880

My Great-Grandmother Carrie Terry Warner left a wealth of information for us without ever intending to when she wrote letters to her family over the course of 30 years.  (See Carrie’s Letters for the first of many stories).

At this time of year as students are headed back to college I am reminded of a letter Carrie wrote to her father Gilbert Terry dated 12 September 1880 from Trenton, New Jersey.  Carrie was beginning her second year in a 2 year program at the Normal School in Trenton, New Jersey where she was taking classes to become a School Teacher.  The ‘Normal School’ in Trenton was  established in 1855 as the first teacher training institution in New Jersey and the 9th in the Untied States.

From the Long Island Traveler newspaper in the Peconic section dated September 9, 1880 page 2:

“Misses Hannah King and Carrie Terry have returned to the State Normal School at Trenton, New Jersey”

First-I wondered what her journey would have looked like on a map set to her own retelling of her journey.  Could I see the route of her trip and try to remember it was happening in 1880?

Map of Long Island 1802  from New York City Map 1700

                                 light brown line shows trip by boat from Eastern Long Island to New York City
                                                                             (click on images to enlarge)

“Dear Father,

I suppose you have been looking for a letter ever since I left home.  I meant to have written immediately but circumstances prevented.  I will commence at the beginning and tell you about all that has happened since I left home.  We had a very pleasant trip on the boat.  It was a little foggy but not enough to hinder our progress.  We arrived at New York about six o’clock.

Bennie Moore, Uncle Calvin’s son, was on board and since he is Hannah’s cousin and devoted himself particularly to her, of course, I became acquainted.  He has been to Yale College and is now engaged in teaching somewhere in Brooklyn or New York.  He is well educated but for all that he is sometimes a little queer, and it is amusing to hear him talk.  There were a great many on the boat among them three negro women who had births in the cabin.  During the evening I went into the cabin to put on my cloak and they sat there talking.  It seems one of them had been talking with a medium.  It was really interesting and laughable to hear her talk.  I did not listen long so am not able to repeat anything that she said.  We were met at the boat by Mr. Higgins and another young fellow, Mr. Henderson by name.  Mr. Higgins was at Mr. Baldwin Terry’s boarding and we met him there on the fifth of July when we were there.  Perhaps you remember him, I did.  Mr. Henderson has been boarding at Mr. Terry’s too this summer although he was not there at the time we were.  Mr. Higgins, because he had met me before I suppose, devoted himself to me and left Mr. Henderson to wait on Hannah.

                                               1880 New York City Guide Map from David Rumsey Map Collection

-light green line is Fulton Street  

-red line is Broadway  

-gold line is Cortland Street to Ferry  

-blue line is Ferry to Jersey City to pick up train 

We went up Fulton St., stopped at a restaurant and had breakfast.  I think it was Cabel’s, but I am not sure.  We then went on up Fulton St., along Broadway and finally down Cortland St. to the ferry.  We had consulted the expressman on the boat and had expressed our trunks over to Cortland St. ferrys,  He told us that would be the best way.  When we reached the ferry the trunks were not there so we had to wait half an hour for them.  On account of them we missed the 8.20 train for Trenton and so were obliged to wait until nine.  We got our ticket there for Trenton and had our trunks checked so there was no more bother with them.  After disposing of our trunks we went across the river {Hudson]and got on the cars [train].  We had not a great while to wait over there.  The gentlemen waited to see us off.”

Map of the Railroads of New Jersey 1887 Drawn and Compiled by John T. Van Cleef and J. Brognard  Betts

brown line is one of the train lines from Jersey City to Trenton, New Jersey

Wow, what a journey for a young woman of 19 years.  Two young girls traveling alone.  I guess this was there second year and second time doing this trip but it was 1880.  The remainder of her letter tells about arriving at the Normal School and her classes.  (More to follow on that.)

I am glad that I did the research to find the maps and I am amazed at the types of maps I was able to find.  I was surprised to see how many docks and ferrys there were around New York City in 1880 as well as the number of train lines in New Jersey at that time also.  There were train lines on Long Island so I am not sure  why Carrie and Hannah went by boat to New York City.  Maybe it was cheaper or easier with them taking trunks to go by boat to New York City?  I think the maps really enable me to picture her journey of about 164 miles in 1880.  A journey today that would take about 4 hours to drive…depending on traffic, of course.

As I think about my Great-Grandmother’s exciting journey all the way to another state to attend school to become a teacher and her adventurous spirit I can’t help think about 3 of her great-granddaughters who had a similar adventurous spirit in their teens and because Exchange Students to other countries.   I went to Bolivia, then my cousin Marie went to South Africa and then my sister Ann went to Brazil.  Years later even my niece Nicole would study abroad for a semester in Chile.  I would like to think that, unbeknownst to us at the time of Carrie’s journey, she was cheering us along on our adventure of a life time, exploring new places, languages, cultures and meeting new people.  I’d like to think she would have been proud of us carrying on her adventurous spirit.  Not all treasures passed down from generation to generation are material items.

If you have any corrections or additions or stories to share I look forward to hearing them.
Enjoy the journey,
Debby

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