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Memoirs from Eldred, New York, 1800–1950
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Abby, Laurilla, and Mary Ann
The Mill on Halfway Brook
Echo Hill and Mountain Grove
Farewell To Eldred
Aida Austin’s 1881 Diary
Grandma and Me
An ad in the Republican Watchman (about 1835) reads “Headquarters, Brigade Orders: I, Joseph S. Smith, Brigadier-General of the 23rd Brigade New York State Infantry, do hereby order the Half-Way Brook to be observed as a division line between the company now commanded by Capt. Mills, and the company now commanded by Capt. Gales, in the 185th Regiment, and direct all persons liable to do military duty to be warned to perform such duty in the respective company beats, as bounded by the aforesaid Half-Way Brook.”
Do you have any idea what that’s about? Were they guarding the mills that long after the War of 1812?
Louise: Thank you for your comment. At that time there may have been other Halfway Brooks. I wonder if the date is wrong. I found a Joseph Sewell Smith in the Civil War: cmohs.org/recipients/joseph-s-smith Perhaps a Halfway Brook reader can help.
If anyone knows of the Henry Hinc farm from 1940s-1960 please contact me. Thank you. This website is great and I’m so happy I came across it!
Hi, my name is Dina Longhitano. My family has a family house up in Barryville, NY.
I happened to stumble upon your website looking at old postcards. Our house is on Mail Road and it was an old bed and breakfast back in the day.
It was called 6 Gables. Mr. Henry Hinc chicken farm owned it back when he sold it to my family in 1961.
I was wondering if you had any information on it. We found a postcard a couple years ago on eBay and have it now.
Also if anyone knows of the Henry Hinc farm from 1940s-1960 please contact me. Thank you.
I am trying to find out about a farm my family vacationed at in the early 1950’s. I know my parents called it Oswald’s Farm, we stayed at a little house on the farm. I remember a lake and chickens. It was in Yulan. Nothing much more. If you have any information it would be appreciated. Thanks.
This is a wonderful site. I am trying to help my dad research Myers who lived in the area Lumbertland before and during the civil war and then some headed to Orange, NY, as well as Camden NJ (Charles Myers and son Charles) 1880s-90s. And then onto Wisconsin 1920s Great photos!
Thank you Cynthia and Louise!
I was able to make connections on the family tree thanks to Book 1. I thought the Bradley Boarding House had “Lake Views” based on an advertisement I had read in a 1924 Brooklyn advertisement.
I look forward to reading more when Book 2 arrives!
From Louise: You are very welcome Janet. Book 2 has even more information on the Bradley Boarding House. Have you gotten my emails? Kind Regards.
Hi Janet,
The Bradley house/farm no longer stands. All that is left of the house is the stone foundation. I do not think it had a view of Washington Lake. At least not from the house which was down in the dip of the land.
There was a great deal of land that went with the farm and closer to the lake, the land did rise. Perhaps the lake could be seen from there.
The land now belongs to the daughter of the people who last owned the home/farm and continued to run it as a boarding house. She built a home on the land and lives there still. I lived on Airport road during my growing up years and remember it well as a boarding house.
Louise does have photos in her book series.
Cynthia
Hello,
I am interested in finding out more on the Bradley Boarding House and E.D. Avery Dairy farm.
My husband is the great-grandson of Norah (Bradley) Avery and E.D. Avery. We know that the farm was somewhere on Airport Road with the View of Washington Lake, but was curious if anyone had pictures or stories they could share. Thank you!
Janet Dobbs
Note from Louise: Hello Janet. Thank you for your question. I’ll send you a separate email, but thought perhaps some Halfway Brook readers might like to read your question and have some comments.
I just came across your website and the first story was about the Hillside Inn written by Doris Stegmaier Schmidt. My parents, Helen and Alfred Wolff owned the Hillside and I was the girl in the photo. My nickname was Cookie. Is there any possible way you could put me in touch with Doris. I would truly appreciate it. Thank you.
Comment from Louise Smith: I thought Halfway Brook Readers would enjoy knowing that Louise/Cookie Wolf who Doris was trying to locate has been “found.”
I am so glad I read Beth Grays comments. Your aunt Edna taught my kids to swim. I use to play shuffleboard with your uncle Herb. How is young Herb and family? My mom was Gertrude and my dad Willie Hauff. I am Walter.
If Jim Purcell is related to Ed Purcell, l knew him as a State Farm Agent. I also remember he played baseball on the Yulan Braves team. He pitched if I remember right. I worked for one of the other players, Tim Timerhoff, 1950s. I am Wally Hauff.
Do you have any information on the Alexander Wait family that had a house on Highland Lake and ran a gas station in Eldred? I believe the gas station was at the main intersection and may have burned down? My mother was Lucile Wait. Thanks.
Hello John, I have some information on ancestors of Alexander Wait, though I do not have information on the gas station’s demise. Perhaps some of our Halfway Brook readers do.
I don’t know if you have book 3, “Farewell to Eldred,” but there is a photo (p. 118) in there of your mother, Betty Boyd, Shirley Sanders, Dorothy Wait, Janith and Billy Boyd, with my dad Art Austin and his dog King. Apparently the group had gone swimming behind the library one day and when King got in the water, they had a hard time getting him out.
I have been out of town, but will get back with you soon. Thank you again. Louise
This site is such an exciting find!
I’ve lived on the former Brookwood Manor site in Glen Spey since 2008; have always wanted to find out more.
So many in the area tell vastly different stories. I did—very serendipitously, somewhat recently—find a 1923 sales brochure (7-pages) for the property in it’s entirety when the mansion was still intact; bought it online. It’s pretty priceless.
I am very interested in knowing the full arc of the story surrounding Loch Ada (the lake, not mansion)—for example, is it man-made? or in fact dredged in the shape of a heart as an offering to the magnate’s sweetheart Ada.
Was the estate originally built by the Singer sewing machine family? Etc.?
I would also be happy to share the contents of the sales brochure mentioned above. Thank you!
Louise: Hello Ann. Thank you for your comment.
The William Fash Proctor Family were the owners of the Loch Ada property, including the Brookwood Manor. A Proctor descendant contributed photos and information for my second book, Echo Hill and Mountain Grove.
Mr. William F. Proctor was married to Vouletti Theresa Singer, the daughter of Isaac Merritt Singer, the originator of the Singer Company. William F. Proctor worked for Singer for decades. He became Vice President of the Singer Company and George Ross MacKenzie was the President.
Loch Ada was called Haggai’s Pond on the 1870 map of the area. Around 1870 Mr. William Proctor purchased several thousand acres of land that included Loch Ada. My understanding is that Haggai’s Pond was renamed to honor his daughter Ada.
I’ll send you an email so you can share the contents of the sales brochure. Thank you so much.
Several generations of my family are from Eldred NY and read your books with interest. Your books mention my ggg grandparents Charles and Adeline Payne as the parents of Frances J. Payne who married James Daniel Eldred.
Do you have any more information on Charles and Adeline Payne? I have been unable to trace any further back on this line of my family.
Any info such as where and when they were born, married and died would be very helpful. Really anything thing you may know would be great.
Thank you in advance.
Anthony
I have only just joined this site.
A belated response to “Eric Fort Says”, the teacher to whom I believe he is referring is Leonore VanTuyl Edwards who taught in the Hillside School. Her sister was Gladys VanTuyl Murray, who taught in the Pond Eddy School. Leonore was my grandmother’s (Mildred Quick Hamilton, 1908-1999) teacher, and both ladies were personal friends of our family. I hope this helps, and do feel free to contact me for further information.
Oh my gosh I am so thrilled I stumbled onto the site!! My mom grew up in Eldred, NY. My grand-parents, great-grand-parents and great-great-grandfather are buried in the Eldred cemetery. They were descendants of Benjamin Parker.
I am in search of pictures of Myer’s Garage in Eldred. This business establishment later became Brodmerkel’s Garage. It sold Texaco Gas and was one of 4 places to buy gas in Eldred at the time.
My family lived in Barryville. My Grandmother was postmistress from the 40 ‘s until the 70’s, and the post office was in our house. I grew up in Barryville, and I knew every inch of Half Way Brook. Of course, it all changed after the flood in the 50’s, but still I fished that brook for hours. Not sure anyone fished it as much as me other than Bill Wortzel. The brook is just the right size…the pools, moss and smells stay with me still.
I look forward to reading this blog in its entirety. My husband is a direct Holbert/Eldred descendant. I am thrilled with your research!
I’m French and I am looking for information about a school teacher Eleonore VAN TUYL who exercise this in Sullivan County to the years 1917-20 at POND-EDDY
She was godmother to war my grandfather in France that corresponded with her when he was 11 years
I found a letter from this lady who had a sister Gladys, but I have no information on the name of the school where she worked only she have a thirty children 6 to 16 years.
Could you help me to have informations?
Thanks in advance!!!
Cordialay
I found Relatively Speaking searching for Emily Waidler. You have a note in the post asking for information as to the relationship to your Aunt Aida. Emily (nee Schoonover) Waidler was the daughter of Oliver Perry Schoonover husband of Ann Mary Austin.
OP remarried after Ann died to Mary (nee Murray) Parker, a widow. She had two children George S and Kate. Daniel and Emily Schoonover were the progeny of this second marriage.
I have Daniel Schoonover’s bio written by him to his daughter Justina, my grandmother. Daniel and his wife Emily nee Banner are buried in the Eldred cemetery.
Sincerely
John Hull