Eldred Main Street 1920

by Louise Smith Posted on January 31, 2016
Looking northwest, little girl in front of the Von Ohlen Store on Proctor Road. Photo courtesy of Chuck M.

Proctor Road View
This is the view the Austins (my dad, his brother Bob, and sister Elizabeth) had on their way to school. The Eldred Schoolhouse on the left; Von Ohlen’s store on the right.

Part of Charles Wilson’s (later his son Arthur Wilson’s) store can be seen in the middle of the photo. Slonek’s House is the one in the distance on the hill.

Not shown in the photo: The Austins would already have passed Sunshine Hall—soon to be Sunshine Free Library; and the Congregational Church set back from the road. In the distance on the north (right) side of the road was the Methodist Church.

Not easily seen in the photo: On the other side of the Von Ohlen Store: Fridolin and Juliana Straub’s Straub Hotel; and the William H. Wilson Store.

Notes: Photo shown on page 2 of Chapter 1 Most Pleasant Time of All; Farewell to Eldred.

Randolph’s Royal Scarlet Grocery Store and Andrew Parker’s Store replaced the VonOhlen-Myers Store—Photo from the 1950s.

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Eldred 1908

by Louise Smith Posted on January 17, 2016
Eldred’s north corner about 1908. Postcard: Kevin M.

Buildings on Eldred’s North Corner 1908
The building on the left was built by Charles Wilson around 1900. The Charles Wilson home is second on the left.

The center building was the store of William H. Wilson, brother of Charles. On the right was the original Parker House that Autenrieth’s owned until Fridolin and Juliana Straub bought it in 1907.

Eldred’s North Corner 1903s
In the 1930s the Charles Wilson building would include the A&P owned by Art Wilson; a butcher shop in the center; and a Post Office (which changed locations).

Pat’s Stand would extend out onto the street from his father William H. Wilson’s Store.

The Wilsons
Charles Wilson was first married to Christina Mills (1886). Their children were Julia and Arthur.

Christina died in 1895. Three years later Charles married Elizabeth Hoatson Clark, a widow and mother of Georgia, 8.

In 1900 the Charles Wilson household included Charles’ father Edward, 80 (a weaver of carpets); Charles (a lumberman); Elizabeth and her daughter Georgia Clark; Arthur Wilson 10, Julia Wilson, 7.

Charles’ family in 1910: Charles, a farmer & Postmaster; Elizabeth, assistant Postmaster; Arthur Wilson, 20; Julia 17; Georgia Clark, 20.

William H. Wilson married Bertha Boyd in 1898. Their son Forrest or Pat, became a lawyer.

Posted in Echo Hill and Mountain Grove, Postcards | 1 Comment

Eldred House Photo Request

by Louise Smith Posted on December 13, 2015
James Eldred’s house built around 1830. Photo courtesy of C. Myers.

Does anyone have another photo of what was once James Eldred’s house shown in this photo?

The home is no longer there, but sat near Halfway Brook, south of of Proctor Road. It was the house which replaced the original structure James Eldred and his family settled in at the end of 1815.

My great-grandmother Mary Ann Eldred (Austin) would have been almost three when the house in the photo was built around 1830. I also think my grandfather C.M. Austin and his twin Edward were born in that house in 1865.

I first posted a request for the names of the people in the photo. They are Mary Myers and her son Clifford. The photo is on page 327 of “Farewell to Eldred.”

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Hickok Falls and Water Wheel

by Louise Smith Posted on November 29, 2015
Hickok Falls and Old Water Wheel, Barryville, NY. 1905 postcard.
Another view of the Hickok Falls and Water Wheel.

I am hoping that one of my Halfway Brook readers has the originals of these postcards and could scan them for me. (For print work I need larger images.)

Also if anyone has any information about the Hickok Falls or the old water wheel and (I assume) sawmill I would appreciate that.

My great-great-great-grandparents Asa and Esther Hinman Hickok and family arrived in Lumberland around 1813, and lived a couple miles above Barryville.

I imagine it was in the area where Hickok Brook meets Halfway Brook. They were my first relatives to arrive in the area.

I am currently working on a story about two granddaughters of David Hickok (brother of Asa) visiting Mary Ann Eldred Austin and Justus Hickok (Asa’s grandchildren) in the town of Highland, New York in 1854.

If you have information or can scan the postcards, please contact me: info (at) halfwaybrook (dot) com. I will give you more details regarding scanning the postcards. Thank you.

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Revisiting 1942 Flood in Barryville

by Louise Smith Posted on November 22, 2015
Barryville Afloat. Photo: H.I. Briggs.
Flooding of the Delaware River from the Methodist Parsonage. Photo: H.I. Briggs.
A favorite photo of mine taken by my grandpa Briggs: “We were all down on the bridge.”

I thought my Halfway Brook readers might enjoy the larger images even though a few of these photos have been posted before:

May 1942 Flooding

Barryville Afloat.

I have rescanned them larger and/or with some tone.

Click on photos twice for largest size.

Barryville-Shohola Bridge in the distance. Photo: H.I. Briggs.
Looking towards Barryville from Shohola. Photo H.I. Briggs.
Posted in Barryville, Brooks and Ponds, Farewell to Eldred, Old Photos | 2 Comments