NY 97 Opened August 30, 1939

by Louise Smith Posted on April 12, 2014
NY Route 97 was officially completed from Port Jervis to Hancock on August 30, 1939. Hawk’s Nest photo taken by Mr. Krause, courtesy of Kevin Marrinan.

August 30, 1939, N.Y. Route 97 from Port Jervis to Hancock, was officially opened.

Several events were held to mark the road’s opening, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Port Jervis featuring the mayors of Port Jervis and Hancock and a motorcade procession that traveled the length of the highway.

In all, it cost $4 million (equivalent to $66.8 million in 2012) to build N.Y. 97. The portion through the Hawk’s Nest cost $2 million (equivalent to $33.4 million in 2012) to construct.—wikipedia.org.

September 1939
Germany invaded Poland on Friday, September 1. The world would soon be at war.

“Fighting in Europe. Germans and Polish so far,” Ella wrote on Saturday.

Sunday Clara and Ella took care of Jimmy so Anna and Bill could help Lottie Meyers with her boarding house.

Monday Lee and Garfield ran more cement in the barn.

Thursday the groceries were delivered from Al Randolph’s Royal Scarlet.

Friday Ella wrote, “Babies both have teeth.”

“War still on between Germany, England, etc.,” Ella penned on Saturday.

In his Fireside Radio Chat Sunday, September 9, President Roosevelt said he fervently hoped the country could stay out of the war. Continue reading →

Posted in Farewell to Eldred, World War II | 1 Comment

Hawk’s Nest Road, 2007

by Louise Smith Posted on April 8, 2014
Hawk’s Nest Road, 2007. Photo: Gary Smith.
Hawk’s Nest sign photo courtesy of Mary A.

I was excited to be on the Hawk’s Nest Road on the way from Port Jervis to Eldred. My mom had mentioned the road and I knew that car companies sometimes filmed cars driving along the wonderfully winding road.

It has been fun to trace Hawk’s Nest Road through information and photos/postcards—from a dirt path in the early 1800s to its official opening as a paved road from Port Jervis to Hancock, NY, on August 30, 1939.

Posted in General information, Then or now | Comments Off on Hawk’s Nest Road, 2007

The beginning of Halfway Brook Books: Port Jervis 2007

by Louise Smith Posted on April 5, 2014
July 2007. The Smiths cross the Port Jervis bridge on the way to Eldred. Photo: Gary Smith.
July 2007. Closeup of Port Jervis bridge. Photo: Gary Smith.

I plan on posting the names of the folks in the Lumberland censuses during the years 1840 to 1860. I have a couple families mentioned in the Halfway Brook Books and the censuses that I would like to feature. However, I have gotten sidetracked with searching for my Ralph Austin’s family as well as daily life.

So for now, I thought it would be fun to post a few photos from Gary and my visit to Eldred in 2007. It had been well over 40 years since I had visited Eldred. And that many years since I had seen my second cousin Cynthia.

Cynthia had agreed to write her memories of her grandfather Garfield Leavenworth, brother to my grandmother Jennie Louisa Leavenworth Austin, for a 50-page booklet (if we could find enough information) which I planned to write on my Austin grandparents whom I had never met.

What a fun adventure it has turned out to be.

Gary and I and our two youngest stayed at a motel in Pennsyvlania. (Thanks for the correction Cynthia.) The next morning we crossed the Port Jervis bridge on the way to Eldred to meet Cynthia.

Posted in Bridges, General information | 2 Comments

1830 Lumberland Census

by Louise Smith Posted on March 28, 2014

There are more familiar names in the 1830 Lumberland Census. If you have done much research with censuses, you will know the difficulty of being accurate, hence the question marks.

John Williams
Asa Daily
William Huff
John Smith
A. McIntyre
Elisha Daily
Henry Haines
Hiram Clark
Oliva Decker
Martin G. Austin
Sylvester Higgins
? Hendrickson
T? Daily
Joshua? W. Clenning?
Henry Hoofman
Lydia Wire
Henry Case
Hickney
John Higsby?
Thomas Black
Samuel Wells
Robert Darrah
Moses Clark Continue reading →

Posted in Censuses, The Mill on Halfway Brook | 1 Comment

Town of Lumberland, 1820

by Louise Smith Posted on March 13, 2014

Thomas Dunn
James Dunn
Joseph Reynolds
Oliver Calkins
Michael Brannon
Moses Dexter
Joseph Whight
Jacob Maiyat
William H. Skinner
Daniel Roberts
Jonathan Dexter
John Wood
Peter Van Auken
John Dickinson?
Frederick A. Roosa
Archibald Mills
Joseph Drake
Daniel Drake
John Corwin
Samuel Knight
John Riter
Ezekile Tuthill
Samuel C. Tuthill
James Hartwell
Samuel C. Myers Continue reading →

Posted in Censuses, People, The Mill on Halfway Brook | Comments Off on Town of Lumberland, 1820

1810 Lumberland Census

by Louise Smith Posted on March 6, 2014

Stephen Carmichael
Richard Van Etten
Oliver Calkin
Michael Brennen
Jeremiah Lilley
Campbell Allen
Samuel O. Cudington
William Middaugh
Phillip Culp
William Huff
Barnabus Snow
Carey Dunn
Alex Carmichael
Thomas Crumus
Joseph B. Hinckman
George Adiner
Samuel Walker
John Whaley
Cesse Cady
Jonathan Dexter
Henry H. Scott
Thomas Dunn
William Dunn
Sol. D. VanScoten
Charles W. Smith
John VanGelder
Peter Van Auken Continue reading →

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Winter 1945

by Louise Smith Posted on March 1, 2014
February 1945: Looking south from Eldred Four Corners.Photo courtesy of Timothy C. Rizzuto.
Lake View on Highland Lake, February 1945. Photo courtesy of Timothy C. Rizzuto.

Wednesday, January 24, when it was snowing and blowing most of the day, Ella started a Lucky Star tablecloth for Eleanor Bosch. Austin Smith and his son Dale visited the Leavenworths.

Thursday it was 10 below zero in Eldred; and negative 26 at Highland Lake.

The terrible cold and snowy winter weather was referred to in a letter of Charlie Bosch and later in a letter of my dad Arthur Austin.

Charlie Bosch was practically snowed in at Highland Lake when he wrote his grandson Billy Bosch a lively letter at the end of January.

Charlie Bosch, Highland Lake, 
to Willie Bosch, Queens, N.Y.
Sunday, January 28, 1945
Dear Little Billy, Mom, and Pop,
Just now it’s all snow at Green Acres [later called Green Meadows on Highland Lake] and 27 to 25 below. You sure couldn’t stand it as it is so cold.

We have to stay in the house and keep the stove red hot. It’s so cold the Rabvards [Billy’s pronunciation of “rabbits”] won’t come from under the porch. 
I feed them cabbage and frozen apples and rye bread…

There’s so much snow—4 feet in the woods, 30 inches on the fields. Continue reading →

Posted in Farewell to Eldred, World War II | 1 Comment

February 1944

by Louise Smith Posted on February 24, 2014

Wednesday, February 2, Anna Leavenworth walked to the Islip Post Office and bank. She bought two bonds, one for her niece Charlee and one for herself. Then she went to a “brush party” with five others. Monday Anna worked on a relief afghan.

In Eldred on Tuesday, Garfield started to make a violin. Ella sold a pineapple tablecloth for $7. Mary Sergeant was there for the day.

Wednesday Jimmie B. (Anna’s cat) in Islip was no longer on his milk regiment, or soon would be off, as Anna walked to Islip and bought 
a third bond, groceries, and liver for Jimmie.

It was clear and cold on Wednesday in Eldred when James K. Gardner died. (He was buried on Saturday.) James was a great-grandson of James Eldred, and the father of Edna Gardner.

On Valentine’s Day Ella got a letter from Grant Sergeant. She forwarded that letter to Jim.

Goldie got his induction papers on Saturday. Millard Hulse got his induction papers on Sunday.

On Thursday, January 24, Anna in Islip talked to her sister Christina in Eldred.

Monday the Leavenworths got two tons of coal from Mr. Wolff. It cost $23.90.

Posted in Farewell to Eldred, World War II | Comments Off on February 1944

February 1943

by Louise Smith Posted on February 22, 2014

In Eldred on Wednesday, February 3, Ella Leavenworth received her third letter of the month from her son Jim.

“February 4, Guadalcanal is finally in American hands. United States’ first land victory over Japan,” wrote Ella on Thursday.

On Friday there was a letter from Jim and one from Stella.

Friday Aida went for oleo—first to Randolph’s and then to 
the A&P.

It was rainy and terribly icy Saturday when Aida went to Randolph’s for bread. There was a letter from her brother Ell. In the afternoon Robbie Bosch was over.

Saturday Ella received “a lovely letter from Jim.” Jim’s cousin Bill Austin in Mississippi wrote his brother Raymond.

Monday, February 8, was sunny and blustery; Tuesday was cold and icy. Wednesday morning Aida walked to Randolph’s. In the afternoon she went to see Mary Bosch.

“He is sort of blue [sad],” wrote Ella after reading Jim’s letter on Wednesday, February 17.

Thursday the snow was very deep and the weather cold. Katherine Dunlap was able to get to Aida’s, even though the road through the lane was terrible.

Friday morning Katherine gave Aida a number of papers when she visited. In the afternoon Aida went to the A&P and Randolph’s. Continue reading →

Posted in Aida Austin Diary, Farewell to Eldred, World War II | Comments Off on February 1943

February 1942

by Louise Smith Posted on February 18, 2014

Wednesday, February 3, Garfield Leavenworth visited his sister Christina Hirsch.

Thursday Arthur Austin wrote his aunt and uncle from Camp Upton.

Arthur Austin, Camp Upton, N.Y., 
to Lon Austin, Eldred
February 4, 1942
Have been very lucky so far. Hope it continues. Expect to stay here about two more weeks. Art

Friday Alfred and Bessie Hill received a letter from Arthur.

Lon was sick with a sore throat on Saturday, so Aida went to the Village and picked up their mail from Arthur.

Daylight Saving Time began on a very cold Monday, February 9. Chester Middaugh stopped by Lon’s with the church collection, as Lon (the treasurer) had been sick on Sunday.

Mary Bosch stopped by Aida’s with some things of Annie Maier for her. Bill Austin arrived around 11 to take Lon to the store.

It was still cold on Tuesday. Lee Hansen helped Jim cut logs on the Stege Estate.

Wednesday was very cold. But around noon Aida trekked up to the A&P and then the Post Office to send Arthur a picture of Eldred. She stopped at Elizabeth Wilson’s on her way home. It was even colder on Thursday.

The following Monday, February 16, was very icy. In the afternoon, Aida first went to Mae’s, then to the Village to see Frances.

The news from Ella was that Orville Clark had the measles. Continue reading →

Posted in Aida Austin Diary, Farewell to Eldred, People, World War II | Comments Off on February 1942