Grocery Account Book, 1900–1906

by Louise Smith Posted on April 20, 2012
1900 Grocery booklet in the collection of Mary A.

Mr. Mort Austin in account with Mr. Turner. Fine Groceries, Flour of all grades, Selected Teas, Pure Coffees, and Spices, Butter and Cheeses From the Best Dairies. Foreign and Domestic Fruits, Canned fruits and vegetables. And a full variety of other goods usually kept in a first class store. Goods promptly delivered free of expense.

1 can apricots .25
1 baking powder .20
1 can beef .25
10# butter 2.50
2 lb. cake .20
1 chicken .65
1 box cinnamon .10
3# cod .10
1# coffee .18 to .25
2 cocoa .20 to .25
1 can corn .10
Continue reading →

Posted in Echo Hill and Mountain Grove, Letters and information | Comments Off on Grocery Account Book, 1900–1906

Anne Mary Austin Schoonover and her niece Aida Austin

by Louise Smith Posted on April 18, 2012
Anne Mary Austin Schoonover. Photo courtesy of Kathy T.
Aida Austin as a young girl. Photo courtesy of Kathy T.

Anne Mary Austin married Oliver Perry (O.P.) Schoonover in 1846. Anne was quite sickly at least as early as 1857. In December of 1863 Anne wrote to her sister Laura Austin Clark:

Four weeks yesterday, I was taken sick with the bilious fever, very sick. The day before I was very smart, so Perry went down the River and was gone a week. I was down all the time, but nights I kept getting worse. On Saturday, they thought I would not live for a while…A.M. Schoonover.

Anne’s niece Aida Austin was not quite 4 when her aunt Anne Mary Schoonover died at the age of 37 in August 1864. Perry and Anne had no children.

Two years after his first wife’s death, Perry Schoonover, 46, married Mary Murray Parker, 30, a widow with 3 children: George, Kate, and Laura.

Perry and Mary Murray Parker Schoonover had two of their own children: Emily and Rowlee (Daniel Rowlee) Schoonover. Continue reading →

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

Stories from behind the scenes

by Louise Smith Posted on April 17, 2012
Marion, Russ, Peggy, and Louise after a great afternoon of telling and hearing stories about the Town of Highland.

Part of the enjoyment of working on the Halfway Brook Books is meeting and corresponding (almost always by email) with relatives and descendants of the people who once lived in The Town of Highland or nearby.

So you might understand my excitement this past weekend at meeting both past and future contributors in person.

On Saturday I visited with Marion, Russ and Peggy (pictured above) in Scottsdale. Marion used to live in the Town of Highland and her family owned Handsome Eddy Farm. Marion knew my mother’s family.

Russ grew up in Pond Eddy and his wife Peggy’s family stayed at one the boarding houses near Highland Lake each summer. I happily listened to their stories from the 1920s through the present.

It will take another post to tell the story of my almost cousin John (a major contributor to Echo Hill and Mountain Grove) who visited Gary and I here in Cave Creek on Friday.

John’s first email arrived around February 2010. He answered a question I had written the previous year on my family site: Who was Emily Waidler who wrote a letter in 1944 to my great-aunt Aida Austin and called her cousin?

This was the start to unravel the Austin/Schoonover/Parker mystery.

Posted in Echo Hill and Mountain Grove, The Mill on Halfway Brook, Then or now | 2 Comments

Becker’s Grove House

by Louise Smith Posted on April 15, 2012
Becker's Grove where the Austin "The Pines" once stood. Courtesy of Chuck M.

My Austin grandparents’ third boarding house which they called “The Pines” was set in this triangle of land at one time called Becker’s Pine Grove.

Grandpa purchased the house from Margaret Hellman around 1935. Around 1920 a young widow, Eleanora Seibert Alston (later Parker) lived in the house.

I have not been able to locate a photo of this house. I wonder if anyone might have a photo.

Posted in Info/photo request | Comments Off on Becker’s Grove House

Mongaup Cemetery 2012

by Louise Smith Posted on April 12, 2012
Mongaup Cemetery April 2012. Photo courtesy of Darlene H.

Updated information from Darlene H.
This cemetery is in Orange County. From Barryville take Route 97 towards Port Jervis. At Mongaup, County Road 31 intersects 97 at the left. Continue straight and go over the bridge. Immediately to the left is a parking lot.

The cemetery is DEC property now, and only accessed after April 1, I think.

There is a beautiful trail (you would have the river on your left) while walking. You will see the abutment where the old bridge use to be. Also quite a ways back you will come upon this little cemetery and also foundations from homes, etc.

Immediately just past that, there is a steeper grade which I climbed. This took you up to a higher level. In the clearing up there is supposed to be another cemetery.

If you keep going on that path, you would eventually come out by the power house at the dam.

Posted in Then or now | 3 Comments

1900: Jobs people did in the Town of Highland

by Louise Smith Posted on April 11, 2012

Jobs in 1900: day laborer, railroad laborer, mason, pastor, hotel keeper, telegraph operator, dressmaker, blacksmith, butcher, hostler (takes care of guest’s horses), teamster, merchant, farmer, carpenter, teacher, salesman, barber, stone cutter, house painter, servant, telegraph lineman, miller, stone cutter, weaver of carpets, mail carrier, sawyer, traveling salesman, wood carver, and housekeeper.—1900 United States, Town of Highland Census.

Posted in Echo Hill and Mountain Grove | Comments Off on 1900: Jobs people did in the Town of Highland

End of year 1899

by Louise Smith Posted on April 10, 2012
Photo taken at the end of the year in 1899. The young ladies are unknown. Photo in the original collection of Lillie Austin Calkin, thanks to Dot H. and Kathy T.

This is one of my favorite photos in Echo Hill and Mountain Grove.

Book 3 Update:
I have organized a good portion of all my files (we’re talking LOTS! of info and photos) and have a start on collecting photos for Book 3 into one folder. Next will be collecting Book 3 information files into one place—after I get the 1940 Highland Census typed up (I’m half way through).

I am continuing to “meet” (through email) Town of Highland residents who are contributing more photos and information, which will be a great addition to the book.

I am looking forward to this weekend when I will have a chance to talk with Highland residents who live here in Arizona during the winter.

Slowly, Book 3 is starting to come together.

Posted in Echo Hill and Mountain Grove | Comments Off on End of year 1899