"There is a Moral and Philosophical respect for our Ancestors which elevates the character and improves the heart." Quote by Daniel Webster. Click here for hundreds of free online genealogy resources. #meme #genealogy #quotes

A Bit of History. The first building ever erected in Wantage township, N.J., stood on the present site of De Camp's hotel, Deckertown. It was built by Peter Decker, a Hollander, who came from the Neversink valley in 1740. The first clearing of land was made on the farm of the late Thomas L. Ludlam... -Port Jervis Evening Gazette 7-11-1885 In 1909, the following obituary was printed, giving an account of his descendants in Port Jervis. Mrs. Catherine Decker Cunningham, widow of Henry C. Cunningham, passed away at 11:30 o'clock A.M., today (Monday), at her late residence on Spring Street, after an illness of several years duration. Stricken with paralysis seven years ago, since that time she has been a patient sufferer. In her long illness her daughter, Miss Henrietta Cunningham was untiring in her care and in her tender and loving devotion did much to solace her mother in her affliction. Mrs. Cunningham was a daughter of Mark and Mary Decker and was born in the township of Wantage, January 17, 1830. She came with her parents to Port Jervis in 1839, and has since resided here. She is a descendant of Peter Decker, who founded Deckertown, N.J., now Sussex, and whose ancestors were among the first settlers of Ulster County and of the Minisink valley region. Mrs. Cunningham was married on March 6, 1855, to Henry Clinton Cunningham, a prominent merchant of Port Jervis, whose demise occurred January 13, 1902. They united early in life with the Presbyterian church of which both were life-long members. Mrs. Cunningham was an earnest Christian woman, devoted to her family, and was held in the highest esteem in this community where the greater part of her life was spent. She is survived by one daughter, Miss Henrietta Cunningham, who resides at home; also by two brothers, William and George Decker, living at Waco, Texas, and two sisters, Miss Susan Decker, and Mary, widow of the late Hon. John D. Biddis, of Washington, D.C. The funeral service will be held at the house, announcement of which will be made tomorrow. -Port Jervis Evening Gazette 6-21-1909 See more Decker history on the Decker page or the "Other Decker" page. #otherdeckers #notablenews #wantage #sussex #navesink #portjervis

Union Springs in Cayuga County, New York, was set apart as a village, from Springport, in 1848. Springport was formed from Scipio and Aurelius in 1823. Scipio was originally settled in 1790. The Cayuga Tocsin was the first newspaper published in Union Springs, published weekly starting in 1811. The Union Springs Advertiser and Cayuga Telegraph (1848-1849) were others. Click here to find free historic newspapers online. I took these photos in 2012, when I took a trip to Union Springs. This (or Springport), is the place my ancestor Charles Russell Leonard was born and supposedly the burial place of his mother, Sophronia. Any information about them would be greatly appreciated! Zoom out to see the location of Springport on the map, near the center of New York State. [Alternate Link] Click here to see more Genealogy Resources. #Leonard #UnionSprings #NewYork #leonard

Sometimes you can find things in newspapers that you're not expecting to find. For example, while browsing through a 1948 newspaper, you wouldn't expect to find a story from 1913, yet here it is. While this is a story about prohibition, small town newspapers often commemorated major events in the personal lives of the locals, too. I remember finding one about my 2nd great-grandfather being struck by lightning in 1916. The story was mentioned again in 1917 and then again in 1936 under the "Twenty Years Ago" column. Normally I wouldn't have clicked on 1936 article among the hundreds of search results, since he died in 1927, but if I hadn't I would have missed that clipping. Keep this in mind next time you're browsing through search results while researching your family's history. Click here for places to find free newspapers online. For more great genealogy tips and resources, click Free Genealogy Resources! "Nineteen barrels of cider, aged in the wood, were destroyed in Ithaca upon order of the State Excise Dept. The cider was seized in a raid at the Dryden Hotel, in Sept. 1908, and had been stored in Ithaca awaiting the court decision. Town of Dryden was called on to pay $300 storage charges, but the town board considered it unreasonable and refused to pay it." - Cortland Democrat, Nov. 26, 1948. #prohibition #notablenews #cortlandcounty #dryden #newyork #prohibition

Jasper Hollenbeck was the father of Rose Hollenbeck, who married Albert J. Leonard. The following is a collection of most of the newspaper articles I've found about Jasper and his family. See more on the Hollenbeck page. #hollenbeck #jasperhollenbeck #nicholashollenbeck

Looking for old newspapers from New York State? You're in luck! First, grab a cup of coffee. Then, try these: NYS Historic Newspapers - Over 4.1 million pages to search - and growing! FultonHistory.com - Don't let the name fool you. This site is phenomenal and free! For best results, use Internet Explorer. This way when you arrive at a newspaper, you can use the CTRL F feature to find the name/word on the page quickly. There are more! Check the Newspapers page to see what else is available. #NewYork #newspapers #centralnewyork #nystate #historicalnewspapers

"Wednesday evening, Oct. 14, Mr. A. T. Decker, teacher of our public school, was united in marriage to Miss May, daughter of our pastor, Rev. W. A. Webster. The Rev. H. B. Edwards performed the ceremony." - Warwick Dispatch 10-22-1885 "The Charges Sustained - The charges against the Rev. H. B. Edwards, of "unchristian and unministerial conduct," brought by Rev. W. R. Webster, of Sugar Loaf, for marrying the daughter of the latter to Albert T. Decker, Oct. 14 last, without her parents' knowledge or consent, were sustanined to-day by decision of the clergy and laymen before whom the case came up. The penalty - a nomenal one - is that Mr. Edwards be suspended from and deprived of his ministerial functions and privileges for the period of six months." - Warwick Dispatch 12-30-1885 See more about the Deckers in #otherdeckers #sugarloaf #notablenews

The earliest people known to live in Summerhill, New York, were the Onondaga, part of the Iroquois Confederacy. After the American Revolution, the region became part of the Central New York Military Tract, land awarded to soldiers for their part in liberating America from British control. Since then, it has undergone several name and boundary changes. Originally called Milton, while Cayuga County was still a part of Onondaga County, the region was first part of Genoa (settled in 1791). Genoa was divided in 1802, forming Locke. Groton was formed from Locke in 1817 and Summerill was formed from Locke in 1831, but was called "Plato" at the time The name was changed to Summerhill the following year, in 1832. Summerhill was named after the town of Summerhill in County Meath, Ireland. Summerhill Cemetery, located on Route 90, is located half a mile east of Salt Road in Summer Hill. Burials from 1806 to 1905 are recorded. Use this Google street view to tour Summerhill. Head left to go toward town! Click here to see more free genealogy resources or here to see more family memorabilia! 1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summerhill,_County_Meath 2. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summerhill,_New_York 3. History of Cayuga County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, by Storke, Elliot G., 1811-1879. #summerhill #cayugacounty #Leonard #NewYork #leonard #upstatenewyork #centralnewyork #partheniastanton #sophroniaburrill

​ H.W. Leonard of the Port Byron foundry has quite a contract for the manufacture of iron wheels for wheelbarrow use. - Evening Auburnian 1-8-1878 Could he have been a brother or relative of Russel Leonard who went missing in 1833? See the Leonard page for more information on Russel. #ironworker #blacksmith #Leonard #PortByron #otherleonards #henryleonard

Following are three newspaper clippings documenting the marriage of Rose Hollenbeck and Albert Jay Leonard. He was the son of Lewis Leonard and Cora Sherman. Rose was the daughter of Jasper Hollenbeck and Mary E. McGinnis. See the Leonard page and the Hollenbeck page for more. These images and more family memorabilia are included in Leonard Road. #Leonard #Hollenbeck #AlbertJayLeonard #leonard #rosehollenbeck

Margaret A. Dickinson Reese had both English and American roots. Over 100 of her ancestors have been identified and all the information contributed and found is now available for all to enjoy! See "Ancestors of Margaret A. Dickinson". I created this "tree" for the book. It is still growing - perhaps a future edition will restore more branches and add new branches. For more on this family, see the Dickinson page. #reynolds #robinson #griffith #mayo #strong #newell #hazard #ballard #thomas #merauch #williams #westcott #hart #arnold #merchante #dickinson #margaretdickinson

Finally! After 14 years of research, and one year of putting it all together, a new book is born! "Ancestors of Margaret A. Dickinson" is a compilation of all lots of interesting things about Margaret's ancestors. Available in hardcover or paperback, get your copy by clicking here! #dickinson #myblog #genealogy #scrapbook #dickinsonphotos #familytree

​ These newspaper clippings from the Cincinnatus Times, Cincinnatus, New York, refers to R. L. Leonard as follows: Thursday, March 11, 1909 - R.L. Leonard, the jeweler and optician, will return from Fulton the first of the week and may be found at his jewelry store to give prompt attention to all business in his line. Thursday, August 5, 1909 - R.L. Leonard of Binghamton was in town the first of the week, accompanied by E.O. Rought, of that city. Mr. Rought is to succeed Mr. Leonard in the jewelry business here, the latter having decided to devote his time to optical work. #Leonard #Cincinnatus #NewYork #leonard #cortlandcounty

News clippings pertaining to Mary Leonard in Locke and Groton, possibly Mary "Polly" Brown Leonard who married Charles Russell Leonard. See the Leonard page or Leonard Road for more. #Leonard #leonard

This book appears to have the story of our English uncle. The only copy I can find is $67.95, quite a hefty price. Maybe someday.... The Butcher's Children and the Dickinson diaspora: a brief history of a Sheffield family by Peter Edgar Barker, 2011. Anyone owning a copy, please share clues!! A family history written by John Dickinson and Beatrice Polite in 1982 gives the following information, which leads me to believe there is a connection to my Dickinson family from Sheffield: "This tea pot which houses this family tree write up, belonged to your Great, Great, Great Grandmother, on the Dickinson side. From conversations which were passed down it seems, that this grandmother had a boyfriend, who may have been a seafaring man. He brought her this tea pot from the Orient when she was 18 years and he later became her husband. It is presumed that his family name was Dickinson. They had three sons; John Dickinson, William Dickinson & a third son, who later on embarked to New Zealand or Australia to make his fortune." Furthermore, Rose Dickinson's autograph book from her 1937 trip to England was signed by several Dickinsons and the signature of one "E.C. Luzney, New Zealand" probably provides a clue, though the connection has yet to be made. #dickinson

This pay stub I found on Archive.org shows a Corporal's pay was $13 per month. "William H. Yerkes" is listed in the History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Vol. 3, p. 29. The pay stub shows his salary was $13 per month. He was paid for 1 month 18 days, receiving $20.80. (Clicking the image will take you to Archive.org) According to CPI Inflation Calculator, $20.80 in 1862 had the purchasing power of $517.13 in 2018. #notablenews #civilwar #military

Help keep MyGenealogyAddiction.com up and running for years to come! Your support is appreciated! Click here to donate! For those without a PayPal account, look for this option: #myblog #genealogy #donations #support

This clipping is from the Farmer Review, Farmer, New York, 5-18-1895. Boys in Geneva, Ontario County, New York, terrorizing cyclists and mail bombs invented. #notablenews

Check out Martial Deeds of Pennsylvania for biographies and details of Pennsylvania men in the Civil War. Written by Samuel P. Bates in 1875, the book contains biographies of hundreds of men and illustrations of many. Two volumes, below. Volume 1: Volume 2: See more Civil War resources and Pennsylvania Resources! #civilwar #pennsylvania #military

I am trying to find a photograph of my ancestor, Josiah M. Reese of Pennsylvania, who fought in the Civil War. I have found so many great photos - but none of Josiah. He was a Private in the 203rd Regiment Pennsylvania Infantry. Here are three videos containing Pennsylvania soldiers of the Civil War. Honor these brave men with a thumbs up! If you know where to find Civil War photos, please comment below! #civilwar #pennsylvania #photos #military

#America #patriotic #song

#memes #meme #patriotic #America

Mr. and Mrs. E. N. Leonard, their daughter and son Clarence, of Savannah, left this morning on their cruiser, the "Seneca", for Port Byron by way of the Erie canal. The "Seneca" was built entirely by Clarence Leonard. - Syracuse Herald 8-6-1909 #otherleonards #notablenews #clarenceleonard #inventor #invention

How tragic, this story of a man found dead in his dory at sea. #notablenews

What could go wrong at a funeral? This. This is what happened at the funeral of Michael Corbett in Syracuse, New York, 1908. Rest in peace, Mr. Corbett. #notablenews

"John Leonard, chief bellboy at the Redstone Hotel, Oswego, accidentally shot off the first finger of his left hand while handling a revolver yesterday." #notablenews

Geoge W. Leonard, of Port Byron, has just completed a new style of barrel. It is made of compressed straw pulp and is moulded instead of rolled. The manner of making and the shape of the barrel are entirely new, nothing of the kind having been successfully accomplished before. It presents a very handsome appearance, is strong and at the same time quite light, will contain either solids or liquids, and can be manufactured at a much less expense than ordinary wooden barrel. - Syracuse Daily Courier 9-13-1875 #otherleonards

After her husband, Charles Decker, died in 1909, Lydia (Mayo) Decker was left with six children. She married a man by the name of Abram Lott six years later. The marriage record is shown below. Prior to their marriage, Abram was featured in the local news around the area. The following are articles about Abram and his counterparts, which made the family infamous in Orange County, New York. Abram undoubtedly served jail time for 3rd degree arson. He doesn't appear again in the news until years later. Just how long his sentence was is unknown but on November 24, 1915, eleven years after the sentencing, he married my 2nd great-grandmother, Lydia (Mayo) Decker and became step-father to her six children. Her oldest child, Delaphina, was 17, and her youngest was about six or seven years old. Abram and Lydia's marriage record states that it was his first marriage but if Abram is the "Abe Lott" mentioned in the April 30, 1903 article above, this was actually his 2nd marriage. The article states that Nettie Conklin had been married to Lott for two years. Furthermore, since Lydia married first to Halloway Ames, and second to Charles Decker, this was actually her 3rd marriage. They were married on November 24, 1915, in Warwick, New York. It had been six years since Charles had died. Exactly six months after they were married, Abram was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for deserting his wife and children. "Other charges were also pressed". What charges were they? A visit to the County Courthouse may prove to be insightful. A visit to the library for a better copy of the newspaper with his photo would be interesting to see, too. The following month, in December of 1916, Lydia was admitted at the Orange County Poorhouse, as evidenced in the following record: Nevertheless, in 1918, when Abram ("Abraham") completed his draft registration card in 1918, he lists "Lidda" as his wife. In 1920, Lydia was counted on the census in Warwick (Edenville). She was 51, and lived with her sons, Norman Decker (age 16), Theodore Decker (age 12), and Herbert Decker (age 9). For more information and photos, see Lydia's page. See also the Mayo page and the Decker page. #decker #lott #mayo

Agnes Dickinson was born on January 3, 1916, the daughter of Delaphina (Decker) Dickinson and step-daughter of William Henry Dickinson. Agnes' father has yet to be indentified. Delaphina's father, Charles Decker, died in May of 1909, from pneumonia. In 1910, Delaphina was counted on the census in Warwick, New York, in the home of Dr. Charles W. Many. She was a "Servant", 13 years of age. Her mother and brothers still lived in Warwick as well. Sometime around 1920 Delaphina attended Bethel Bible Institute in Newark, New Jersey, where she met her husband, William Henry Dickinson, who she married in Newark on the 8th of October, 1925. When the census was taken in 1930, the family lived in Oakland, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, and Agnes' name was written "Della A. Decker". Agnes married Rev. Miles A. Snowman, pastor of Glens Falls Pentecostal Church, Glens Falls, New York. He was born on the 9th of June, 1911, the son of Albert Snowman of Cumberland Center, Maine. Miles died on the 7th of March, 1970, in Pinellas County, Florida. She later married Morris T. Pompeii, shown here, along with news articles pertaining to Agnes and Miles. Agnes died in Pinellas Park, Florida, on February 10, 2001. Morris & Agnes Pompeii with Elisabeth Dickinson (wife of Agnes' brother, James Dickinson). #dickinson #decker

Try searching for Lydia Decker in any newspaper index and almost any one of them will find this story. I was glad to confirm that this wasn't the Lydia Decker I was looking for. In summary, Mrs. Lydia Decker lived in Elkhart, Indiana, with her sons, Fred, Calvin, Arthur, and Virgil. Virgil befriended a man by the name of LeRoy Lovett, who resembled Virgil in appearance. On March 12, 1921, Lovett's body was found, near dead, on the train tracks 12 miles west of Warsaw, Indiana, and the initial belief was that he had been struck by a passing train. He died soon after and the body was identified by Lydia Decker who claimed it was her son, Virgil Decker. Her other son, Fred, also claimed it was Virgil Decker. Meanwhile, Lovett's parents claimed the body belonged to their son, LeRoy. The Deckers insisted, but eventually admitted their error. Another autopsy was performed and it was discovered that Lovett died from other wounds, not associated with the train. To make a long story short, Virgil Decker later admitted that he killed Lovett, put his own clothes on him, and then placed the body on the train tracks to cover up the evidence. There was $24,000 in life insurance policies taken on Virgil's life, and the plan was to fake his death to allow his family to collect the money. Unfortunately for Lovett, there was nothing fake about his death. His life was rendered worthless by greed and selfishness. Virgil Decker was sentenced to life in prison. Lydia Decker received the same sentence but was released on her own recognizance and according to The Elkhart Truth, January 20, 1922 edition, the charges agains Lydia and her other son, Calvin Decker, were dismissed. This clipping is from the Albuquerque Evening Herald, New Mexico, June 1, 1921. LeRoy Lovett and his wife are shown at top above Virgil Decker and his mother, Lydia, at bottom. Click here for more Decker news #otherdeckers #notablenews #lydiamayo