Wading through the Wades

Eddy E. Wade

Eddy E. Wade at Bainbridge Feed Store

Calvin Wade Almon Hoag Ben Phetteplace

To complete a family history is a challenge and as most genealogists know it is never done. We try to collect as much family history of Guilford as we can to help others searching for the same lineage. A Mr. Scott has been interested in the Wade family and gave us an insight to one of the first Wade families in Guilford as well as a Ms. Shampang. This past week more Wade information came by way of a member and his son a neighbor. If you have Ezek or Isaac Wade in your family you may tie into Guilford. We have begun to think all families. at one time or other, tie in some place here form the information we have collected in the past 10 years!

We have also had some of the best information come from our secretary as she purchased some eBay albums of several Guilford families. Which I mentioned this before with the Cornell post. But, at the time we were still in the process of scanning and saving the information, and what a find it was! There were treasures of letters as well as many labeled photos and, of course those unknowns. This collection of photos included many other family links as the Hoags and Phetteplace family. More than once we have discovered "we are all related" somehow.

Coon, Cornell and Delavan...Oh My!

Dr. Lewis Coon

George Henry Delavan's Blacksmith Shop

Ardie (Ives) Fleming Cornell

Charles Daniel Cornell Family

Since Tom is the town historian, we get many visitors to our house, emails and phone request for genealogy information. We learn from the seekers as well as trading information we have with them. This past week a fellow came by seeking the name Coon. We did not have much to help him and thought maybe the historian in Gilbertsville could. He came back to show us what he obtained from searching all the way to Sodus, NY. What we learned from him, gave us a new resident doctor. Dr. Lewis Coon was in training with Dr. John Yale of Mt. Upton and our seeker obtained, on his week long quest, a diary to prove it. Was he ever lucky and we actually drooled over his findings.

Also this week has proven to be quite eye opening as we have obtained some great photos through ebay. Our secretary is ever on the alert and helped us and the Bainbridge Historian get a couple of photo albums and misc. materials of the Edgar Leroy Cornell descendants plus others. His son married Ardie (Ives) Fleming and the family trickles down from there.

Today a couple stopped in to the house by the name of Delavan. Tom was truly in historian ecstasy when shown a photo of George H. Delavan's blacksmith shop on Merchant St. I was thrilled to receive the genealogy of the Delavan Family and some group family photos. Life as an historian can't get any better than this.

Roots Corners School House update

It's beginning to look real nice, thanks to Ken Carney, Doug and Karen Todd, John Warner, Joel and Bruce Scott , Tina and Ed Pabst and anyone I might have missed for this new progress. Maybe it will be done in time for this semester? Only kidding. But, Tom has his lessons ready so I guess we will have to find some children or those who pretend to be kids again..see photo.

Cemetery Book Covers

Godfrey Cemetery back cover

Here are the book covers of the cemetery books and I have included Whispering Stones which gives history and directions to each cemetery.

Fleshing Out the Bones

One of the GHS projects has been to read all of the stones of our 22 cemeteries (23 with Lady Upton the famous race horse). Once the data has been collected the plans were to publish a data base of each including some history of the cemetery and the people who rest there. We have collected over a thousand photographs of residents who once lived in each area. That includes all of the 8 hamlets of the Town of Guilford. We have included some of photos of people in each book. To date we have printed Guilford Center Cemetery-Guilford Center, Sunset Hill Cemetery-Guilford, Maplewood Cemetery-Mt. Upton, Yaleville Cemetery-Yaleville and the latest is Godfrey Corners Cemetery. The historical society offers these at $20.00 each-$15,00 for members. If interested you may send a check to GHS, Box 201, Guilford, NY 13870. Note: Maplewood Cemetery is currently being updated to include more genealogy information. All proceeds go to the Historical Society to help preserve the history of the Town of Guilford.

Family Histories to Share

Daniel S. Dickinson

As Tom is Guilford Town Historian we get a lot of requests for genealogy information of past residents of the Township of Guilford. Many folks do not realize how large the township really is and sometimes confused with the change in names. Guilford was once part of Oxford until 1817. It was once called Fayette and Eastern. So, if family history mentions these names it is still the Town of Guilford, Chenango County. The other problem occurs with the 8 hamlets within the township; Mt. Upton, Rockdale, Rockwell Mills, Yaleville, Latham's Corners, East and North Guilford, and Guilford. Mt. Upton, Rockwell Mills, Rockdale, Latham Corners and East Guilford are the river hamlets. Located by the Unadilla River these hamlets ,usually referred to as in the Town of Guilford, can sometimes be confusing as the hamlets extended across the river. Once across the river, depending which hamlet you were in could be the Town of Butternuts, Otsego County or the Town of Unadilla. But, folks back in the early days didn't have the boundaries marked out as today.


Our biggest problem associated with research of the early residents is that, as in most of New York State, town records of birth, death and marriages began 1883. So, resources before that year rely on early church records, deeds, maps, wills and books such as Smith's History. We now have created a database that we are inputting information as we find it to be able to eek out some of the information of the early settlers. Cemetery data bases have also been created, another source. The GHS has read all of the stones of the 22 cemeteries of Guilford and are publishing books of the data bases with early history and some photos of the folks buried there. At a later date I will list what has been published and include photos of some of the cemeteries and our early residents.


The GHS has worked really hard at researching and preserving our history. Obituary books have been created for each cemetery to go along with the data bases. 15 scrapbooks have been donated or copied and indexed. Church records are still being sought. We also have over 30 genealogies donated by various individuals that we have helped "dig up" their roots. We have a computer library of photos of many early residents, including the river hamlets and are still adding to it. Our biggest project is collecting photos of the early houses and businesses of Guilford. Preserving the Root's Corners School is also a major project establishing our dedication to the preservation of the history of the Town of Guilford.

Ye Old Schoolhouse

GHS committee chair, Ken Carney, members Doug Todd, John Warner, Bruce and Joel Scott, Tom Gray and others have been diligently working to restore the Roots Corners School House-Dist #15. Herman (Jim) Carney has been financially supporting the project and has helped when in the area. The Carney brothers mother went to this school when a young girl. Other fund raising as a bake sale at our Summer Social earned some funds to also help with purchasing materials. Member Ken Ryan of Canal Street Hardware in Oxford also has donated materials. We have recently had an identification of a 1910 photo that being the Roots Corners School. Tania Benkovitz donated the school about 3 years ago and work had been slow up until now. Here are some photos. The 1910 photo, before work and during work. If you would like to donate funds, work or materials contact Ken Carney at kcarney95925@roadrunner.com. We still are looking for photos of children that went to the school. The school was abandoned in 1929. So, there should be some.

Guilford Historical Society 10th Year Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to the Guilford Historical Society. We have over 150 members now from all over the United States. I hope to keep members posted on this blog. A news letter goes out 2 times per yesr but there is never enough room to include everything. Members also receive the monthly minutes but, Tom and I and other members are constantly researching geneaology and other history of Guilford that may be of interest and here we can share photos with you. So, this is the first entry.
Come one and all and invite guests:

The Guilford Historical Society’s annual dinner will be held on Wednesday evening, September 24, 2008, 6 p.m. at the Old Mill in Rockwell’s Mills. The cost per dinner is $16 and includes salad, eight selection salad and relish tray, home-made bread and rolls, potato and two vegetables, dessert, and beverage, as well as tax and gratuity. We will have four dinner choices including Chicken Old Mill, broiled ham steak, shrimp in beer batter, and beef burgundy. Reservations are needed by September 20. Call Tina Pabst at 895-6131 or e mail at stonecroft@citlink.net or call Gertie Pierce Boyd at 895-6475. Please pay at the door with cash or check made out to the Guilford Historical Society. A the same time, it is a good opportunity to renew your membership or join GHS. Dues are $10 single, $15 family.

This is a special occasion as it marks our 10 years as a society. Please try and attend. Our presentation will reflect highlights of the past decade with a Power Point slide show.