Saturday, June 10, 2023

SMITH HALSTEAD HILDRETH

A life full of trials

 

 I was "surfing" a genealogy site today that indicated there were new databases to play with. I found a small notice in the Star Gazette (Elmira New York) 1 December 1893, pg 5 about my 2nd Great Grandfather, Smith Halstead Hildreth. He was 66 years old.

 


I had not seen a report of this accident earlier.  I knew he had a small fruit stand and was blind. He was 38 on the 1865 census and listed as "blind."  I wondered why he was blind at so young an age? But, how could I find out?  It isn't that easy, but if you stick with something and don't give up, there may be a way.... 

I followed Smith's history through census records, land records, and newspapers, but I wasn't able to find anything about it.  In 1865, he borrowed money from his father-in-law and others to start a grocery store in Wellsburg, New York.  It didn't appear to exist very long; he was sued by creditors for payment of debts about 1867. Below is his picture at approximately 37 years of age.


I just couldn't let this rest.  I had to find out why he was blind.  I couldn't imagine being a farmer with several children and being blind.  I looked for years. One day, yet again, I decided to simply do a Google search on his name. Since it's an unusual name, there wouldn't be too many listings.  Shockingly, a congressional record showed up listing his name!  Why would my ancestor who farmed tobacco show up in a congressional record?  To get more detail, I had to go to the National Archives in Washington, D.C. or find a professional genealogist to go there to research for me. I found one who lived in Maryland, not far from Washington, D.C. who agreed to look up the record.

After two visits to the archives, she emailed me a note and said, 

"You won't believe what I've found! I know why he was blind!  He wrote a letter outlining everything.  I'm not going to tell you what he said until you see it yourself, but I believe the letter he wrote was written just for you!" The next day I received a packet. She was right. As I read the letter he dictated in 1875, I felt like Smith, indeed, was talking to me.  The hand written letters follow:

Statement of Smith H. Hildreth of Southport Chemung County State of New York as to the loss of his sight while in the employ of the US Government


"I was born in Orange Co State of New York January 20, 1827 and removed with my Father's Family in 1838 to Bradford Co Pa. and from there in 1868 to the Town of Southport in the Village of Wellsburgh Chemung County N.Y. where I resided at the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion.
In 1862 I commenced raising a company of Soldiers for a Volunter Regiment to go into the service of the Govt. and raised thirty men who went in the Service but I was rejected by the Examiner on account of my teeth & was thrown out-greatly to my disappointment. On the 6th day of March A.D. 1863 I went into the employ of Joseph Farren [Farrand] in the Construction Corps-for building Bridges for the Army as a Carpenter and Commenced work at Alexandria Va-loading Rail Road Cars onto Canal Boats to be transported to Acqui Creek from there we took the same Cars to Potomac Creek where we built a Bridge across the Potomac Creek after and we built a Bridge over Bull Run and went from point to point as directed until we reached the Rapahanneck-where we lay some time & from thence we went to Fredericksburg where we were under fire for about 4 days & then were ordered back to Alexandria and after a time were ordered into Pennsylvania with the Army under Mead-in June & July 1863 - and were employed in building Bridges till some time after the Battle of Gettesburgh and then we returned to Alexandria where we were sent out on the Orange and Alexandria Rail Road to ??the ?? and build bridges until we reached Warrenton Jun str?  where we established our tents and while here ran out on the cars & built a bridge across the Rapahannic at Rapahnnoc station and just as the bridge was completed the Rebels came up on the other side & we were ordred to retreat. I was at work fixing ties for a track on the bridge when the order came to unload the timber from the cars & run it back. This timber was 3 inch plank 16 inches wide and about 30 feet long. One of these timbers I am told fell onto me and came near crushing my head & did fracture my skull & pressed my eyes out of my head so that they lay on my cheeks. I was wholly unconsious for over two days and when I came to myself I was in the Hospital at Alexandria. From the Hospital I was sent hom.  This was in August. My eyes were very week compelling me to wear glasses. In the latter part of Sept. I went back with the view of continuing my work-but after 8 or ten days I found my eyes saw bad I was advised to return from the field to the City of Washington Where I had an easier job. But my eyes were still troubling me and on the first of Nov I was sent home. My last work had been building a Mess house out of lumber that had been used in a hospital and the men insisted that I had the smell of small pox and some of them refused to workon that account.

I found myself sick before I reached home-so that it was with great difficulty I reached home--It turned out that I had variolois [variola--small pox] and the result was that all my children six in number were taken down with small pox & suffered with it the natural way., they never having been vaccinated--My eyes in the meantime had gradually grown worse till one of them became totally blind during my sickness and the other eye gradually faded out till I became totally blind about 2 years after quitting the service of the Government and have remained blind until this tim and am advised by professional men that there is no possibility of my eyes regaining my sight

Having lost my sight in the Service of the Government during a Campaign of camping out & hardship equal to that of the solider and even more severe many times and account of exposure in the water and in the storms days together _?__--I feel that the same Government ought to assist me in providing for my family & for myself.

All of which is respectfully submitted"







The packet included several letters from his fellow corp members describing the accident that took his sight.  The letter by Smith was 6 pages long. He says, on this first page, that he could not enlist in the Union troops because of his teeth. Soldiers had to be able to use their front and eye teeth to pull off the covering on the powder and ball that went into their muskets. (I'm not an expert on guns, so forgive the terminology).  Obviously, he did not have enough teeth to do it. He desperately wanted to serve (possibly for the money) so he joined the Construction Corp and spent his time building and rebuilding bridges and railroads that were destroyed by the Confederacy. He had tried several times to obtain a pension for his disability, but they only gave pensions to soldiers.

Below, I included the rest of his letter, so you, too, could know what happened in his life.  There are some surprises in the next few pages.  If you would like a full history of Smith Hildreth, please let me know and I'll send you a copy. 















Saturday, April 3, 2021

Captain Elnathan Tobey (Toby) 

First recorded climb of Mt. Toby in Franklin County, MA

By Sandra Hildreth Ball[1]

 

 ( This is my 6th Great grandfather)

    Mt. Toby is located near Leverett and Sunderland, Massachusetts. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Toby ) It rises 1,269 feet and includes diverse types of plants, including rare orchids and many species of ferns. On the east side are a series of waterfalls, pools, potholes, chutes, and cascades.  Mt. Toby is a favorite place for biking, hiking and studying various plant species. The University of Amherst conducts a state demonstration forest on the mountain.

    My project over the last 25 years has been the study of descendants of Thomas Tobey (sometimes spelled Toby) who arrived in Sandwich about 1640.

    Eventually this research led to Mt. Toby, a low mountain near Conway, Massachusetts. Various statements and articles claimed Mt. Toby was named for a man named Elnathan Toby, who was the first settler to climb the mountain. The description varied slightly in different sources, such as Equitreking.com, Masslive.com, Wikipedia, gorp.com, etc., but most of the references simply repeated from each other. Almost all of them included one or more of the following three commonalities:

 ·        “Col. Elnathan Toby of Leverett, Mass, a haughty warrior of the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars”[2]

·        “Captain Elnathan Toby, first Caucasian man to climb the mountain.”[3]

·        “Captain Elnathan Toby, a settler from Colonial Springfield.”[4]

However, until now, an original source has not been available that would explain who he was. I have found strong evidence that Elnathan Tobey (Toby) who was born January 11, 1727/28 in Dartmouth, MA and died June 11, 1803 in Conway, MA is the Elnathan described:

 1.     No other Elnathan Tobey (Toby) is listed in thousands of available New England records for 1640-1770.

2.     Elnathan Tobey was an Ensign in the French and Indian War, becoming a Captain in 1771.

3.     He purchased land in Conway and most likely explored the area before moving his family there.

    Elnathan was born January 11, 1727/28 in Dartmouth, MA to Zacheus Tobey and Sarah Pope.[5] He married Deborah Taber September 3, 1749, daughter of John Taber and Phebe Spooner.[6] Some of his major activities can be summarized in a short timeline:

1762 Ensign Elnathan Tobey, 2nd Reg of Militia in the county of Bristol[7]

1771 Captain Elnathan Tobey 1st Dartmouth 2nd Regt[8]

·       1777 sold 100 acres in Dartmouth[9]

·        1777 purchased 100 acres in Conway[10]

·        Loaned money to the government for the Revolution Serial set (no. 4001-4500)[11]

    I have not yet located the actions of the 2nd Regiment of Militia in 1762. It may be possible Elnathan’s regiment operated north of Dartmouth in either of his assignments. Certainly, he became aware of the new lands opening up after the French and Indian War, an area that was set off from Deerfield, surveyed and divided into 141 lots, averaging 150 acres each.[12] Lots were sold and settled rapidly, and in 1767 the land was separated from Deerfield and incorporated as the Town of Conway.  Elnathan purchased 100 acres there December 31, 1777 and another 55 acres October 3, 1778.[13] 

    As Conway is only 11 walking miles[14] distant from Mt. Toby, it is reasonable to expect Elnathan Tobey is the man who decided to climb that mountain and let the neighbors know what he saw.

 [1] Sandra Hildreth Ball is a genealogy researcher with focus on the Tobey (Toby) name. She has written three books on Tobey’s and an article on Zaccheus Tobey (Elnathan’s son) for the NEHGR https://www.americanancestors.org/DB202/i/11710/231/23516914

[3] Amherst Journal Record, Thursday, 14 Nov. 1963

[4] “Mt. Toby Cabin,” Lost UMass, accessed February 1, 2021, https://lostumass.omeka.net/items/show/31

[5] Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850 (Online Database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2010). Dartmouth Vol 1 p 277

[6] “Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988” Ancestry.com; Dartmouth Vital Records

[7] Colonial Soldiers and Officers in New England, 1620-1775. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2013). https://www.americanancestors.org/DB494/i/236077607; Massachusetts Archives Collection Vol. 99 p53; French and Indian War.

[8] Zephaniah W. Pease, History of New Bedford, 3 volumes (Lewis Historical Publishing, 1918) Volume 3: p 11.  Massachusetts Archives Collection Vol. 99 p 53; List of officers commanded for the 2nd Regiment of the militia 1st company of Dartmouth in the county of Bristol, July 1771, Captain Elnathan Toby, 1st Lieutenant Samuel Pope, 2nd Lieutenant Elnathan Sampson, Ensign Chillingworth Foster; This Regiment probably was raised because of the Boston Massacre and growing unrest in the colonies.

[9] Dartmouth Land records, Vol 59, p 434,435

[10] ibid

[11] Report of Daughters of the American Revolution; Unpublished list of Massachusetts citizens who loaned money to the Government during the Revolution, p 342

[12] Conway 1767-1917, ed. Deanne Lee, (Town of Conway 1967), p 6

[13] Hampshire Indian Lands, Bk 3 p 172 (index film 1769542)

[14] Googlemaps.com; Conway to Mt. Toby tower.


Sunday, April 10, 2011

Charles Lawrence Tobey 1867-1935

Charles Lawrence Tobey, my great grandfather, was born to Christopher & Mary Seyter Tobey in Caton, New York. He worked on his father’s farm until he got married.  He wanted to go into business instead of farming, but according to his daughter, Helen, his father would not pay for him to go to college. Charles paid for his own tuition and graduated from Meeker’s Business Institute, after which he decided to open his own business, a retail footwear store. Once he and Theresa Haselbauer got married he returned to Caton to help on his father’s farm. He absolutely loved his horses. He put a lot of skill and energy into his horses’ stables, even to the point that he put in tongue and groove paneling.

Charles moved to Elmira by 1920, where he was listed in the census as a machinist in an auto factory. The directories of Elmira, show he only lived there for 2 or 3 years before he moved to Interlaken, New York to pick up farming again.  He and Theresa had nine children, seven girls and two boys.  The girls helped on the farm as much as possible, but the heavy work fell to Charles and the boys.
During the depression, Charles became despondent when he lost 5000 baby chicks. His grandson, Bruce, who was living with him during that time recounted, “My Grandfather built a new chicken house and put in 5000 little chickens. Just as they began to get feathers on their wing tips, a deadly intestinal disease called coccidiosus struck. The only less-than-effective treatment was a high nicotine material called Black Flag. My brother and I had to gather dead chickens in 5 gallon pails morning and night until the flock was pretty much gone. It was a morning not long afterward as my brother and I were dressing, we heard my Uncle Ed come crying into the house, running to our Grandmother [Theresa], “Mother , Dad shot himself!” My aunt Theresa had heard the thump of the shotgun during the night but thought it was the downstairs stove.” The destruction of the chickens had been the final straw. He felt he had been ruined and probably didn’t feel as though he could start over yet again.
Charles left a wonderful legacy to his children because he encouraged them to excel in their schoolwork. Helen, his daughter said, “he was a strong advocate for education. He expressed his certainty that the women in our family should be educated to support themselves in case of catastrophe or some untoward happening made it necessary for us to be self-supporting.  He was "before his time", in a manner of speaking!  He was proud of our accomplishments and our scholarship.”  He took in his two grandsons, Gerald and Bruce Hildreth, when their mother was divorced, adding two more mouths to feed.
His wife, Theresa, my great grandmother moved her family to a smaller place after he died and she died just three years later at the age of 63


Front: Marjorie, Helen, Theresa, Catherine
Back: Charles "Tom", Jane, Charles Coon, Jane's Husband, Theresa Rosalia, Charles Lawrence Tobey
 

Monday, March 14, 2011

Theresa Rosalia Haselbauer Tobey -- 1875 - 1938 my great grandmother

Some memories from her daughter, Helen Tobey Burr related to me in 1998
Theresa "Tessie" Rosalia Haselbauer
 Mother must have had at least a grade school education.  I recollect that I always admired her handwriting, always observed in our excuses we carried to school, or her grocery lists.  It always puzzled me that she closed her notes to our teachers with the words (the closing): "and oblige" _____.  Her wording was always logical and punctuated correctly.  Theresa Haselbauer was pampered and spoiled (I believe), having been born after her two brothers!  She owned her own horse and rig, at a fairly early age.  (I suppose the equivalent of today's kid having his first car!)  The horse was white and was frequently stained from lying in the "effluvia" collecting in the stable.  On her own, Mom made a "diaper" for her horse out of her waterproof raincoat, fastened it on her horse's rear.  Mom was SO surprised in the morning to find her beautiful coat trampled in the mess in the straw in the stable.  Her own mother was furious at her, at such foolishness and such a loss!
Mom was a beautiful young girl.  She admitted that when Dad was courting her, she entertained him on the front piazza, while a second suitor was waiting to call on her on another porch on their home.  That hopeful young man was the grandfather of our present congressman from our area: Senator Armory Hougton, who is now rapidly approaching his retirement year.

I recall this story of Dad's (Charles Tobey) courtship:  they each possessed the great 3 wheel bikes.  On a Sunday afternoons they wheeled out for picnics.  Sometimes their destination was Rorick's Glen, on the side nearest to Corning - the south--the park still exists, close to Elmira, but in a different mode, more commercialized--less rustic as it was in those days.  I recollect, in the early 20's that mom would accompany Alice (5 years older than I) to a dance pavilion in Rorick's Glen.  Alice had no date.  Mom just chaperoned her.  We went by trolley car.  I sat with Mom while Alice "danced the light fantastic"  I guess it was called a "jitney dance".  The fellows bought 10 cent tickets to dance.  Alice was a popular "free-lance partner".  I recall getting SO tired before we could catch a trolley for home.  Mom was kept alert because of Alice's popularity and daring...she never did anything to disgrace us but she was more of a "free spirit" than any of us!  Mom tried to hold her in--and she succeeded, I know, but they did have quite a few arguments, which always distressed me.  I always took Mom's part (in my mind) and felt that Alice was unappreciative.  I guess this was in the "flapper period--the early 20's"

Monday, March 7, 2011

Joseph Gillett and the Bloody Brook Massacre 18 Sep 1675

In 1675 our ancestor, Joseph Gillett was age 34, the same age as my son, with 7 children living in the outpost of Deerfield, Massachusetts.  He and his wife, Elizabeth Hawks moved to Deerfield after they got married in 1663 to seek their fortune.  It was on the edge of the frontier at that time. During September, 1675, bands of warriors roamed the Connecticut River valley, attacking villagers as they worked in the fields or traveled between villages on business.  The villagers decided to move their families to the fort at Hadley, Massachusetts until the violence settled down.  The men went back to Deerfield along with Captain Lathrop and 80 men to bring their grain into the fort. Joseph was one of these Deerfield men.

“The force was so large, surely no warriors would attack them. As the convoy emerged from the dense forest into a narrow, swampy thicket, it slowed down to cross a brook. Realizing the crossing would take a long time as each heavily-laden cart lumbered across, the soldiers tossed their rifles on top of the wheat and prepared to relax. Some soldiers began to gather the grapes growing alongside the brook. At a given signal, hundreds of warriors, who were lying concealed all around the spot, opened fire on the convoy. Chaos followed, bullets and arrows flew from every direction. Captain Lathrop immediately fell. Of the 80 soldiers, only 7 or 8 escaped; none of the Deerfield men who were driving the carts survived.”

Battle of Bloody Brook
Our ancestor, Joseph, age 34, father of seven was killed. Because of the nature of the slaughter, the brook was renamed “Bloody Brook” by which name it is known today.  I was fortunate enough to stand at the side of that brook and stand by the monument that was erected in honor of those who were killed. 
His four year old son, John, our ancestor, was kidnapped by Indians and taken to Canada 21 years later—but that is yet another story.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

James Ernest Haselbauer 1871-1921

I started this blog not only because I wanted to share stories, but I also wanted "somewhere" to share my "finds"--well I had a "find" yesterday!  I've looked and looked to find out more about my grandmother's (Mary Tobey Hildreth) uncle. I had learned quite a bit about his life and family through newspapers and the typical census records, etc., but I HAD to know when and where he died. Well, facebook scored again!  I was contacted on facebook by the wife of one of his descendants. So now we're sharing!  Hopefully she will have a picture and then I can "put him to rest"
There is a lot to say about James Ernest Haselbauer. He also went by Ernest Haselbauer.
He was son of a master glass engraver at Corning (Augustus Haselbauer, my great, great grandfather), he tried his hand at glass cutting, but eventually became a tailor in Rochester, New York.  Interesting to think that profession also takes precision. I'm always curious what ancestor has the traits that we find in ourselves--although my sister, Shari, keeps reminding me that we are our "own" persons with a huge mixture of ancestor traits running in our blood!
When he was a young adult he gave his widowed mother quite a bit of angst.  My research in some old newspapers revealed that he was known as "Windy" and was sentenced to a short term in jail because of robbery.  There was also an incident where the police were called to his home because of a severe altercation with his mother. However, eventually he settled down, married, had two daughters, and became a tailor in Rochester, New York. 
All I needed for me to "put him to rest" was to know when and where he died. Voila--facebook and Lucille Brown! She had the answer.
 For some reason he was in Missouri when he died (Yes, I do want to find out why) when a train hit his car. He died in Kansas City, Missouri on July 9, 1921 at age 50.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she knows someone who has a picture of him.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Mary Hazel Tobey Hildreth 1900-1974

Mary and Bruce

Mary with Gerald (L) and Bruce (R)
      
Mary was born on 3 Feb 1900 in Caton, New York to Charles Tobey and Theresa Haselbauer. She died on 18 Apr 1974 in Interlaken, New York at age 74, and was buried in Grove Cemetery, Trumansburg, New York. Mary married Frank Judson Hildreth, son of Frank Judson Hildreth and Myrta E. Nichols, on 21 May 1923 in Elmira, New York. The marriage ended about 1925 when Frank deserted Mary and the two boys.
      Mary graduated from Horseheads High School in June 1918 and Meeker Business Institute in 1920 after which she taught at Meeker for two years. After she married Frank she worked at Pennsylvania Railroad as a stenographer and they lived at 449 Pennsylvania Avenue in Elmira, New York.
    She worked as a stenographer in Elmira to support herself and her little boys, but the boys had to live with relatives since she had no way to take care of them. She visited them when she could, but it must have been heart breaking to be away from the boys. In the 1930 census she still listed herself as married and her sister and another young lady were living with her. The children returned to live with her when they were in junior high school.  She worked for Elmira Women’s College as Secretary to the President for most of her career.