Genealogical Gems

Today (Sunday, 17 June) is Family Day at Historic Huguenot Street .. Admission is free and includes the historic house tours and exhibits. Tours will be done on a first come first serve basis with a limit to 12 people per tour. You are welcome to bring a blanket and bagged lunch and have a picnic on the grounds.  Learn about the families who founded New Paltz, including Pierre Deyo. The Pierre Deyo House, built in 1692, is one of the house on the tour. We went awhile back, not on Family Day but just a regular day. My husband is descended from Jacobus "James" Deyoe (1760-1819) and Annatje "Hannah" Walker (1764-1835). The Deyoe and the Deyo families are of the same family.  Those interested in tracing their family lineage to one of the 12 lines may also be interested in this (from a March 2018 press release): Thanks to a grant from the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Historic Huguenot Street (HHS) has digitized records from the Reformed ...

Jacob Deyoe died in Kalamazoo , Michigan , at the home of his daughter. His short obituary ran in the Detroit Free Press out of Detroit , Michigan on Monday, 10 January 1898. His obituary reads: Kalamazoo , Mich. , January 9 – (Special) – Jacob Deyoe died to-day at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James Mills, from a stroke of paralysis, aged 80 years. If Jacob died at 80 in 1898, then he would have been born in 1818 – give or take a year. Find A Grave puts his birth date as 11 July 1820. However, I found a 59 year old Jacob Deyoe living in Kalamazoo in 1880. He was a farmer living with his 59 year old wife Cynthia, his 38 year old daughter Elizabeth Mills, a 38 year old “boarder” James Mills and seven year old grandson Harry Mills. Jacob and Cynthia were both born in New York . Elizabeth ’s death certificate notes that her parents – Jacob Deyoe and Cynthia Conklin – were both born in New York . Elizabeth and Jacob had both been born in Waterloo . Elizabeth was bor...

Ernest Eugene Deyoe died in Waterloo , Seneca County , NY , at the young age of 20. His obituary ran in the Democrat and Chronicle out of Rochester , New York on Tuesday, 19 March 1907. His obituary reads: Ernest Eugene DeYoe died last night at his home in this village, aged 20 years. He was born in Waterloo and had always resided here, being highly esteemed by a wide circle of friends. He had been spending the winter in Detroit , Mich. , returning home about a week ago. He is survived by his father, Frank DeYoe, five brothers, Blaine DeYoe, of Montana ; George DeYoe, of Waterloo ; Charles DeYoe, of Geneva ; Edward and Arthur DeYoe, of Waterloo ; and two sisters, Misses Emma and Satie DeYoe, of Detroit , Mich. I have not determined why Ernest died yet. Nor have I placed him in the family tree. Source: Democrat and Chronicle. ( Rochester , NY ), 19 March 1907. Sunday’s Obituary is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

I am working on genealogy goals for the New Year for the hubby’s side. While mine will mostly focus on my immigrants and ancestral homelands, I think for his I may concentrate on confirming documentation across the board and researching one or two lines in more detail. I have his Eckman line dated back to the mid 1600’s to the birth of his 7 th great grandfather, Ulrich Eckman. The Eckmans are from Roamnshorn, Canton of Thurgan in Switzerland . This is definitely one branch on which I would like to confirm documentation. The Deyoe line is another I would like to work on documenting more. This past summer we took a few days and went up New York . We gained a lot of information that I am still in the processing of transcribing all the data. The shortest line I have is that of his maternal grandfather’s mother, Louise Sharp. She has been a bit of a mystery. She was, according to several census records, born in 1838 in Delaware County , New York . I believe her mother’s first...

Thursday’s “On This Day” post revealed an article in the Lancaster Daily Intelligencer about Charles Deyo of Shawangunk , Ulster County, NY. Deyo was shot by a “playfellow” on Tuesday, 12 October 1880, according to the paper. This particular piece had caught my attention because my husband is descended from the New York Deyo/Deyoe family.   To clarify, the Evening Gazette out of Port Jervis, NY, stated that the 14 year-old boy had been shot on Friday, which would have been the 8 th of October. He was shot in the abdomen and his recovery was “doubtful.”   Charles Brodhead Deyo was born 30 May 1866 to Brodhead Deyo and Sarah C. Bruyn. The 1870 Census shows four-year old Charles had three older sisters. They were: Nelly (then 17), Anna (then 13), and Jennie (then six). The family lived in Shawangunk and their post office was Tuthill. In 1878, his sister Nellie married Alpheus R. Brigden, of Fleming , NY .       He is buried at the New Hurley ...

Charles Deyo was fatally shot at Shawangunk , Ulster County, NY on Tuesday, 12 October. The Lancaster Daily Intelligencer reported, On This Day in 1880, that Charles was accidently shot by a “playfellow.”   Source Lancaster Daily Intelligencer. ( Lancaster , PA ), 14 October 1880. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.      On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Huguenot Street is historic and, for three upcoming weekends, haunted! The Haunted Huguenot Street program runs the 16 th and 17 th , the 23 rd and 24 th , as well as Halloween weekend itself, 30 th and 31 st October. A guilt boy reveals his nightmares at the Jean Hasbrouck House. This session is based on events that Abraham Hasbrouck himself recorded in his 18th century diary. At the historic burial ground guests will be treated to an interpretation adapted from Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon River Anthology during which the dead will speak for themselves.    Inspired by, according to the HHS, decades of reported paranormal experiences, a house maid is haunted by the ghost of the tragically demised Gertrude Deyo at the Deyo House mansion.    These are the three highlights of the weekends. However, the entire street will be decorated in Halloween and fall decorum.   The tours sell out quickly. They will leave the DuBois Fort Visitor Center ...

Dr. Jonathan Deyo, born March 1846, was a physician for many years. Although he was married, he and Emma never had any children. They were married in 1878, according to the dates provided in the 1900 US Census. According to the Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929 , he died of heart disease.   His obituary reads: Dr. Jonathan Titus Deyo, seventy-five, of No. 821 Beverly Road , Brooklyn, died suddenly last night in front of No. 521 Fifth Avenue , Brooklyn, while on his way to a patient in South Brooklyn . Mrs. Deyo said Dr. Deyo was not well last night but the call was from an old patient and he felt he must respond. Dr. Deyo was born in Ulster County , New York . He practiced in Manhattan for about thirty years before going to Brooklyn twenty-five years ago.   Source: The evening world. ( New York , NY ), 28 Oct. 1921. Chronicling America : Historic American Newspapers . Library of Congress.    Year: 1900 ; Census Place : Broo...

I knew the Deyo clan was rather large before we even went to New Paltz earlier this week. My husband, ironically, seemed surprised at how vast the Deyo/Deyoe family is and what an impact they had – and continue to have – on the community there. Today, I too was surprised by the Deyo clan. Skimming through Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, I came across an article, dated 26 August 1908, about one group of Deyos. The headline reads: Fugitive Who Attacked Deyo Family Up the State Trapped at Greenwood Lake . The dateline is Middletown , NY .   The article states: “Weak from loss of blood and in a starving condition “Bill” Monroe, the desperado who murderously assaulted six members of the Deyo family and burned a barn at New Paltz on Friday afternoon, was trapped at Greenwood Lake to-day.”   Monroe himself was in a weak condition and bleeding from pistol wounds. A family finally let him in and summoned the physician who examined him. Monroe had sta...

We finally made it up here! This is the first year … oh gosh probably since our honeymoon … that we have been able to get away and have a real family vacation. On top of that we finally made it to New Paltz, New York where the Deyo family was one of the original patentees! Oh, I should back up … my husband is descended from the Deyoe family of New York . Now all this time, I have been thinking he has actually been listening to me when I talk about the Deyo/Deyoe line. I lost count of the times he began a sentence with “Oh my gosh my family …”   My goal while we were up there was to connect the famous Deyo line with his Deyoe line. I have a probable connection. I just really wanted proof. One way or the other. Just proof.   Sunday we went to the free Family Day at the Historic Huguenot Street . Basically the HHS is a street – literally – where the original patentees of the town built their homes and settled. Today it is a historic site consisting of seven home...

Family vacation to New Paltz, NY

John P. H. Van Vladricken served in the Civil War with the 71 st New York Regiment . Like so many young men, he was killed at Gettysburg . It was the second day of the battle and his regiment charged another. At that time, he had already served one three year enlistment and was in his second three year term.   When he re-enlisted, his wife followed. Mary Van Vladricken became a field nurse in Sickle’s Brigade. She served as such even after her husband’s tragic death. Mary served thru the remainder of the war.    According to her obituary, she had been captured by the Confederates at one point. Several officers and men who she had cared for at one time recognized her. She was treated then with consideration until being recaptured by General Kilpatrick. She passed in January 1900. She was 70 at the time of her death, putting her birth about 1830. Her obituary mentions too that her maiden name was Deyoe and that she “belonged to a titled Holland family.” ...

Birthdays Happy birthday to Patricia Beattie, Lauren Morris, Alex Soanes, and Tim Peters! May God grant you all Many Years.    Patricia Beattie is my second cousin once removed. She is the granddaughter of Nora Kilpatrick, who was my great grandmother Mary Kilpatrick’s sister. I’ve never met Aunt Nora’s branch of the family but would love to get to know them.   Lauren Morris is also my second cousin once removed. Her great grandfather is my Uncle Reds (Raymond Welsh), who was my grandmother’s brother. Sadly, I have not met her yet either.   Alex Soanes – Alexander really – is my third cousin once removed. He used to be my neighbor! We used to live right down the street from him, his mom (Dawn Mullin) and his five siblings! Alex and his wife still live nearby and they have three children. Oh yeah, Alex’s third great grandparents are Dennis and Martha Durkin O’Flaherty. They are my second great grandparents.   I have not seen Tim Peters in years; s...

Birthdays Happy birthday this week to Francis Stuczynski. May God grant you all Many Years.    Memory Eternal Today is the 136 th anniversary of the passing of John W. Deyoe and 142 years since Amelia Kunkle Eckman passed away. My cousin Deborah Sammons also passed on this day in 1974; she survived only a few hours. John (1826-1879) is hubby’s 2 nd great uncle; he is the son of John W. and Mary Schemerhorn Deyoe and husband of Rachel Caroline Huggins. Amelia (1852-1873) was the first wife of Aldus John Eckman, hubby’s great grandfather. She died of complications relating to childbirth and is buried with the son – Ulysses – who did not survive long.    Monday is the 94 th anniversary of the passing of Martha Durkin O’Flaherty, my 2 nd great grandmother. She is the daughter of Patrick and Abyan Murphy Durkin and is my immigrant ancestor of that line.   Franklin Still passed away 84 years ago Tuesday. He was my 2 nd great grandfather. He w...

Louise Sharp has always been a bit of a mystery for me. She is my husband’s great grandmother. His family had stories but no facts about her. I first “met” Louisa in those family stories that all state she was a Native American - a story whose pieces did not fit right. Over the years I have filled in some blanks and have (mostly) put to bed a rumor with DNA testing but still have many questions, including her lineage.   To find Louise, I started with her son (and hubby’s grandfather) Morgan Deyoe. I traced him back to the 1880 Federal Census. I found the family in Lexington , Greene County , New York . Daniel G, age 44, is a white male farmer. His wife, Louise, is a 42 year old white female. This puts her born approximately 1838. Their son Morgan is five. Living with them also is a nine year old white male named William Parker. He was adopted by Daniel and Louise. All four were born in New York State , as were their parents.   So today – on Surname Saturday – I am...

Last week I started reviewing my own journals. As I mentioned then, my journals were a combination of a record of genealogy notes, a simple diary, a writing journal and finally a place to vent. Today, I continue to pull all possible genealogical information from them, and remove the venting entries.   Entry from 27 October 1992, a Tuesday: Went to the Phila branch of the Archives yesterday. Hubby found his mom’s dad, Morgan Deyoe, on 1920 census. Morgan was a boarder and still single. Found five year old Morgan Deyoe in Greene County , NY in 1880. Father was Daniel G, age 44, and mother was Lousie, age 42. Also an adopted boy William Parker.   That entry continued on with some other finds on my lines. Some entries of course have nothing to do with research but rather life as I was living it. On Wednesday, 28 October 1992, I wrote that hubby was laid off. I was scared, being six months pregnant and knowing that the store I was working at would be closing soon....