1906 postcard New Lisbon Church

Alexandra Stocker set off a great discussion when she shared this 1906 postcard shown above.

Photos by Erle Smith Jr.

Sleuthing challenge. Whose initials do you think the letter writer's belong to?

13 You, Michael Parsons, Kevin J. Dragulski and 10 others

Comments
Janet Pegg Borchardt
it was such a pretty church.....

March 1 at 5:06pm
Rennie M Elliott
Well first is figuring out the initials, "P.S.T."? it sounds like a relative or neighbor of older generation schooling Miss Ruth on family history? Of course it was built by Horatio McGeorge, after building the Episcopal church in Morris (there is a graduate studies thesis on local churches in the SUCO library history section, as well as a study of the Hard & Peck store ledger from Noblesville at NYSHA). And this all goes back to the uncertainty in regards to what became of the "Old Harmony" church on Pegg Rd. Reportedly it and the land (2 acres from Judge Wm. Cooper) was supposed to be part of McGeorge's payment, but instead it seems he just got the building and an extra $500 cash? The building was moved opposite the driveway to my Grandfather Holdridge's barn, as noted on the 1868 map, was used by McGeorge for a residence by the 1820 census, then used by the Methodists, (who are also buried in the "Old Harmony" Episcopal cemetery according to what Gary Norman told me the last time we discussed this) and according to the 1856 map actually stood opposite where Pegg rd intersected rt. 51 (the turnpike built in 1833), and then supposedly was dismantled to build a house nearby, notably a massive front door. According to what was printed from oral history in the local newspaper, which is not always gospel, as it turns out.
March 1 at 6:22pm
Kevin J. Dragulski
My ancestor Faithfull Smith founded the church along with Asaph Buck, a Thurston, a Chapin and a few others if I remember correctly. I have the names listed somewhere in family records. My grandfather Erle Smith Jr. restored the church throughout the 1950's and 60's and was listed on a plaque on the front of the church before it burned. If that last letter is a T, Id bet it's a Thurston descendent.

March 1 at 8:01pm
Kevin J. Dragulski
The land for the church was donated by my Smith ancestors and was later returned to the family after the church was no longer used. It was Congregationalist and had many short term priests, including Bishop Tuttle. In it's later years, it was referred to as St. Paul's. I have loads of photos of this church going way back. I wish I was able to get a picture of the old graffiti inside before it burned. Had to have been from atleast the early 1900's.

March 1 at 8:06pm
Rennie M Elliott
The land/church deal I was referring to was Harmony/Zion in Morris, not St. Paul's, in case I made that confusing.

March 1 at 8:07pm
Bob Thomas

Kevin J. Dragulski
My grandfather Erle Smith Jr. working on the restoration. Mid 1950's. I don't know how safe that ladder was lol
Image may contain: sky and outdoor

March 1 at 8:36pm
Kevin J. Dragulski
The broken windows were from neighborhood kids throwing rocks. It was also broken into numerous times

March 1 at 8:37pm
Rennie M Elliott
In the Noblesville history (1908 newspaper article by Capt. George Yates?) it's mentioned someone once stole the lead out of the church organ pipes to make bullets back in the days of muzzleloading blackpowder rifles.

Margaretanne Connors
If you mean R F D it once meant Rural Federal Delivery and I believe that would be route #2.

March 1 at 8:42pm
Rennie M Elliott
That 1917 farm directory should indicate who is on rt 2 New Berlin (Pittsfield has long had an identity crisis).

March 1 at 10:02pm
Frank Rock
On a county map dated late 1800's it is listed as a Presbyterian church. I just saw the map at the New Lisbon Town Clerks office the other day..I always thought it was a Quaker church. I remember going to it for a community Christmas Party when I was four or five. Probably 1956 or 57. I remember a pot belly stove and the Christmas tree..and it was quite cold there.

March 1 at 10:07pm
Rennie M Elliott
Zion Church I believe had it last but it seems like it was also used as Congregational or shared by different faiths different times of the week or month?

March 1 at 10:37pm
Frank Rock
Don't know who wrote the letter but I knew Ruth Duroe-Frank Duroe's Sister and there was another Sister Elisa

March 1 at 10:18pm · Edited
Duke Smith
Hi Frank Rock, if she was your Aunt, this would make us cousins for sure as my grandmother was a direct decedent of the Duroe's :-)

March 2 at 5:02am
Rennie M Elliott
Rennie M Elliott Was she a teacher?

March 1 at 10:20pm
Frank Rock
Spencerian script-Was taught in all schools-----Is the last letter a "J" ? And Ruth Duroe, was, I believe a school teacher but I am not certain about Elisa. The Duroe Homestead was across the valley on Pegg Road wasn't it. I think that the Duroe Farm on 51 that was next door to my home was, originally a Chapin place?

March 1 at 10:29pm
Rennie M Elliott
Do you think this is a woman's handwriting? Excellent cursive (may as well be hieroglyphics to future generations if no longer taught in schools?).

March 1 at 10:21pm
Frank Rock
Yes I would say it was written by a woman-The initials are bugging me -Had to be a relative, but most of the relatives were Chapins, however Frank Duroe and Winston Harris were cousins. The Yates family was also related

March 1 at 10:34pm
Frank Rock
Rock This was probably sent out from what was originally The Hard and Peck store--Later Roy Gilberts Store and then owned by Aden Demming and now owned by Carlton Demming..The original ledgers from the Hard and Peck era were obtained and used to obtain correct inventory for the stone store that is at the Farmers Museum, The original books /ledgers are still there in the museum archives

March 1 at 10:24pm
Rennie M Elliott
1917 farm directory, p. 138, only Duroe is Francis J., farmer (milk) owns 213 acres, New Lisbon PO, New Lisbon township, only Thurstons in New Lisbon are Joel, "Mapleton", farmer, (milk, grain), owns 180 acres, star route New Lisbon, New Lisbon townshi...See More

March 1 at 10:35pm
Frank Rock
Yes ,I forgot-The Chapin line was from over near Laurens-Thurston was also related to the Duroe Harris "clan"

March 1 at 10:38pm
Frank Rock
I could show you where the original Chapin Homestead used to be -They tore it down when Marcy South was installed over on the Laurens -West Laurens road. There;s a high line tower sitting right where the house used to be.

March 1 at 10:40pm
Rennie M Elliott
I think they only tore down two houses in this county for the power line c. 1988? The other was the William Telfer house on Schwerd Rd intersection near Patent, that supposedly is where Arthur "Putt" Telfer (Cooperstown photographer) was born or grew ...See More

March 1 at 11:04pm
Frank Rock
The one they bulldozed between Laurens and West Laurens sat back from the ,exixting, main road, and was a log ways back from the road. If you go from West Laurens and head towards Laurens ,when you are directly under the power line, stop and look off t...See More

March 4 at 5:14pm
Rennie M Elliott
Anyways the 1917 directory was of no particular help, a newspaper search for Ruth Duroe looking for a social visit between her and someone whose initials could be those, is the best I can suggest, the postmark is New Lisbon, assuming they lived nearby?

March 1 at 11:07pm
Duke Smith
When I was doing family tree inquiries I ran across this and if you read through it you will find the Ruth mentioned here.

http://www.fenimoreartmuseum.org/.../special_collections/...
Duroe Family Correspondence and Diaries. 1875-1958 (bulk 1875-1939). » Special Collections – Manuscript Finding Aids
Mary Ann (Thurston) Duroe was born on February 22, 1847 in New Lisbon, Otsego County, N.Y. Her husband, C.R. (Collingwood Rodney) Duroe, was born on March 16, 1846 in Norwich, Chenango County, N.Y. They married in Norwich in 1870, and were primarily an agricultural family. Of their [nine?] children,...
FENIMOREARTMUSEUM.ORG

March 2 at 5:07am · Edited
Rennie M Elliott
That is great it was preserved! Now any relatives with matching initials?

March 2 at 7:27pm
Alexandra Stocker
Duke, you are correct. Ruth Duroe's mother was a Thurston. And as Kevin J. Dragulski pointed out, a Thurston was one of the founders of the church.

March 2 at 1:07pm
Rennie M Elliott
Friday 15 April 1950 - Otsego Farmer - Erle A. Smith, died 3:50 pm Easter Sunday April 9, born 17 Nov 1881 in New Lisbon the son of William and Cora (Cook) Smith, married 18 Aug 1915 Harriet Moore at Morris. In 1936 they moved to Morris from New Lisbon...See More

March 3 at 11:02pm
Kevin J. Dragulski
That's my great grandpa, Erle Sr. He cared for the New Lisbon church for many years also. I have a pew bible from the New Lisbon Church that I believe he owned. He was a bus driver for Morris for a number of years. I have a few pictures of him driving the bus. Ironically, one was taken right in front of the New Lisbon church.

March 4 at 4:42pm
Kevin J. Dragulski
His mother, Cora Cook Smith's obituary mentions the church. The Morris Chronicle Wednesday 16 Jan 1901 Page 3

March 4 at 5:07pm
Michael Parsons
Ben Morehouse told me he could remember as a kid Irving Johnson starting the woodstove before dawn to heat the church for Sunday service, Irving's dad was Salmon Johnson killed at Cedar Creek Va. Oct.19th 1864

March 4 at 4:52pm
Frank Rock
He was, as I recall, with the 121st infantry ,Unit K ..New York . (I think)

March 4 at 5:16pm
Frank Rock
There was also, Joel Duroe, I do not know (remember) if he was a cousin or nephew of Frank. He came and stayed at Frank and Christina's several times when I was a kid. He was, probably in his 70's or early 80's when I was 10 years old. He was a, past, vaudeville, musician. He played the piano and several other instruments for me once.

March 4 at 5:22pm
Michael Parsons
Salmon Johnson was with Co.B 80th N.Y. Vol. he enlisted Sept. 3rd 1864 , William Chapin was with the 121 st Vol,NY he was killed May 3rd 1863 at Salem Church Va. during the battle of Chancellorsville Va. along with 10 other men from New Lisbon

March 4 at 6:14pm
Duke Smith
There were big losses for Garrattsville as well at Salem Church. From the account I read they took a volley from the flank and really took losses there. Today the church still stands but it has subdivisions surrounding it.

March 4 at 6:18pm
Michael Parsons
I have the names of the soldiers killed on May 3rd 1863 ,one was Pattengill, it was bloody and a deathtrap, Gen.Hooker already blew the battle, but his urgent calls for Gen. Sedgwick to joined the main army, was tragic,they had to take Mary's Heights which cost the Union army 13,000 men the previous December, they won the hill but at such a terrible price

March 4 at 6:29pm
Frank Rock
Is there a "Keller" listed?

March 5 at 6:57am
Michael Parsons
Men killed at Salem Church Va. Sunday May 3rd 1863 from New Lisbon Sergt Horatio Whitford-James Bowe-James Simmons-Ransom Hovey-Thomas Emerson-Corp.Isaac Fitch-Sidney Stevens-Adelbert Babcock-William Chapin-Sergt.Charles Pattengill-Horatio Duroe.......See More

March 5 at 11:21pm
Alexandra Stocker
Bob Thomas. No winner yet. And, I am still trying to figure it out. I believe the sender's initials are JLT and she lived in New Lisbon (due to the postmark).

Yesterday at 2:16pm
Frank Rock
A Thurston,perhaps?

18 hrs
Alexandra Stocker
If the sender was a Thurston from New Lisbon, then the most likely candidate would be Julius Thurston, Ruth Duroe's maternal uncle. A search of the New Lisbon census would make him the only Thurston of age and with the initial J_T. Also, this would make sense because he tells Ruth her great grandfather was one of the church trustees, and we know a Thurston was one of those Trustees. Thanks, Frank Rock for the correct question!

7 hrs
Frank Rock
And it is possible that a man would have good penmanship skills. Spencerian script was taught back then and was part of the standard curriculum in all schools..

6 hrs
Rennie M Elliott
So next you need his middle name?

4 hrs
Frank Rock
Might as well keep the History Lesson "going" ..https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencerian_script

Spencerian script - Wikipedia
EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

Bob Thomas
There were two J. Thurston's -- Julius Everette Thurston and his son Julius Everette Thurston -- here's a link to the elder Thurston's memorial -- which has a link to the memorial for his son. https://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=87315479

Julius E. Thurston (1843 - 1915) - Find…
FINDAGRAVE.COM

Kevin Dragulski wrote, "My great grandpa Erle Smith Sr. driving the school bus for Morris. The New Lisbon church in the background. Not to sure on the date."

Kathleen and Leslie Stroh