^ * 0° .'^.V °o 4 o V>' .• 4 CT V Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/tryphenaelywhiteOOwhit c- TKYPHENA ELY WHITE'S JOURNAL The Grafton Press of New York has printed from type two hundred and fifty copies of this book. This copy is No. Facsimile of the Title on Original Journal TRYPHENA ELY WHITE'S JOURNAL BEING A EECOED, WEITTEN ONE HUNDEED YEAES AGO, OF THE DAILY LIFE OF A YOUNG LADY OF PUEITAN HEEITAGE 1805—1905 PUBLISHED BY HER ONLY REMAINING GRANDDAUGHTER FANNY KELLOGG V^V\^A % Fill Ce TH c LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Two Copies Received NOV 19 *9G4 Copyright intry Wo* 14* ,<90i 4 CUSS *- "AXcjie COPY A. feiiai i---- ■'- Copyright 1904 BY Fanny Kellogg INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION" . This quaint diary of a well-bred young woman of twenty-one years, living in the central part of the State of New York, in pioneer days, shows in its touches of human nature, piety, aspiration, cheerfulness, sense of humor, appreciation of re- finement and other admirable traits of character, how much may be got out of life under circum- stances and conditions the plainest, most home- spun and least luxurious. The little book itself shows how limited were ways and means in those days. It was evidently constructed by her own hands, of paper that then must have been considered quite excellent, and there is to this day a sense of neatness about the book and the handwriting which a hundred years have failed to dim. Tryphena Ely White "received her birth" in West Springfield, Massachusetts, March 25, 1784. Her parents were Joseph and Sarah Leonard White, Sarah being the daughter of Deacon John and Ann Leonard of West Springfield. So runs the record. 11 Joseph White, who served in the War of the Kevolution, was sixth in descent from Elder John White of England. Elder John came to America in 1632 with Captain John Pierce of the good ship Lyon. His home in the new country was first in Cambridge, Mass., then in Hartford, Conn. Later he was one of the founders of Hadley, Mass. Our Tryphena bore the name of her father's mother, who was Tryphena Ely, fourth in the line from Nathaniel Ely of England, whose first home in America was also in Cambridge, Mass. This was in 1635. Nathaniel removed to Connecticut with the Eev. Thomas Hooker. His name, as well as that of Elder John White, is placed upon the monument in Hartford erected to the memory of the first settlers of that city. In 1654 Nathaniel Ely lived in Norwalk, Conn., but later he, too, returned to Massachusetts, set- tling at Springfield. At West Springfield lived his son, Samuel, and grandson, Samuel, whose daughter, Tryphena Ely, was the wife of Deacon Jonathan White, the father of Joseph, mentioned above as the husband of Sarah Leonard. These were some of the ancestors of our Try- phena Ely White. The names of others, familiar to New Englanders, were Cook, Mould, Mason, Cbit and Jenners, who intermarried with the White family, and those of Bedortha, Day, Lewis and Stebbins, on the Ely side. 12 In the Spring of 1805 Joseph White, then in his 55th year, matured plans for removing, with his family, from West Springfield, Mass., to the State of New York, Onondaga County, Town of Camil- lus. His first wife, Sarah (Leonard), the mother of his children, having died, he and Phebe Clapp of Easthampton (supposed Massachusetts) had married in 1791. She is the "mother" mentioned always so pleasantly in the Diary. She was a good woman — a kind and faithful wife to Joseph, who, in 1816, was made helpless by the falling of a tree which was being felled. He lived until 1830. Tryphena's brother, Harold, two years younger than herself, mentioned in the Diary, named his only daughter Phebe Clapp for his stepmother. Elijah was her brother also. Those who are fa- miliar with Genessee Street, where it runs west from Syracuse, will remember, about four and a half miles from the centre of the city, the Geddes place. It was here that "Squire Geddes" lived, and in his home that Joseph White and his family were entertained and spent the last night of the journey from their old home to the new. "Cooper's Street" of the Diary is now "Genessee Street," for- merly the old Genessee Turnpike. The Joseph White farm lies on Nine Mile Creek, two miles northwest of the Geddes place, now reached by well-made roads. But when Joseph White, with his little family, stock and household goods, started to travel the two miles that Spring morning, 13 so nearly a hundred years ago, it took him all day because there were no roads opened. We now pass in our journey hither the later home of Aaron White, brother of Joseph, to whose grandson, Jona- than B. White of Syracuse, there is much indebted- ness for many of these facts. Also to the memorials of Elder John White, published by Mr. Ally n S. Kellogg, and to Nathaniel Ely and his descendants, compiled by Mr. Herman Ely. The new home of which Tryphena writes was just across the present bridge, west of the creek, on the northerly side of the road, in the little hamlet later named Bellisle. Some rosebushes mark the garden spot, doubtless Tryphena's at a later date than that on which she writes. Standing upon the bridge we see the dam built by Mr. McCracken, and an abut- ment of the old mill built by Joseph White. Fanny Kellogg. Port Kent, New York, August, 1904. 14 THE JOUKNAL t«W*k -0&&fyt*. 6 mtff Jay ' cutvin pat niU!/ £4 Facsimile Page from tne original journal THE JOUKNAL June 15, 1805. — Saturday in the afternoon our building was raised. June 22. Saturday Elijah and I went over to Skaneateles, we set out about noon and arrived there a little before sundown, we went to Mr. N. Ell's first and staid there a little while, and then went on to N. Leonard's who lives a little beyond, and Elijah did his business with him. Mrs. Norton (Nor- mond's house keeper) got tea for us, and we staid till 9 o'clock, and then went back to Mr. Ell's and lodg'd, tho' Normond's people, Mrs. Norton and M, were very urgent to have us stay there, but we had engaged to go back, we lodg'd and eat break- fast at Mr. Ell's, and set out about ten o'clock to come back. Mr. Ell's people are very clever and agreeable, they have 2 daughters at home and one married, she who is married is the youngest of the three sisters, have two sons at home, and two at Whitestown, the girls were a mind to have me stay a week or a fortnight and make a long visit. Mrs. Norton likewise proposed to have Elijah go 17 home and leave me, for Kowland could bring me home any time, however I was not prepared to stay on account of cloaths, Normond says he is deter- mined to go to Springfield this fall and make a visit and bring up one of his sisters. Mrs. Nor- ton says I must come then and stay with her for she shall be so lonesome she wont know what to do. Kowland is attending Normond's store. 23, Sunday. — We returned from Skaneateles, got home a little before night very tired, the roads are the worst that ever was here, nobody can have any idea how bad they are that never saw them, to go one mile here in a waggon is worse than to go 2 in a good road, but we expect to have bet- ter roads before summer is out. 24, Monday. — In the forenoon I did housework and picked a mess of greens, while I was out pick- ing greens Polly hallo'd to me to come and help kill a rattlesnake. Mrs. Clarke was coming along out of the woods east of Mr. McCracken's and saw him but durst not tackle him alone, so Mrs. Clarke, Mr. McCracken, Mother, Harold, Polly and I, went out to kill him, but the old fellow shoved off and we could not find him. when we were coming home from Marcellus we saw a dead one lieing by the side of the path we stop'd and took off his rattles and bro't them home, after noon Polly and I went over the creek way into the woods to a spring of cold water, and bro't some home, we have no water to drink but the river water, that is very 18 cold and good for river water, we came home and rested us and after that we went over to see how the new house came on, they have got the roof done, and the building partly boarded up. it does not look as tho ? we should get into it this some time yet. after we got home from there, I went into the garden and wed out one parsnip bed, we have several men to work every day, they have begun the mill. 25, Tuesday. — Did the housework and wed some in the garden. 26, Wednesday. — Did housework and wed some in the garden, towards night I went down to the river with my hook and line to catch some trout but had no success. 27, Thursday. — In the afternoon I went over to Mr. Reed's, after some butter, alone, got there, Mrs. Reed insisted upon my staying to supper, which I was loth to do, for fear of being late home and getting lost &c. but she said she would go part of the way with me, so I stay'd. she had for sup- per a good dish of tea, an excellent short cake, bak'd by the fire, and butter, ginger bread, and green gooseberries, stew'd as we do currents for sauce, which I think are better than currents. When I got home I found our little room filled with men, upon enquiry I found them to be the Com- missioners of highways, they had come to lay out some roads, the four Commissioners lodg'd in Mr. McCraeken's chamber. Polly and I, besides 6 men 19 slept up in our chamber, however we had our room partitioned off with a blanket. 28, Friday morning. — We got breakfast for the four Commissioners besides our five hired men, the Commissioners were gone out all day, came back at night and lodged (we washed in creek water.) 29, Saturday. — They went out a spell in the fore- noon, and compleated laying out six roads — 3 one side of the creek and 3 the other side, which all meet at the mill place where the bridge is going to be. The Commissioners are Esq. Carpenter, Esq. Munroe, a Mr. Tapping, and Mr. Lackings . 30, Sunday, was a pleasant day we did not any of us go anywhere, to Meeting there was none near. July 1, Monday. — Mrs. M'Cracken had three visitors from Cooper's Street, they were Mrs. Meli- gan, and two Mrs. Wheatons, Mrs. Reed sent to have us come over there to day but we did not go on account of company. July 2, Tuesday. — In the afternoon Polly and I went- over to Mr. Reed's, we went about two o'clock and returned before dark, and had a very good visit, we had with our tea, biscuit and butter, gin- ger bread, goose berry pye, and sauce. She sent a little boy that lives with her, away off two or three miles after some, they don't grow very thick about us, but by going out a good ways we can get them. 3, Wednesday Morning. — I got up about an hour 20 before sunrise, and went into the garden to weeding and stay'd till after sunrise, the sun is so hot that it is uncomfortable weeding any other time. We have three or four hands at work for us (a week or fortnight pass'd) from over in the street as they call it, but they expect to go home to-night to keep Independence. 4, Thursday is Independence up here. The day was celebrated pretty generally in these parts I be- lieve, they had a ball up in the street, which is about two or three miles off, and quite a pretty col- lection, there were 14 ladies and nineteen gentle- men, some from Seneca river, and from other parts of this town and all about. Mrs. McCracken and Mother went over to Mr. Reed's to visiting, and Polly and I stayed home, we did not go to the ball. 5, Friday, we washed in river water because we can't get rain water — there has been no rain here this three weeks past, and things have got to be very dry, we are obliged to cleanse our water before we can wash with it. we cleanse it by putting ashes into it and then boil it and skim off a scum that will rise, and after all that, it washes shockingly, our clothes don't look as they us'd to. 6, Saturday — Our two remaining workmen went home to see their families, and expected to be gone several days, now we have no family but our own. I have got to be almost discouraged about getting into our house, there has been only one hand to 21 work at it, for some time; and it makes pretty- slow work, the other hands have all been getting and hewing timber for the mill, Saw mill. 7, Sunday, our men all went over into Cooper's street after our cow, a week or a fortnight agone, our people bought a cow over in Cooper's street, and she went home to visiting Thursday or Friday, and has not returned, we het water and got out lye all the forenoon, in the afternoon we got the ket- tle on to make some soap, and brew'd, about the middle of the afternoon I went over to see Mrs. Eeed, she is not well, Polly has been there most all day, however I found Mrs. Reed able to be about house tho' not well. 9, Tuesday, we got out lye and boil'd our soap all day, the soap does not seem to do well, I sup- pose tis owing to the water as we were obliged to make it of river water. Mr. McCracken went out with, his gun to hunt- ing a little before sundown he had not been gone long before he sent in to have Joseph come with a horse, and help him home with a deer, so all hands were alarmed to get the deer home, he shot him in a wheat field about half a mile from the house. Polly and I went out to see him before they bro't him home, he is a great Buck with velvet horns, 5 prongs. 10, Wednesday, about 11 o'clock Father came in with a rattle snake upon a stick, he had been out on the Parker lot to pick out some stick of tim- 22 ber for the mill, as he was going along with his head up, he heard the snake jump from where he was going to make his next step, he sprung back and call'd to the boys, who were not far from him, to come and see him, and help kill him. Father thinks he certainly should have stepped upon him if he, the snake, had not jump'd away, we saved his fat. We boiled our soap all day and 'tis poor stuff yet. 12, Friday, we had considerable of a shower, which was very much wanted, for the ground was very much dried up, the day had been very warm and after the shower Polly and I went and set out in the space way, which is a space between the houses about three or four yards wide, it has a floor made of logs which are hew'd the upper side, so as to make them flat, there is no covering over head, so that the floor was damp, and I took a cold. 13, Saturday, we washed in rain water, which we caught yesterday, or at least mother washed for I was so unwell that I did but very little. Saturday Mr. Buckley one of the carpenters returned from his visit, and Mr. Barton the joiner came two or three days ago. 14, Sunday, Mrs. McCracken and I went over into Cooper's street to Meeting, as we knew there was to be preaching, Mother refused to go because it was so warm, and Polly went over to Mr. Beed's to stay with Mrs. Beed while their hired girl could go home and back again (she lives about three 23 miles off), so that Polly could not go. our two Methodists Mr. McCracken & Father went over on foot, Mrs. Mc and I rode, we met in a log house, which was very full and crowded with people, the preacher was a Methodist, he baptised an infant, he proceeded thus, took the child in his arms, and wet his hand and 3 times sprinkled it on the child's head three times repeating, the same that our ministers do, then returned it to its Mother and said, God bless the child and preserve it from the wrath to come, after meeting there were four people immers'd three men and one women. After the meeting was over they all repaired to the creek and there the ceremony was performed. Mrs. Mc. and I went up to see them dipp'd and since we were there it was nearer for us to go home thro' the other end of the street from which we came, we got home about dark. I did not feel very well in the morning when I went away but was a mind to go. When I got home I felt as tho' I never should go again, but I drank three or four cups of pea cof- fee (being very dry) for my supper and then went to bed. I forgot to mention that Mrs. Reed's sickness proved to be a slight turn of the fever and ague. 15, Monday, nothing remarkable happened, only I had a hearty fit of laughing to hear Harold tell what a fright he had to day. he and John Frank- lin were at work in the woods a little way from our new house, as they were stepping round Har- 24 old trod upon something that seemed to bite him, he look'd down and behold! there lay the head of a rattle snake (as he supposed) and he had trod on his poison tooth, he made known his trouble to Franklin who was as much frightened as he was, his foot began to pain him terribly, and what to do they did not know, but John began to halloo to our people for assistance who were at the house, while he was halloing Harold mustered courage and thot he would go and take another look at the head. so he crawled along and upon further examination, found it to be the head of a mud turtle, the pain immediately ceased and all was well. !!!!!!!!! 16, Thursday, Mrs. McCracken and Mother went over to Mr. Seed's to quilting, they went in the forenoon. 17, Wednesday, in the afternoon Mr. Seed's Mother and wife were over at our house, and Mr. McCracken's on a visit. Mr. E's Mother was a widow and has married a Jerome, in Pompy, she was over to Mr. Seed's on a visit, and so came over to see us. 18, Thursday, Polly and I went over to Mr. Seed's to quilting, we went in the morning by 10. 19, Friday, I washed out some muslins and fine cloaths which had lain a good while dirty, waiting for rain water, but tired of waiting I at last wash'd them in river water and made them look pretty well. 25 20, Saturday, we wash'd our family wash, we put it off till the latter part of the week in hopes of rain, we baked and brewed and ironed all our cloaths, we washed to day and the day before and starched all my muslins, towards sundown I went over to Mr. Keed's after some butter, when I got there, she could not let me have any, but she belived that Mrs. Hopkins would let me have some if I would go there, the sun was about setting then and I did not know what to do about going for fear of being benighted, it was a new road to me as I never had been there, but Mrs. E. said John (their little boy) might go with me thro' the woods into their clearing, so I got along over very well, when I got there Mrs. H. would have me go all over her garden and see everything she had in it. she said there was time enough for me to go home, and I need not be in a hurry, she supplyed me with but- ter. And gave me a posy of pinks and a handful of young onions for salad, and one cucumber, which was the only one she had big enough to pick. I thank'd her and beg'd permission to go, which was granted, so I scampered along through their corn- field, and cross'd the creek on a tree bridge and came through the woods, without much difficulty and got home about dark. Mrs. Hopkins lives in a pleasant place I think, the house stands on a rising spot of ground, and as you look down onto the low lands, and see the fields of wheat and corn growing so luxuriant, it looks beautifully. 26 21, Sunday, I went over to Mr. Lamberson's to meeting, there was no preaching, but Mr. Barton, our joiner, who is a Methodist carried on, and ex- horted and pray'd &c. I had for company, Father, Joseph M. David, Polly, Robert and Hiram, be- sides Harold, we went on foot right up across the woods, which made it nearer. Mrs. McCracken went around in the road, it was about a mile the way we went, and further round. 22, Monday, we wash'd in river water, and iron'd besides baking. Monday night Mr. Hitchcock re- turned from his visit, he is one of the carpenters, now we have one joiner and two carpenters steady, besides John Franklin who is clearing land for us, he is clearing the flat down by the creek, between Mr. M's & our house. 23, Tuesday, 24, Wednesday, Polly and I went to make Mrs. Hopkins a visit, we calPd upon Mrs. Eeed as we went along, and she went with us. we found Mrs. H. on the bed, not well, she has been lame for some time, but her daughter who is married and lives in the house with her waited upon us, she was married when she was 13 years old, in her 14th year, she is now 18 years old and has two children. 25, Thursday, nothing . 26, Friday, after dinner Polly and I went away up to the Lindsey place, as they call it, after some raspberries, but when we got there we found that the berries were all gone, so I filled my little tin 27 kettle with pusley for greens, which grew in a corn field there, we found some turnips too in the same field, so I took and pulled up a handful of them, and tied some corn leaves round them and brot them home, greens are a very scarce article here, and I thought it no more than right to help myself when so good an opportunity presented. John Franklin has done his chopping. 27, Saturday morning, Father went over to Onon- daga and got home about the middle of the after- noon, then I took his horse and rode over to Mrs. Keed's after some butter, after I got home Polly and I went up to pasture with our horses, our peo- ple very busy, and I wanted to go to John Frank- lin's after a chicken which she said I might have if I would come after it, as we had to go right by the house to go to pasture, we took our horses to pas- ture, and come back as far as John Franklin's, but there was nobody at home, however we guess'd that John's wife was up to Nathan Franklin's which is away beyond there some ways up a great hill so we went up there to see, when we got there Na- than's wife and John's wife were gone after their cows, so we waited there till sun down for them, and at length they came, so we went from there down to John's, and she caught my chicken for me, and so we came home, on the road between N. Franklin's and John's in the corn field I pick'd an armful of pusley, for greens and carried it as far as John's, there I got a basket and carried it home. 28 28, Sunday, Mrs. Mc, Polly and I went over to Cooper's street to meeting, there were two Meth- odist Ministers there who preached, Mr. McCrack- en, Joseph and Harold went over too. We came from meeting some time before night and when we got home we found Normond Leonard and Row- land Day at our house, they had come on a visit. 29, Monday, our visitors returned before noon and father went away with them and has not got home, to-day we boiFd our pusley for dinner and had a very good meal of it, we did not boil it before because we had other fish to fry. 30, Tuesday, we washed in rain water which we caught last week, in the afternoon Mrs. Reed was over and made Mrs. McCracken and us a visit, they drank tea in our room. Harold kill'd a rat- tle snake to-day out in the woods. 31, Wednesday, our people killed another rattle snake and bro't it home and we saved the grease and gaul. Aug. 2, Friday, I went up to Nathan Frank- lin's and got a tin kettle full of pusley for greens. 4, Sunday, I stay'd at home and Mother went to Meeting over to Esq. Carpenter's, and they tackeld a waggon, and Mr. M'Cracken, Polly, Joseph, Da- vid, Mother and Harold rode in the waggon and Father rode on horseback, there was a young Minis- ter preached upon trial, he wants to be hired, his name is Pomroy. 5, Monday, we wash'd in rain water which we caught a few days before, and bak'd, and in the afternoon we began to move our little all over the river to our new building, we got our things chief- ly over, at least those things which we wanted most to keep house with, and I went up chamber and made up the beds on the floor. Polly came over to help me and she slept with me. The building is something like our shop, there is two rooms in it, and the chimney is right in the middle of the house, or is to be, for it is not built yet, the lower floor is all in one room, and a joiner's table in one end of it, and a joiner at work, we have some shelves made to put our crockery &c on, and a trap door to go down cellar with, and just one half of our chamber floor laid, and that with loose rough boards, we have 4 beds down 2 one side of the room and 2 the other. My bed I have partitioned off with a curtain, we have a place made out a little way from the house to hang on a pot and kettle, and we do our cooking there. It is very custom- ary for people here to keep their fire out doors, when they have a fire place, but we feel as proud of our house as inconvenient as it is, as ever any person did of the most elegant house in the world. 6, Tuesday, we finished bringing over our things and seting them up, and in the afternoon I had two visitors from up the creek, viz Sally Linsey and Sally Brown, besides Polly M. 7, Wednesday morning, after I had done up my work I went over to Mr. Reed's with Sally Lin- 30 sey, Sally Brown (who stay'd at Mr. M'Cracken's) and Polly, the girls had an errand and I wanted to get some butter, and so we all went together, we came home before noon, and Sally L. went home with me and dined, and after we had done up our work Polly and S. Brown came along, and the girls set out for home, we went as far as N. Franklin's with them, they were on foot, when we were go- ing we stopped at J. Franklin's and she sung us a Dutch song, which she promised to do some days ago, if we would come up and see her. she is an ex- cellent singer and has a good voice. I took my tin kettle with me and got some pusley, we went like wise to the Clarke place (which is not much out of the way), and gather'd some catnip, and sum- mer savory, we pealed some bark off from a little twig and tied our herbs together, and swung them on our backs — Indian like, and bro't my pusley in my hand. Wednesday towards night there came four men to look land, they all eat supper at our house and 2 of them lodg'd at our house and 2 at Mr. M'Cracken I gave up my bed for them and slept on a straw bed below. 8, Thursday morning, I got up very early, and we got breakfast for the 4 men besides our 3 men. in the afternoon Mother and I undertook to get the shavings out of the house, and clean down the joiner's table — for Mr. Barton has gone to work at the frame, sun two or three hours high Mrs. M'. 31 came over to see our new house. I think she al- most grudges us our situation, I got up this morn- ing with the determination to have a severe nap before night but got joeky'd out of it. 9, Friday, I did not do much all day, only look out of the window for there is great works going on here. Mr. M'Cracken is building his dam, and has a good many hands at work every day, draw- ing logs into the river &c. and our men are all at work at the frame and calculate to raise on Mon- day next, I think if business always goes on as brisk and lively here as it does now, we shall soon have a city. 10, Saturday, we washed in ram water for next week. 11, Sunday, . 12, Monday, in the forenoon we had a good many hands at work, and got dinner for nine men, in the afternoon our mill was raised, there were about 50 hands for raisers, they came a lit- tle before noon and did not get thro' till after dark, we bak'd cake and bread all the forenoon in our bake oven, and bak'd some cake before, we bak'd towards a bushel of cake, the neighboring ladies came in to see the mill raised, they were Mrs. M'Cracken, Mrs. Reed, Mrs. Bently,* Mrs. Hughs, John Franklin's wife & Miss Rachel Buck (a lady *Mrs. Bently and Hughs live away out in the woods a mile or two from here. 32 from up the creek) , and Polly, our house is as near the mill as our house down there us'd to be near the shop. 13, Tuesday, it rained in the forenoon and cleared off about noon, in the afternoon Harold and I went up the creek to a meeting or a lecture, it was at Mrs. Corey's. Mr. Pomroy preached. 14, Wednesday, we washed in rain water. 16, Friday, before noon I went up to John Franklin's after a hen and chickens which she said she would sell us. for the hen and five chickens we gave her two shillings, York money, or one and sixpence, lawful. 18, Sunday, I went over to Cooper Street to a Methodist Meeting, we went in our waggon and had for company Joseph and Polly M'Cracken and Mr. Reed and his wife and child and Harold. Father went over on foot. 19, Monday, we wash'd in rain water. 20, Tuesday, I iron'd the cloaths in the forenoon, in the afternoon I staid at home and Mother went over to Mrs. M'Cracken's. Mrs. Geddes, Mrs. El- lice and Mrs. Reed were there and they sent over to have Mother and I go over. Today we all eat a dinner of pork, potatoes and cucumbers without any bread. Father went to mill yesterday and ex- pected to come home the same day but was hin- dered, and we could borrow no flour and we did without tho' it was the first time that ever I was reduced to the necessity, our three workmen went 33 home Sunday in the afternoon and have not re- turned. Wednesday night our carpenters returned home. Father got home Tuesday night. September 17, Tuesday, Polly M'Cracken and I went over to Mr. Reed's to see Mrs. Reed and Polly Frisbie who is Mrs. Reed's sister, she belongs up to the Cayuga Lake and is down on a visit, she ap- pears to be quite an agreeable and accomplished young lady, about 16 or 17 years of age. 18, Wednesday, Mrs. Reed and Polly Frisbie vis- ited at Mr. M'Cracken's, they sent for Mother and I over, we could not both go so Mother went and I staid at home, she had not been gone long before I had visitors come from up the west part of the town, they were Miss Polly Harman, Miss Electa Washburn, Miss Phila Wood and Miss Sally Lin- sey, Miss Harman is teaching a school there, and is from Brutus, she was from Suffield in Connecti- cut about 4 years ago, I had formed some acquaint- ance with her by seeing her at meeting &c. and ob- tained the promise of a visit from her. she at length came and bro't 2 young ladies who I had never seen before and Sally Linsey for a guide for she has been here before. However I sent for Mother home, and sent to have Polly M. and Polly Frisbie come over, Mother came pretty soon but the two Pollys did not come till after they had drank tea which was pretty early, then they came over and we had a collection of six or seven as ac- 34 THE ANCESTRY OF Elder John White, from England, 1632. J John Coit. _ Mary Capt. Nathaniel White. _ Elizabeth Hugh _ Martha Thomas Cook b. about 1629. d. Aug. 27, 1711. Mould. Coit. d. Dec, 169; Ensign Daniel White. _ Susannah Mould. Thomas _ Sarah ]V b. Feb. 23, 1662. d. Dec. 18, 1739. b. April 2, 1663. d. Sept. 7, 1754. Cook. d. July, I I Daniel White, b. Dec. 8, = Alice Cook, b. June 3, 1683, d. Jan. 10, 1758. | 1681, d. July 26, 1762. I Deacon Jonathan White, b. Aug. 22, 1711,_Tryphena Ely, b. April 7, d. Oct. 12, 1805. | d. Dec. 30, 1755. I I Joseph White, b. Dec. 24, 1749, d. Dec. 21, 1830. _. Sarah Leonarc I Tryphena Ely White, b. March 25, 1784, d. Jan. 27, 1816. rPHENA ELY WHITE ;rs, d. Jan. 2, 1676. . . Nathaniel Ely. _ d. Dec. 25, 1675. .Martha, Robert, d. Oct. Day. " 23, 1688. _Editha Reise_ Stebbins. Bedortha. _ Blanch Lewis. 1 1 Samuel Ely. _Mary Day, d. March 19, 1692. 1 b., 1641. 1 Joseph _Lydia Bedortha. 1 1 I I Samuel Ely, b. May 9, = Sarah Bedortha, b. Oct. 18, 668, d. Aug. 23, 1732. | 1681, d. May 8, 1766. Deacon John Leonard. _ Ann flay 8, 1752, d. Nov. 27, 1788. GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF ANCESTRY OF TEYPHENA ELY WHITE. complished young Ladies (with one or two excep- tions) as any in W. Springfield almost, or as agree- able I may safely say. Miss Wood's parents and family moved from down the country last May, just about the time that we did. 19, Thursday, Mrs. M'Cracken and Mother went to Esq. Geddes to visiting, Mrs. Jerome and Mrs. Geddes sent for them. 20, Friday, I received a visit from Polly Fris- bie and P. M'Cracken, and after supper we went down to the river and got into a boat with Har- old — and saiPd away up the creek a good ways we had a very pleasant ride only the boat leaked a little and wet our feet. Polly F. expects to return to the lake to morrow. 35 OTHER DOCUMENTS C o in 4-> CD b£ O OTHEK DOCUMENTS Thinking a portion of the funeral sermon writ- ten by the Kev. Joseph Lathrop, D.D., of the First Congregational Church of West Springfield, and de- livered at West Springfield, in October, 1805, upon the death of Tryphena's grandfather, Jonathan White, may be of interest it is given here : "The death of Deacon White may properly bring to our recollection the lives and deaths of those who in this church have sustained the same office before him, and with him. On a review we find that the Deacons here have been remarkable for longevity, as well as reputable for their pious char- acter. "This church was incorporated about 107 years ago. The first Deacons were John Barber and Eb- enezer Parsons. The former died in 1712, aged 70 years; the latter in 1752, aged 84 years. Joseph Ely, who was chosen after the death of Deacon Barber, died in 1755, aged 92 years. The next 39 Deacon was John Ely, who died in 1758, aged 80 years. The next who was elected to this office was Samuel Day. He, in about five years after his election, removed to another place, where he ex- ercised the Deacon's office. He afterward returned hither, and died in 1773, aged 75 years. Joseph Merrick was elected to this office about the year 1750, and continued in it until 1792, when he died at the age of 88 years, then the oldest person in the parish. In the year 1759 Nathaniel Atchison and Jonathan White, the brother now deceased, were chosen to the office, and having exercised it until 1782 they excused themselves from farther services on account of their age,- and retired with the cordial thanks of the church for their past fidelity and diligence. Deacon Atchison died in 1801, aged 92 years. Deacon White has now de- parted, having passed his 94th year. In 1782 Pe- latiah Bliss, and in 1783, John Bagg, were elected, of whom the latter is now about 75, the former 57. Joseph Bedortha, who was first a Deacon in the south church, but now a member and Deacon of this church, has arrived to the 76th year of his age. May those who now live surpass the age of the oldest, and the virtues of the best of their prede- cessors. "This church ought to review with gratitude the goodness of Providence in prolonging the lives of good and useful men, and in raising up suitable instruments for the preservation and promotion of 40 peace and order, truth and religion in this Christian Society. "It becomes us who are advanced in life, and are passing off from this stage, to employ whatever ability and influence we possess for the advancement of religion, and for the transmission of it to those who shall come after us. Let us be sound in faith, charity and patience, and teach the young to be sober-minded. And you, who are young, I now exhort to remember those who have lived before you and who have counseled and instructed you; and those who may now be over you in the Lord, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conver- sation. And I repeat to you the exhortation, which I have often given you already, to come and join yourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant. The members of this church, you see, are passing away ; come forward and take a place among them who re- main. "Hereafter I shall not talk much with you. I am soon to follow my aged brethren. There is not left in this church a single male who was a member of it at the time when my relation to it commenced. My relation will soon cease. I wish for the atten- tion and friendship of my people, while I am with them. The small remains of my life and strength shall be devoted to their service. It is my wish and prayer that from my poor labors some benefit may accrue to them. "May we all be so happy as to meet together in 41 the world of glory and receive the approbation of Him who will judge us according to our works. To Him be glory forever. Amen/' 42 s o 02 s >. Uh bf) -2 bJC 73 O a ^ fiift