The Rocking Chair that Aaron built

If you read my older blog posts, you may remember a post ‘The House That Aaron Built.’ Aaron Hoyt was my fourth great-grandfather and a carpenter, who not only built the house you see in the earlier blog post, but he helped build downtown Syracuse. He was raised at Sentinel Heights and had a house there, until he and his wife decided to move to the city of Syracuse.

During his Sentinel Heights years or his short time in the city, he built a rocking chair for his wife, Sophia. And by some miracle this rocking chair made its way down to my grandmother.

*Three generations – my Grandmother holding me in the rocking chair that Aaron built, with my mother standing beside us.*

Eventually my grandmother gave the rocking chair to my Mom. I remember it was painted white when it came to our home. My Mom took it to some guy in Tully who stripped it down for her and said it was an amazing chair that was made with four different types of wood. I remember we used to pull it away from the wall and rock in that chair as far as it would go.

*Rocking chair in 1977 – my younger brother and me next to it*

In fact, when I got my own place, I had to buy a rocking chair from Huckleberry Finn and finish it, because I love to rock while I’m reading or knitting.

This chair has a nice thick seat in it nobody could break! It has never fallen apart that I know of and is still as sturdy as can be.

This chair fit my small grandmother, and my small mother (she was 5’2″) perfectly.

And just like Aaron’s house is still standing, this chair is still standing strong today in my home!

*The rocking chair Aaron built (c early 1800s) is still as strong as the day it was made.*

Happy New Year!

My Mom used to love to entertain, and on New Year’s Eve, she and my Dad would have my Uncle Dick and Aunt Leslia over to bring in the New Year! They ate and played games and laughed, and had a good time, all while my older brother and I were sleeping behind the two doors you see to the right in this photo.

To ring in the New Year, they wore hats and blew noisemakers. Out with the old, in with the new!

*Happy New Year!* *l-to-r Mom, Aunt, Uncle*

I miss my parents and my uncle and aunt, but photos and memories are wonderful!

*Happy New Year! l to r –* *Uncle, Aunt, and Dad*

More on the Onondaga Valley Academy Fire

You know I had to do some research because I had some unanswered questions. How did the fire start? It was a faulty chimney. The building had been condemned, and the west side was being held up by a wooden structure as you can see in the photo below.

*Here’s some photos from the Syracuse Herald on April 8, 1919*

Where did the children go to school before the new academy was built? Newspaper accounts state they went to school in the Fellows Hotel and Candee Hotel and annex.

The new (now old) Onondaga Valley Academy was built on the Fowler property on Midland Avenue, even though newspapers stated some residents said the site was too small and preferred the Meachem site.

*Academy Green (site of original OVA) and Midland Ave (OVA building).*

Fire at the old Onondaga Valley Academy!

Sometime in the early 1990s my Mom and I took a road trip and picked up my Great Aunt Ruth and rambled around the Onondaga Valley area, where she and my grandmother were born and went to school. One of our stops was Academy Green off of West Seneca Turnpike in the valley. At the time my Great Aunt and my Grandmother went to school, Onondaga Valley Academy was located on Academy Green and the building looked like this:

I can imagine the sisters walked to school – it really wasn’t that far from their house on East Seneca Turnpike. But the more important part of this story is, on April 8, 1919, when my great aunt was in her classroom, fire broke out!

My great aunt said her mother (The Dressmaker) had just made her a brand-new coat, and she had to leave it behind, to get out of the building. If I remember correctly, my great aunt said her classroom was on the third floor.

*Onondaga Valley Academy on fire, April 8, 1919*

I can imagine how scary that must have been to have a real fire in your school!

*Onondaga Valley Academy after the fire, a pile of brick and burned wood, April 8, 1919*

I have so many questions for my Great Aunt now, but it is too late to ask them. Like, did they walk to and from school, and where did they go to school before the replacement OVA was built? By the way, all of the OVA postcards above were given to me by my Great Aunt after our trip that day.

The Dressmaker

My maternal great grandmother, Rosa Northway Cole (Mrs E J Cole), was an excellent dressmaker from what I was told and from the photographs I’ve seen of the clothes she made. I have this Dressmakers’ Discount card that was hers, from The Hunter, Tuppen Co. in Syracuse, NY.

*Dressmakers’ Trade Discount card belonging to my great grandmother*

*Back of Dressmaker’s Trade Discount Card*

The card is about the size of a credit card and made out of cardboard with metal around the edges.

My mother said great grandmother worked out of her home, and she remembers great grandmother having women over for fittings. One of the many things she made was beautiful, beaded wedding dresses. She would have my grandmother sew on the beads when my grandmother was a teenager. This is the same grandmother from my Three Generations post.

Now, I haven’t done much research on this subject, but my understanding is that early on in the history of department stores, there weren’t ready-made dresses that you could pick off the rack. What you did was picked out your desired dress style, and the desired fabric, and a department store dressmaker would make it for you. Whether great grandmother was one of these dressmakers for The Hunter, Tuppen Co, I don’t know, but my Mom said she worked all day at sewing until her soaps came on later in the day. Then she shut down her sewing room and went upstairs to listen to Stella Dallas and Portia Faces Life among others on the radio. My Mom would go upstairs with her sometimes as a young girl, but she had to be quiet while the soaps were on.

*The McCarthy building, c1900, later became Hunter Tuppen Co, and after that, Lincoln’s This building is on the NE corner of S Salina and E Fayette Streets..*

This is all I know about this interesting card, that hangs in a frame on my Sewing Room wall.

Three Generations

This wall in what my Mom dubbed as The Embroidery Room represents three generations of women’s work: My Grandmother, my Mom, and me. All three of us adored doing needlework starting at an early age.

My grandmother’s motto was “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” She engrained that in my Mom’s head, and my Mom didn’t need to engrain it in mine, because I wanted to learn everything she could teach me, and I always kept myself busy.

Everything was bought at Woolworth’s in downtown Syracuse. The linen or cotton that was pre-stamped or sheets of patterns that you could iron onto the cloth, embroidery floss, and needles.

*Woolworth’s in downtown Syracuse, SE corner of S Salina and E Fayette Streets.*

Somehow my embroidery sampler showed up – it was already stamped on cotton, just ready for my 13-year-old self to pick out the floss colors from my Mom’s small floss stash. The result was the piece in the lower left-hand corner.

My Mom’s first sampler is the one on the top right. She was allowed to pick out all of her floss colors, too. Hers was done when she was 12.

The Betsey Ross embroidery was done by my grandmother, especially for my mom. When I’m done reading at night, I stare at this wall in amazement at the hours of work it represents.

The photo is of my dear grandmother, who departed this life way too young. She is also in the Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY – hence the plaque beneath her photo.

When I was caring for my mom in the hospital, she said I look like her mother. I asked her if that comforted her, and she said it did. This made me happy, so the three generations of hard-working women could be together as my dear mother departed this physical life. I miss my mom so much, but I am so happy to be able to have happy memories of us together doing our needlework in peace over the years. Keeping our hands busy, as we always did, and I always still do.

My Little Red Dress

And my Mom’s first sewing machine

When my Mom got her first sewing machine, she told me her first project was to make a little red dress for me for Christmas. She saved this little red dress and a lined pink corduroy coat she also made for me. She let me play with the dress and coat to dress my doll (which was her doll when she was young – a story for another day). I don’t know about the apron – I’m sure she made that, too, but it didn’t survive all these years. I was kind of rough on my clothes. As you can tell – I had a hard time sitting still in that little wooden rocking chair.

*Me in my Little Red Dress with an apron, and my Mom, at Christmastime in LaFayette, NY*

This is the sewing machine used to make my little red dress that my Mom got as a present. This Dressmaker sewing machine came from Ra-Lin on Burnet Ave in Syracuse. Ra-Lin is still in business at the same location. I would say the sewing machine is made out of steel as it is very heavy.

*My Mom’s first sewing machine, present day*

Wondering what the Dressmaker sewing machine is, I did a search and found this blog posting: https://silverbobbin.com/dressmaker-sewing-machine-models/

Upon investigating my Mom’s machine, it is a Dressmaker Model MAZ Deluxe Zig-Zag made in Japan. It is still running smooth like a dream.

The House That Aaron Built

This is an interesting story of a house that was built before Syracuse became a city. In January of 2012, my friend at The Post-Standard, Dick Case (who is now a volunteer at the Onondaga Historical Association), asked me a question in an email: “Pam: I got an interesting document in the mail today. It’s a two-sided card about something called “The Lyons Settlement’ of Syracuse, about the family of William Lyons, who settled in “a little cottage on West Adams Street” between 1854 and 1909. Does that ring any bells with you? My 1914 city directory lists an “Anna E. Lyons” at 214 W. Adams in that year. DC”

As I did with all of Dick Case’s requests when he worked for the Syracuse The Post-Standard, I went right to our Research Center and rounded up everything I could on The Lyons Settlement, William and his wife Harriet, and their daughter, Anna E. Lyons.

This resulted in my finding the booklet Home Beautiful: The Transition of a Shabby House, which starts out “In the Year 1834 [sic], when Syracuse was a country village, this “Shabby House” was built.” Above 1834 is the very familiar handwriting of Richard Wright, as follows: “1838 by Aaron Hoyt (#10 Baker-’51)-2Br147,” which interpreted means, “In the Year 1838, when Syracuse was a country village, this “Shabby House” was built by Aaron Hoyt per Bruce’s “Onondaga,” Vol. II, pg. 147, and such house was found listed at 10 Baker Street in the 1851 directory.”

Aaron Hoyt? Well, I have an ancestor named Aaron Hoyt; in fact, he was my four great’s grandfather. But what was he doing in Syracuse? He was supposed to be living in Sentinel Heights. So I asked another one of my good friends, Mr. Roy Dodge, Town of LaFayette Historian, emeritus, if this could possibly be my Aaron Hoyt. He confirmed that indeed it was.

Now my research became very personal. And here’s what I found in OHA’s research center and archives:

My great, great, great, great grandfather, Aaron Hoyt, who lived in East Hill, now Sentinel Heights, built a home in the Village of Syracuse in 1838. According to the booklet Home Beautiful: The Transition of a Shabby House, Aaron Hoyt built his 20’ x 24’ home from wood most likely from his land at Sentinel Heights. All lumber, including shingles, was hewn and scored by hand. The house was put together with wooden pegs, and no nails were used.

This was in Aaron Hoyt’s diary, and it may be part of his plan for his 1838 home.

According to Newton King, who also was a Town of LaFayette Historian, Aaron Hoyt was a carpenter who also helped build some of the larger buildings in the Village of Syracuse at the time.

Aaron’s house was built on lot 4 of block 120, which was at the corner of West Adams Street and Baker Street (now Clinton Street). (Deed of house and lot in Syracuse, Block 120, Lot 4, recorded in Onondaga County Deeds Book 180, page 39, January 1, 1845, Moses Burnet to Aaron Hoyt.) I don’t know why the house was built in 1838 and there wasn’t a deed for the land until 1845.

1890 Map showing Baker Street and West Adams Street

Anna E. Lyons crayon drawing from her journal, 1909, showing the homes built on West Adams street, including Aaron Hoyt’s home in the mid-right foreground. A newspaper caption reads “Fourteenth Ward in 1854, Old Crayon Showing the Old Sixth Ward from Baker Street to Stearns Factory, With Binghamton Depot to the Right.”

Inside The Lyons Settlement card reads: “Cottage on the corner, first house on Baker Street, built in 1838” which refers to Aaron Hoyt’s house.

Aaron Hoyt died unexpectantly of “ague” in 1847, as noted in his son William Hoyt’s diary – 1847 August 26, “Father & family return to Syracuse, father get down with ague;” September 1 “go to Syracuse & dig Potatoes for father;” September 10, 11, 12 “Father very Sick. Life despaired of. Sick with Summer complaint and Child Fever. Weather variable hot & cold. A sickly season in Syracuse.” September 20 “Aaron Hoyt, Sen. Departed his life this Day at 4 o’clock PM in the full hope of a blessed immortality.” Aaron Hoyt’s wife Sophia (Brooks) Hoyt, had her niece, Miss Mary S. Hoyt, daguerrean artist, move into the home with her for a short time. Later, Sophia Hoyt rented the house out and she moved into an apartment in the Bastable Block. After that, she moved to Lexington, Kentucky with two of her daughters, and died there on 26 August 1872. Aaron and Sophia Hoyt are both buried in the Sentinel Heights Pioneer Cemetery on Lot 21 in the Town of Onondaga.

William Hoyt (son of Aaron Hoyt) continued renting Aaron Hoyt’s house, and in 1880 sold the house and property to Mrs. Wm. Lyons (William Hoyt Diary, 1880. June 1, William Hoyt diary “go Sy, sell House & Lot in Syracuse;” June 4 “go Sy Finish Sale S. Property;” June 4 “Finish sale of the Syracuse Property to Mrs. Wm. Lyon for 2,500$ cash.”)

1882 Sanborn Map showing Aaron Hoyt’s home at 10 Baker Street on the corner of West Adams and Baker Street.

In 1885, William Lyons built Lyons Flats on the corner of West Adams Street and Baker Street (Clinton Street), moving from Lot 4 the frame house erected by Aaron Hoyt in 1838 (Richard Wright notes). The little house stood in the back yard of William Lyons’ concrete home he built at 9/212 West Adams Street in 1873.

1890 Sanborn Map showing Aaron Hoyt’s home moved behind Wm. Lyons’ concrete home at 9/212 West Adams Street.

Aaron Hoyt’s home sat in back of William Lyons’ concrete house at 9/212 West Adams Street, from 1885 to 1934, during which time it became dilapidated. In 1934, it was given the moniker “Shabby House” by the Syracuse Home Improvement Campaign, a program which was used to create real work for local labor and materials, and moved to James Square (block 89) so people could view the progress.

The house at James Square (James and North Warren Streets, block 89) so people could watch its transformation.

The transformation of Aaron Hoyt’s home was published in the December 1934 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine.

Aaron Hoyt’s home transformed from “Shabby House” to “House Beautiful.”

After its transformation the house was described as a white house with green shutters, and was auctioned off by the city, as per 1934 newspaper articles and photographs. The American Legion bought the house for $1,600. A saleswoman named Vera Klein won the house on a ticket she purchased for a quarter. Vera sold the house to Horatio S. Andrews, and it was moved to 244 Ashdale Ave. in Eastwood.

The house was featured in the Syracuse Herald American on February 15, 1976, which was at that time owned by Dan and Jo-Anne Murphy.

Aaron Hoyt’s house was featured in the Jan/Feb 1997 issue of This Old House magazine and the Syracuse The Post-Standard on January 25, 1997. One of the editors of This Old House magazine found the 1934 booklet in a shop in Seattle and was intrigued with it.

From This Old House magazine, January / February 1997, pg. 25

Aaron Hoyt’s house is currently at 244 Ashdale, Syracuse, NY and lived in by Mr. and Ms. David and Cynthia Reitz. It shows that old buildings were built to last and are indeed worth saving.

Google Earth’s 2013 views of Aaron Hoyt’s home now located at 244 Ashdale, Syracuse. You can see modifications have been made.

Dick Case and I have been trying to get inside of the house to look at it, especially at the beams in the basement – just to touch the same beams that my four great’s grandfather touched. . . .

Cole Home on Cole Rd., South Onondaga

This is a story that I don’t know all of the details about, but little bits and pieces get filled in once in a while. George Wallace COLE, my great, great Grandfather, went to Walnut Grove, MN, after his wife, Josephine Huntington died at a young age, of Tuberculosis. He left behind his only son, my great Grandfather, Edson Jerome Cole, to live with his Aunt Anna and his grandparents Emily and Elisha Cole. They all lived in South Onondaga on Cole Rd., in a house, until just last night, was unknown to me.

My second step cousin once removed, Jessie, sent me a photo of the Cole home with Edson, Anna, Elisha, Emily and Charles Cole sitting out in front of their house on Cole Rd., circa 1884 as Edson looks to be about 10 years old.

Cole House, left to right, Edson J. Cole, Anna Cole, Elisha Cole, Emily Cole, Charles Cole, c. 1884

I was so floored, as this was not what I expected (I expected a stick Victorian). After dinner, I went out to Cole Rd. and drove high up in the hills until I came across a house that looked just like the one in the photo. And shy me, went to the door and knocked, so I could share the photo with the present owners. They were really nice, and very excited to see the photo. I asked if I could take a photo of their house, which they granted me permission, and I did. They have the abstract of title (which I hope to see soon) which states the house was built in 1835 on land given to Jabesh Cole for serving in the Revolutionary War. What? I didn’t know this? I’ve got some research to do!

Same house as of Sep. 10, 2013

South Onondaga Schoolhouse

On April 8th, 2010, we visited South Onondaga. I love listening to the stories Mom tells. I didn’t realize until this time, that Grammie Perry went to school, at some point, in what I always knew was the Grange. The Grange was on the opposite side of the road down the hill from Grammie’s home. Mom is working on finding out the details of the schoolhouse / grange, but for now, Aunt A. asked for the then vs. now photos.

Taken from page 26 of South Onondaga and Vicinity to 1904; 1834-1904 The Septuagenary of the South Onondaga Methodist Episcopal Society, by W. W. Newman, published by C. W. Bardeen, Syracuse, NY, 1904