07/08/1849 - Base Ball and Manure

07/08/1849 - Base Ball and Manure

July 4th was on a Wednesday this year so we did not have the opportunity to follow father's yearly celebration.  He is convinced that someday in the future, the anniversary of the signing of our country's Declaration of independence will become an official holiday.  

He keeps proposing the holiday to our state assembly and senate members but has never received even the curtesy of a reply.  I suggested he write to our senator in congress but he has no more hope of getting the newly elected William Seward's attention than that of the local governance.  "Dang bunch of Whigs! is what I get every time I bring up the idea.  I must agree - if our Free Soil party and the Hunkers can't get their heads together, our fractured Democratic party will be out of power 'till the next century! 

Well - I digressed.  The point of this letter was to tell you that we did celebrate father's holiday after church this Sunday.  We had a grand time playing the new game of base ball.  One of the Doremus boys made a trip to New York City last fall and brought back a ball.  He also brought a picture of the now famous New York Knickerbockers (named after the fire station in Manhattan that started the game).  They look really swell in their uniforms. 

We have all the official rules in writing and pretty much follow them.  But there is a tendency to ignore the rule about not throwing the ball at a runner.  It's particularly fun to do so when the ball has been hit into a pile of fresh cow manure in the outer field. I saw mother laughing when I got squarely hit while running between the 1st and 2nd bases.  But she tried to look stern as she grumbled at having to clean the stench off my Sunday best.  Sad to say, my team lost 24 to 6. 

I hope you summer is progressing nicely and that all your family is well. 

Your Faithful Correspondent, 

Chauncey Sherman Seckner 

  

06/10/1849 - The Ice Man

June 10, 1849

Dear Reader,

It's getting rather hot out in the fields.  The hay is looking good and we have had a good calving for this year. Old man Getman's bull has had a busy season around the valley and no one got hurt or killed dealing with him this time 'round.  

That animal cost Getman a fortune to buy and raise but he has made a pretty penny in stud fees over the past 10 years.  Father keeps saying we should get into the business ourselves.

I, on the other hand, have been pushing for getting into the ice business. People will pay a good price for ice as the summer heat rolls around.  

The man they call the Ice King, Frederic Tudor, up in Massachusetts is making a fortune shipping ice all over the states and as far away as India!  Imagine - 15 years ago on May 12, 1833 he made his first shipment to India as one of his ships sailed from Boston for Calcutta, (a distance of 16,000 miles).  Its hold was filled with 180 tons of ice cut during the previous winter. When it approached the Ganges in September 1833, many believed the delivery was an elaborate joke, but the ship still had 100 tons of ice upon arrival which he sold for a magnificent profit. 

Father agrees we have the means to build our own ice house for storage but he points out that our pond would not produce enough winter ice to make for a profitable business.  I will have to figure out how to get access to larger bodies of water.  I will keep my mind on the problem.  

Mother and Father remain in good health. Sister Mary is in particularly good spirits as Sam Fish is paying her close attention at church services.  We'll see what comes of this.  Mother seems pleased.

Continuing in good health, I remain

Your correspondent, 

Chauncey Sherman Seckner

03/20/1849 - The Family Tree

March 20, 1849

My Ancestors

Start with me

 I, Chauncey Sherman Seckner, was born 14 Mar 1819 in Cedarville, NY and went to my great reward 10 May 1899 in Herkimer, NY.  I married Ellen Eckler, the daughter of Matthias Eckler and Charity Walrath, on June 5, 1866. She was born 17 Feb 1847 in Herkimer, NY and joined me on 10 Feb 1905 in Columbia, NY.

My Beloved Parents:
Jacob Seckner, Sr. was born 13 Sep 1789 and shuffled of this mortal coil on  02 Feb 1878.  He married my mother, Elizabeth Crouch, on 24 Jun 1810.  She was born 09 Jul 1792 in Herkimer and left her grieving children on 16 Jan 1860 in Columbia, Herkimer, NY. 

My Wonderful Grandparents:
Conrad Seckner was born 23 Nov 1764 in Stone Arabia, Albany County, NY. He was the son of Johann Paul Seghner (sic) and Maria Elisabeth Eysaman.

He married my sainted grandmother, Margaretha P. Pfeiffer, the daughter of Johann Peter Pfeiffer, on 23 May 1786 in German Flatts, Montgomery, NY. She was born about 1767 in German Flatts, Montgomery, NY. 

Grandfather Frank CROUCH was born about 1767 and died 26 Feb 1816 in Herkimer, Herkimer, NY. He married grandmother Maria Barbara HARTER, daughter of Johan Nicholas HARTER and Anna Marie, on 28 Jul 1789 in German Flatts, Montgomery, NY.
 
Grandma HARTER was born 08 Aug 1762 in Stone Arabia, Tryon, NY.  She died sometime after the birth of her last child in 1800.
 

My Great-Grandparents

 
1. Johan Paul SEGHNER, the son of Johann Jacob SICKNER and Christina SCHRYVER, was born in 1737 in Stone Arabia, Albany, NY and died 23 Mar 1786 in German Flatts, Montgomery, NY. He married Maria Elisabeth EYSAMAN, the daughter of Johannes EYSAMAN, 12 Mar 1762 in Stone Arabia, Montgomery, NY.
 
2. Maria Elisabeth EYSAMAN was born in 1741 in Stone Arabia, Albany, NY and died in 1841 in Stone Arabia, Herkimer, NY.
 
3. Johann Peter PFEIFFER, the son of Andreas PFEIFFER and Ernestina, was born between 1715-1730 in German Flatts, Tryon, NY and died 12 Aug 1786. He married an unknown spouse in 1755 (Stone Arabia Dutch Reform Church, Montgomery County, NY).
 
4. Johan Nicholas HARTER, the son of Lorentz HARTER and Anna Apolonia HELMER, was born 25 Aug 1723 in Herkimer, Herkimer, NY and died 09 Jun 1801 in Cooperstown, Otsego, NY. He married Anna Marie who was born about 1720.
 
My 2G-Grandparents 

1.  Johann Jacob SICKNER, the son of Johannes SICKNER and Anna Apolonia BAAM, was born in 1703 in Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany and died in 1777 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, New York. He married Christina SCHRYVER, the daughter of Albertus SCHRYVER and Eva Catherine LAUERMAN, 20 Feb 1734 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY.
2.  Christina SCHRYVER was born 22 Jun 1716 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY and died in 1735 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY.
3.  Johannes EYSAMAN was born between 1705-1720 in Herkimer, NY and died 09 Jun 1779.
4.  Andreas PFEIFFER, the son of Heinrich PFEIFFER and Catherina, was born between 1692-1700 in Germany. He died after 1740 in New York. He married Ernestina.
5.  Ernestina was born ~ 1696 in German Flatts, Tryon, NY.
6.  Lorentz HARTER, the son of Johan Nicholas HARTER and Anna Catharina BAUERMANN, was born 14 Oct 1698 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died in 1792 in Herkimer, Herkimer, NY. He married Anna Apolonia HELMER, the daughter of Hans Philip HELMER and Elisabeth MOCKLER before 1723.
7.  Anna Apolonia HELMER was born 30 Mar 1703 in Nieustadt, Weinstrabe, Germany and died in 1776 in Herkimer, NY.

My 3G-Grandparents

1.  Johannes SICKNER was born in 1662 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died in 1702 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY.  He married Anna Apolonia BAAM.

2.   Anna Apolonia BAAM was born in 1666 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died 1710 in NY.
3.  Albertus SCHRYVER was born in 1683 in Fieldkirchen, Neuwied, Rhineland, Germany and died in 1716 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY. He married Eva Catherine LAUERMAN, the daughter of Matheus LAUERMAN and Anna JUNG in 1709 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY.  
4.  Eva Catherine LAUERMAN was born 06 May 1688 in Anhausen, Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died in 1764 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY.  
5.  Heinrich PFEIFFER was born between 1670-1690 in Germany. He died in 1710. He married Catherina who was born about 1674 in Germany and died after 1717.  
6.  Johan Nicholas HARTER, the son of Johann Peter HARTER and Anna Catherina SCHOPP, was born about 1663 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died before 29 Sep 1711 in NY. He married Anna Catharina BAUERMANN, the daughter of Elias BAUERMANN 02 Oct 1686 in Bergenhausen, Altenkirchen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
 
7.  Anna Catharina BAUERMANN was born about 1664 and died 10 May 1703.  
8.  Hans Philip HELMER, the son of Leonard HELMER and Apolonia Maria RIPPEL, was born 20 Mar 1659 in Neustadt An Der, Weinstrasse, Germany and died in 1741 in Mohawk, Herkimer, NY. He married Elisabeth MOCKLER, the daughter of Johan Wilhelm MOCKLER and Juliane 15 Jun 1685 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany.
9.  Elisabeth MOCKLER was born in 1663 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany and died in 1744 in Yorkshire, England. 

My 4G-Grandparents
 
1.  Matheus LAUERMAN was born in 1657 in Rüscheid, Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
He died in 1688 in Reuscheit, Germany. He married Anna JUNG in 1672.

2.  Anna JUNG was born in 1657 in Rüscheid, Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died 11 Apr 1695 in Walcott, Scott, Iowa. 

3.  Johann Peter HARTER, the son of Johannes HERDER and Catharine PETERS, was born about Oct 1642. He died in 1715 in Horn, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany. He married Anna Catherina SCHOPP, the daughter of Michal SCHOPP and Agnes 13 Jan 1663 in Closter Chumbt, Germany.
 
4.  Anna Catherina SCHOPP was born about 1643 in Germany and died 01 Oct 1724 in Horn, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany.
 
5.   Elias BAUERMANN was born about 1640. He died before 02 Oct 1686.
 
6.  Leonard HELMER, the son of George HELMER was born in 1617 in Germany and died 24 Sep 1691 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany. He married Apolonia Maria RIPPEL, the daughter of Andres RIPPEL 25 Oct 1654 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany.
 
7.  Apolonia Maria RIPPEL was born about 1633 in Germany and died in 1663 in Germany.
 
8.  Johan Wilhelm MOCKLER was born about 1640 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany and died 20 Dec 1689 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany. He married Juliane.
 
9.  Juliane was born in 1633 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany and died 16 Apr 1692 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany.
 
My 5G-Grandparents
 
1.  Johannes HERDER, the son of Hans HERDTER was born about 1615. He died in 1669 in Horn, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany. He married Catharine PETERS, the daughter of Thomas PETERS 16 Apr 1638 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
 
2.  Catharine PETERS was born 1620 and died 1684 in Horn, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany.
 
3.  Michal SCHOPP, the son of Hans SCHOPP was born about 1615 in Germany. He married Agnes.
 
4.  Agnes was born about 1620 in Germany.
 
5.   George HELMER was born about 1591 in Germany. He died in Germany.
234.     Andres RIPPEL was born about 1600. He died before 10 Jan 1644.
 
My 6G-Grandparents
 
1.  Hans HERDTER was born about 1590.
 
2.  Thomas PETERS was born about 1600.
 
3.   Hans SCHOPP was born about 1600. He died before 1627.

03/18/1849 - The Pox

March 18, 1849

Dear Reader,

It's been 2 weeks since Old Rough and Ready was sworn in as president.  Imagine - Zachary Taylor, 12th President of the United States.  Word is that he is as surprised by his situation as most of the voters.

We did not have much time here at home to take notice of the hoopla in Washington; father has been sick for the better part of two weeks with the cow pox.  Most of the farmers who get the pox just have a blister or two where they had a scratch infected by an ulcer on a cow's teat. But father developed a rash over his back, chest and arms that was very nasty looking.  He also ran a fever and had a great deal of bone pain.

Mother called the doctor as soon as she saw the first blisters.  He came quickly and relieved everyone that what father had was indeed cowpox and not small pox.

Over the years, Mother has been reading about the pox.  She has been convinced by her reading that cowpox really does give protection against smallpox.  She asked the doctor about the chances of giving herself, her children (myself included) and the grandchildren a case of cowpox from father's blisters.  But on seeing how sick Father had became, her enthusiasm was tempered.  That was a relief!

Mother talked with the doctor about the other method of protection, called variolation.  It involves scraping some dried-up scabs of real smallpox infections into a scratch on the back of the hand giving that person a mild case of smallpox from which the vast majority survive.  The method has been used for over a hundred years in the colonies with good success.  In fact General Washington used it to protect his troops 70 years ago.  He was convinced the method was needed as he feared he would lose more soldiers from the pox than from the British.

The fact that "most" - not "all" survived this method dampened Mother's zeal.  We reminded her that there hasn't been an outbreak of smallpox west of Boston in 30 years.  She seemed content.  Perhaps we're safe from Mother's tender mercies as well as the disease.

Father is making a full recovery and should be back in the milking barn in the next few days.

Continuing in good health, I remain

Your correspondent, 

Chauncey Sherman Seckner

02/06/1849 - School Days

February 6, 1849

Dear Reader,

It has been a very hard winter. The cows have been kept in their stalls since the beginning of January as the snows are so deep they wouldn't be able to make it to the shelter of the day-pasture woods.  But with their body heat and the deep layers of hay in the loft above them, there is always warmth in the barn. It is sometimes more comfortable there than in the house.

Each morning, Mother sweeps the chicken yard and broadcasts the feed corn.  The hens seem unperturbed by the cold air and rush screeching from their coop to greet her. We continue to have a plentiful supply of fresh eggs -- enough for Mother to sell a few to Edick's feed store in town.  At times, she barters with the old man and takes any available newspaper in trade. 

She has recently taken up the subject of education as a cause - particularly that of the local girls.

 

My older brother, Jacob Jr. and his wife, Mandana, thankfully have both their girls in school.  Mother gives them praise while worrying over the many other girls here in the valley who are kept home from school to do the daily farm work.

She is fond of rehearsing the example of the Smith family just 2 doors up the road.

"Morris and Ben Smith are in school with our granddaughters every day while those boy's sisters, Rosetta and Cornelia, are kept home. Their mother, Jane, says she has taught them to read and write a little but their father, Ben, sees 'no reason for a woman to have any learning other than how to keep a comfortable home for her husband and children.'"

And with that, Mother vigorously concludes, "And it matters not that they are black!  Many white girls will not be at a school desk tomorrow either!"

Mother has a copy of the Rev. William Holmes McGuffey's first reader of 1841. The boy in this book is prompt, good, kind, honest and truthful -- virtues taught in fifty-five lessons.  Mother has raised the possibility of sharing the book with Mrs. Smith. Father has been unusually firm in denying Mother this intent as he says it might raise color questions more than schooling ones.

At this past family Sunday dinner, Mother had fresh fuel for her fire. The Friday Utica Observer ran the following article: "On the morning of Tuesday, January 23, 1849, a young woman ascended the platform of the Presbyterian church in Geneva, N.Y., and received from the hands of the President of Geneva Medical College a diploma conferring upon her the degree of Doctor of Medicine."

Mother read the article to all assembled in the sitting room after supper and added, "Her name is Elizabeth Blackwell and she is the first woman in the entire world to graduate from a medical college. And she did it just as the men had to do -- she had to take the two 16-week courses of lectures and then submit to written and oral examinations.

"See!  That's what an education can do for a girl! And from a college just 50 miles from our front door!"

Mandana and the girls applauded.  Jacob and Father smiled and continued to suck on their pipes.

Elizabeth Blackwell

Geneva Medical College

12/20/1848 - Gold in Them There Hills

December 1848

Dear Reader,

   Leonard and Margaret Ackler were over for Sunday Supper yesterday. Father & Leonard remembered back to the day this summer when President Polk went before Congress and confirmed the truth of the rumor reported by the New York Herald in August ; there is gold - lots and lots of gold - in the streams and rivers of the new territory of California!

The Ackler's second son, George Henry has been in California in a town called Sacramento for several years.  He married a girl from Illinois he met there and they have two children. Letters take months to arrive, but George has always been faithful in keeping his family informed of his well being. He now tells of the tens of thousands of men from all over the world who have been making their way to his town planning to make their fortunes. 

   A few unattached men from here in the valley took off right after the first whisper of gold.  But then the winter set in and kept anyone else from starting the four-month walk over the western mountains to reach the gold fields.

    Few farmers are willing to consider the two alternatives to the walk: a four month sea-sick trip around the tip of South America or a two month voyage cut in two by a trek over the disease and wild animal infested isthmus of Panama.         

    Leonard says George is doing "very well" (I think he means he's getting filthy rich) during the rush selling clothes, food and mining equipment to those passing through on their way to the Sutter's Mill area about 50 miles away where gold was first found. From the safety of his emporium, George last letter told of the miseries of the "poor wretches" who have come to strike it rich with tales of death by cholera, Indian attacks, starvation, thirst, heat, cold, accidents, sea sickness, and fights over claim rights.

    In spite of these tales, many local men are whooping it up at the possibility of making the journey come the spring of '49.

    And because of these self-same tales, all the local women are admitting relief that snow and ice are keeping their husbands and sons on the farms "where they belong".

      Among those women are my mother and my two sisters who I wager will do all in their powers to make sure that father, brother Jacob and I are right here in Herkimer for next summer's haying. 

You will be kept informed.

Your Faithful Correspondent,

Chauncey Sherman Seckner

PS- Sam Fish was at last Saturday's social.  He continues to pay great attention to little sister, Mary. Father continues to watch.

12/15/1848 - We Lost!

Dec 15, 1848

Dear Reader,

                               The Whigs are in --- Our Democrats are out.

                             Meet your next President and Vice-President.

         

     

                   Zachary Taylor                                              Millard Fillmore

 Mr. Taylor, "Old Rough and Ready"  and Mr. Fillmore will be sworn in next March.  I guess it will be after that that we will finally find out what Mr. Taylor stands for.  He certainly didn't have much to say on matters while on the stump. But that House of Representatives member from Illinois, Mr. Lincoln, had a lot to say on slavery and is credited with bringing many electoral votes to Mr. Taylor's side. He might be a fella to heed come the next elections.

    

Sunday suppers have been rather quiet affairs since the results were announced.  Father is in a bad mood and not able to speak of the election without growing agitated. His musings on the matters of state have boiled down to this practiced speech: 

   

"Our Democrats worry about the plans these Whigs have for the economy. Their practices favor  big business, big manufacturing,  the railroad robber barons, and those damned protective tariffs.  The results will certainly lead to the rise of a bunch of bluenose aristocratic snobs.. Our party believes in the common man--the man of average wealth, who holds an honest city occupation or, as a farmer, lives on the land raising food for the nation. We must prevail in the elections to come!

    

Mother has been quiet as well.  She does not want to upset Father in any way and isn't quite sure how he would view her increasing interest in poetry.  She and my sister, Fannie, have had their heads together over a letter sent to Mother by her old schoolteacher, Mrs. Avery, who has discovered the works of a Mr. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  The piece she has copied, which was published earlier this year is called "Evangeline".  The letter is rather long but apparently the whole poem is much longer.  Mother has not felt it necessary to share with me.  This is perhaps for the best as she and Fannie are in tears every time they read to one another. 

I'm sure I will sometime in future meet a woman who I will be able to understand....

Your Dedicated Corespondent,

Chauncey Sherman Seckner

To read the full text of "Evangeline", Click Here

Zachary Taylor                    Millard Fillmore

Mr. Taylor, "Old Rough and Ready" will take office next March.

11/07/1848 - Presidential Election 1848

             The name of this song is "OH! SUSANNA" by Stephen Foster from 1848.  American Folk Music.

Tuesday, November 7, 1848

Dear Reader,

Went into Winfield today to cast my vote for president. For the first time, all 30 states have voted on the same day so it may take a long time to count all the results.

            Presidential politics have been all the talk for the past couple months. But we had to put a stop to the topic at the (Masonic) Winfield Lodge last month as things got a bit too heated. Thought some of the men were going to come to blows.

            As part of the business of the meeting, we took up a collection for Mrs. Clapsaddle. She was recently left alone when her young husband was killed in a hunting accident. Mother, in her usual anxiety to get me married, has suggested I make my existence known to the grieving widow as she has over 200 acres of rich bottom land and a herd of healthy Holsteins. Such is the case, but she also has a brood of three young-uns under the age of five.

            We concluded the meeting with the induction of Josiah Eckler who having reached his 18th birthday and asked to be admitted to the Lodge. He is now an apprentice as he got 100% favorable vote by the members.

            After the meeting, his brother, Martin, told me of watching an outdoor Whig rally over in Utica. He said most of the speakers for (Zachery) Taylor were awfully dull except for one - the homeliest man he'd ever laid eyes on - a Mr. Abraham Lincoln.

            In the end, I believe that most of the farmers in the valley will have, as usual, voted for the Democratic Party and our candidate, Mr. Lewis Cass.

            They say President Polk has failed in health in the past few months. The war with Mexico hurt our party and must have ruined his health as well. But in the end - his war left us with thousands of additional acres of territory for our nation. But he also left us with the vexing question of whether that territory will be slave or free.

            Our party has been dangerously split on this issue; many of our members have left us to join the new third party that formed for the main purpose of keeping the new lands free of slavery.

            This past June, they held their convention in Utica and nominated our eighth past president Mr. (Martin) Van Buren as their candidate. I fear that Mr. Van Buren's Free Soil Party has taken votes from our Democratic party and given the Whigs a way into the White House.

            Mother has become more bold in speaking of things other than my marriage prospects at the supper table. This past Sunday she opined that if she, "as a mere woman", were allowed to vote, she would put her mark on Mr. Van Buren's column to "rid our blessed nation from the horrible scourge of slavery."

            Father rolled his eyes and later lectured me on the "obvious single-mindedness of women which made any attempt to let them vote dangerous to the very fabric of the nation."

            I have not given too much thought to the slavery issue. There are very few men in the surrounding counties who are slave owners and I don't know we should be telling the southern farmers how to do their business. I will have to study on the subject as I believe it will continue to well up in future elections.

Your Devoted Correspondent,

Chauncey Sherman Seckner