Enfield NY Neighborhood Snapshot circa 1890s

The diaries of my great-great-grandfather, William Lanning Tucker came into my possession several years ago at a time when I could not give them the attention they deserved.  Since I am in the final stages of producing the Hardenbrook family monograph, I picked up William Tucker’s diaries and will work on a monograph based on them.

The diaries range from 1919 to 1929, when he was 80 years old, and when he was living with his daughter, Jessie Tucker Agard on their farm near Jacksonville, New York.  To find his exact date of death, I referred back to Jessie’s diaries in which she included some family history.

No luck yet with William Tucker’s death date, but what I did find in Jessie’s diaries that might be of interest is a neighborhood snapshot of those who lived near Enfield Center in the 1890s.  You can catch some of these families on the 1892 Census for Tompkins County, New York.  And Bill Hecht’s maps also help visualize this area.

Jessie Tucker Agard writes:

“My grandfather Ezra Tucker and his wife Caroline Lanning Tucker lived the first place east of the schoolhouse. His grandson Emmet Tucker lives in a trailer near there. Grandpa’s house has been gone sometime.  Uncle Jim and Aunt Sofia Hausner lived in the first house north of the schoolhouse, then Dr. Kelsey and family in the next house, Will Bullard and Mr. Broas and family. Abels Corners was next and there the District ended.  South of the schoolhouse first was Will Tubbs, William Lanning Tucker, and then the Aiken home.  Grandma, Frank and Fred Aiken, The Holtzaphel family, a German family. Just across from the schoolhouse Tubbs Family, Walt, Sally and children, Geo, Will, Nate & Elvira and others. East was Grandpa Tucker, Seth Cowan. West, John Bailey and mother, Henry Hausner, Roy Fletcher, Wm Ammack, Gillette Hausner, Dr. Kelsey. This was our School District #9.

I would love to hear from Tucker family cousins as I learn more about this family line.