Thursday, May 23, 2013

Herbert and Emma Susan Baker Agard


I wish I had a photo of Herbert to add to his work-in-progress bio. Maybe a relative out there might have one?

Herbert F. Agard b: 18 July 1855,[1] the second son of Noah and Rebecca Agard, was born in the Town of Dix, Chemung County, New York.  Although Frederick Browning’s research as well as Herbert’s obituary in the Binghamton Press (below) states Herbert was born in Cortland, I don’t find evidence of that fact. In the 1850 and 1860 Federal census, as well as in the 1855 New York census, the Agard family resided in Dix, Chemung County, New York. The confusion may have come from the fact that his wife’s parents Thomas and Lucinda Baker, were of Harford, Cortland County, New York.

Herbert married Emma Susan Baker (b: abt 1846) of Cortland, New York in 1876.  In 1880 Herbert and Emma lived in Adams, Jefferson County, New York. He is working on a farm; she is working in a factory. I immediately wondered if it might be a cheese factory, as our favorite cheese is Adams Reserve. On further research, I think not it might be too early, sigh.  Though I am very impressed with the Adams, New York website.  I wish every small town would provide this type of information. 

On 11 May 1899 the Montour Falls Free Press reported: “Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Agard of this village have gone to Pleasantville Station, Westchester county, New York to reside. Mr. Agard having secured a position as assistant superintendent of the Farm School located there.” If this is my Herbert, his tenure there didn’t last long as the 1900 census shows Herbert and Emma living in Montour with him working as a carpenter.  I think further research is in order here.

Herbert and Emma had no children. In 1920 they were living in Jacksonville, Ulysses, New York, just down the road from the Enos and Laura Hardenbrook family.  According to Maude Hardenbrook Agard, Herbert, “was a carpenter who had lost an arm.” [2]  

Herbert and Emma died in 1926, he about 27 February 1926. They are buried in the Highland Cemetery, Schuyler County, NY.[3] 

Herbert’s obituary from the Binghamton Press, Wednesday Evening, March 3, 1926 reads:

“Herbert F. Agard, formerly of Cortland, died at his home near Odessa on Saturday. He was born in this city 69 years ago. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Emma Agard, two brothers, John of Willow Creek and Eaton J. of Elmira and a sister, Miss Lizzie Agard of Cortland. The funeral was held on Tuesday. Burial was in Trumansburg cemetery.”[4]

Although Cortland is mentioned again, at the time of his death, I believe he still lived next door to Merritt and Maude Agard on White Schoolhouse Road, Jacksonville, Ulysses, New York according to the 1925 New York Census.



[1] Agard, Frederick Browning, Agards in America, New Orleans. Polyanthos, 1976, p. 44.
[2] Conversation with Maude Emma Agard, late 1980s.
[3] Findagrave.com, Virtual Cemetery, digital images, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=102018025 for Herbert Agard; accessed 19 May 2013.
[4] “Emma Agard,” obituary for Herbert Agard, The Binghamton Press, 3 March 1926, p. 9, col. 1 [www.fultonhistory.org accessed 19 May 2013].

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