Jacksonville (NY) Community United Methodist Church history

Introduction page

An exciting and stressful day. Exciting because I finished transcribing and indexing my great-grandmother’s handwritten history of the Jacksonville, New York M.E. Church. Readers should note that the name of the church changed over time, and as I was finishing the project, I asked: What do I call this? I decided on the name the community is using now.

Next page with quote from an 1898 newspaper

While transcribing her diaries I learned in 1946 Jessie (Tucker) Agard was asked to write the history of the community church. In January 1947 she purchased a manuscript book for $10.00 at Miller’s Paper Store in Ithaca, New York. Every day that winter she noted, “worked on church history.” I was curious to see this book, but no one seemed to know where it was. Thanks to my cousin and former Jacksonville Town Historian, Nancy Dean, a copy of the handwritten pages were found.

Jessie’s history of the church starts in 1790 and continues with board of trustee minutes through 1946. I learned this spring that she was asked to continue, which she did until 1957 when Florence Graham took over. During our visit to Jacksonville this May I was able to hold the manuscript book that Jessie purchased and copied the history into.

The morning was stressful because I took five copies of the completed history to the UPS store to ship to the Bridgeport National Bindery in Agawam, MA—a good thing, but always wondering, did I get everything right? Are all the pages in order (even though I checked each one)? Murphy's Law?

Five copies prepped and ready to ship to Bridgeport National Bindery

 I look forward to holding the bound books in my hand, and then distributing them to the proper repositories.

This project is for you great-grandma Jessie Agard. 

Jacksonville Community United Methodist Church history – an update

Jacksonville Church sanctuary, May 8, 2019

We made a trip to Upstate New York in early May to review the manuscript books and other church history items my friend Beth found and spent the winter organizing.

We met at her house where she put before me the manuscript book my great-grandmother Jessie (Tucker) Agard worked on from the handwritten notes that I have been transcribing. Through Beth’s research we learned that Jessie finished the first set of minutes dated 1842 through 1946 to the church and then took the book back to continue with the project. Jessie transcribed the minutes through 1957 when Florence Graham took over the task. Mrs. Graham transcribed the minutes from 1957 through 1979.

We then went to the church where Beth showed off its soon-to-be-open-for-the season thrift shop – beautifully arranged, and then we walked across the road to the church. After admiring the quilts on the wall, the sanctuary, and the Rose Window, we went downstairs into a back hallway where the infamous previously locked file cabinet resides. Beth showed us the files she had organized neatly into Pendaflex and manila folders. She then pulled out the drawers of the other file cabinets. So much history; so little time.

The question was: how did I want to proceed with my part of the project knowing there is all this information yet to be digitized? The answer was easy. I’m transcribing what my great-grandmother did and that will be one project done. When that is bound and distributed, we can talk about what else should be tackled and maybe someone in the community will come forward and volunteer for the job.

My dining room table is covered with the handwritten minutes, my typed copy, and ten pages of two columns of index terms that I am working through putting in page numbers. Not as easy as it sounds. The issue comes when there are two persons with the same name or just an initial, and when women in the earlier years were listed as Mrs. and in later years with their first name. I had to consult the U.S. Federal Census to determine who was the wife of Frank Mattison. Caroline is the answer, though the census listed her as “Cardine.” That census also told me that Monroe was their son. I suspect I will be spending a fair amount of time on census research before the index project is complete.

52 Ancestors – Week 2 – Favorite Photo

Jessie (Tucker) Agard and Arthur Agard

This prompt was much harder. As many favorite photos popped into my head, I realized I had already posted them on this blog. But I knew the person I wanted to honor. That person is my great-grandmother Jessie (Tucker) Agard. I have written a few posts about Jessie, so readers may remember that she was Ulysses (NY) Town Historian for over twenty years. That was before my time of understanding what that meant. I now realize my desire to preserve history and to document my ancestors probably comes from her genetic influence.

I am the lucky recipient of Jessie’s diaries, started in 1944 up to her death in 1973, as well as her handwritten history of the Jacksonville Community Church, listing its pastors, boards, and members, and a copy of the handwritten and transcribed journal of her grandmother, Adeline Cleveland Hosner who was born in Jacksonville, NY in 1809. Adeline’s journals were edited and published as The Pioneer Clevelands. Jessie’s family can be traced back to the Rev. John Lowthropp. The Rev Lowthropp arrived Boston 18 September 1634, and eventually moved his congregation to Barnstable, MA.

The photo is of Jessie and her husband Arthur Agard on her 90^th birthday, January 2, 1966. The photo was taken at a family dinner at her son, Merritt's home on Route 89, Trumansburg, New York, overlooking Cayuga Lake. Merritt and Maude returned from their winter in Florida just for this occasion.

In Jessie’s own words, here is what she wrote in her diary for January 2, 1966:

“This is my Birthday [90 years] Snowing. We are invited to Merritt’s for 5 o’clock dinner, Bill’s family too, and we went with them. Ethel, Margaret, Ken, Millie, Skip, Dianne, Nancy, Martha and Laura H. Merritt and Maude came from Florida to be here for my 90^th Birthday.”

The hutch shown in the background of this photo now resides in our home, as does the dishes that are displayed. This photo and Jessie's journal entry brings a lot of memories. Only two of those listed are still alive.

Today in Willow Creek History – 21 January 1944

Photo from National Archives

On 21 January 1944 Jessie Tucker Agard writes in her journal that her husband Arthur Agard and Willow Creek neighbor Paul Vann have gone to John Rice’s to the 4^th War Loan drive. That drive was probably in Trumansburg. 

“During World War II, the U.S. Treasury conducted “War Loan Drives”, set periods of time during which an onslaught of entertainers, radio programs, posters, newspaper ads, articles, magazines, and short films urged Americans to purchase as many war bonds as possible to help fund the war effort. And the money was needed---on November 19, 1944 President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated that the war was costing the United States $250,000,000 a day. There would ultimately wind up being eight numbered War Loan Drives during the duration of World War II, with the eighth and final one being dubbed the “Victory Loan Drive”. Similar War Loan Drives had been conducted during the first World War---but whereas the propaganda for those campaigns relied largely on posters and newspapers, during World War II a coalition of actors, comedians and singers would help lead the way.” [Jack Benny in the 1940s]

On the home front two days prior, Arthur and Jessie’s son-in-law, Louis Tamburino traveled to Utica, NY for his physical test. He passed and is now officially in the Navy.  Six days later he is in Sampson, NY for naval training.  

The Village of Trumansburg did its part for the war effort. According to A History of Trumansburg by Lydia Sears, the town of Ulysses surveyed available rooms to house evacuees of bombed metropolitan areas. The silk mill was used by the defense industry, emergency mass feeding plans were put in place, and collections of scrap metal, rubber, silk stockings, tin, copper, rags and paper were encouraged.  Food and gas rationing was in place.

Just north of Trumansburg the Seneca Naval Station, later called Sampson was constructed employing 17,583 people. The majority of those required housing. 

Today in Willow Creek History – 11 January 1944

On 11 January 1944 Jessie Tucker Agard documents:  Had macaroni and cheese; trying to observe meatless Tuesday. Her husband, Arthur and son Bill went to Trumansburg to a meeting at the school. Farm accounts.  FDR spoke at 9 to 9:30. Very good. Spoke against strikes. Said the whole problem could be summed up in one word, “Security” – solution for problem.

The next day Jessie made applesauce and noted she had to be careful about the amount of sugar used. In the afternoon she went to the Red Cross with seven other women from Willow Creek to make surgical dressings.  She was proud to have made 127 surgical dressings that day.  Her neighbor, Ruth Vann loaned Jessie a library book, All that Glitters. In return, Jessie loaned two of her Agatha Christie books.  

Fearless Females - Day 8 - Jessie Agard's Diaries

Jessie May Tucker Agard is another of my Fearless Females.  Jessie kept a diary for each year from 1944 through the 1960s.  It is interesting that although she was Ulysses Town Historian for twenty years, her personal diaries do not contain much socio-economic or political commentary.  Her first entry explains why she began keeping a diary. The war was on and her future son-in-law was serving overseas. Jessie participated in the war effort by making surgical dressings, and I am sure she hoped Louie would not be a recipient.

Louie Tamburino and Adeline Agard 

 Jessie also mentions her sister Addie Tucker, an unmarried schoolteacher in New Jersey. I suspect Jessie worried about here sister as well during these unsettling times. 

Diary introduction written by Jessie Agard

I kept a Diary in 1944. World War II was on – Louie Tamburino was in Service. Adeline was working in Rome. Addie was teaching in Asbury Park, N.J. She was home for the holidays. We were making “Surgical Dressings” for the war patients. We met every week at different homes in the neighborhood.

            Years ago Dr. Kelsey and his family lived in our community. I was acquainted with the family, went to school with the children, Arthur, Emma and Tom.