Genealogy Files and Collections
Collection Location in the CountyArchives
*Includes individuals and information regarding one family per collection.
(Detailed inventories on the various collections are available.)
BLOSSOM & FORD FAMILIES
Batavia Families
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 14
Collection Location: 4C.5B
Collection Volume: .25 Cubic Feet
Date Range: 1817-1859
Contains: Family History, will, deeds, photographs and Accounts for the Free Will Baptist Home and Foreign Missionary Society of the State of New York ca. 1853
BRADLEY FAMILY
Pioneer Farm Family - Pavilion
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 11
Collection Location: 5A.1.2
Collection Volume: .5 Cubic Foot
Date Range: 1774 – 1981
Contains: Correspondence, property, military and financial records, genealogy references, writing and certificates.
CARY, TRUMBULL
(b.1787 - d.1869)
Batavia’s second merchant, founder of the Bank of Genesee, Postmaster, Adjutant - War of 1812, Assembly (1827) and State Senator.
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 3
Collection Location: 5C.2.A
Collection Volume: .5 Cubic Foot
Date Range: 1819 - 1845
Contains: Correspondence regarding his mercantile activities, personal letters and negotiations for the purchase of land from the Holland Land Company.
CHAMBERLAIN, IDA HOYT
Local author of Lincoln’s Fifteen Lost Hours which is a story that President Lincoln slept in her family home - Alexander
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 6
Collection Location: 5A.6
Collection Volume: 1 Cubic Foot
Date Range: 1861 - 1972 (Book copyright date 1976)
Contains: Photographs, genealogy references, book manuscript, poems and short stories, correspondence and newspaper clippings.
CRAPSEY, REV. ALGERNON SIDNEY
Heresy Trail of the Reverend Algernon Sidney Crapsey - A Presbyter of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America, in the Diocese of Western New York [Rochester] Trial held in Batavia
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 13
Collection Location: 5C.5
Collection Volume: .5 Cubic Foot
Date Range: 1906 – April
Contains: Outline [possibly collected and used for creating a presentation or publication idea]; notebook collection tab headers: “The Man”, Preliminary Investigation, Charge/Answer, Characters, Trial – Days 1 and 2, Trial – Days 3 and 4, Verdict / Appeal,
Renounces / Disposed, Aftermath / Miscellaneous, Printed Trail Reviews, Newspaper Clippings Collection
DAILY, MONICA
(b.1881-d.1964)
Promising piano student who obtained a brief concert career - Batavia
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 2A and 2B
Collection Location: 5A.1 and 5A.2
Collection Volume: 2 Cubic Feet
Date Range: 1866 - 1961
Contains: Correspondence, legal papers, newspaper clippings, and images
DIARIES
Collection ID: 12.01(See card catalog for listing)
Collection Location: 29A.1, 29A.2, 29A.3, 29B.1.1, 29B.1.2, 29B.2 and 30C.2.3
Collection Volume: 4 Cubic Feet
Date Range: 1800's - 1900's
Contains: Assorted diaries from local residents about their lives. Some are Indexed
HANSON, MARGERY JANE MARBLE
Advocate for Native American rights.
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 8
Collection Location: 5B.4.1
Collection Volume: .25 Cubic Foot
Date Range: 1956
Contains: Scrapbook of newspaper articles regarding Native Americans, correspondence and lecture notes. “Unselfish Service “ Award
KNOWLES, CHARLES
Free lance shorthand reporter who worked in the courts and recorded speeches (Buffalo area), wrote political articles and spoke on local radio programs, also short stories. (Parents: Father - Robinson Wells Knowles Civil War Veteran - d. 1/1/1912, Mother Elizabeth A. - d. 10/1918 in Buffalo) [Note: Does not appear to this time to have a Genesee County connection.]
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 4A and 4B
Collection Location: 5A.3 and 5A.4
Collection Volume: 1.5 Cubic Feet
Date Range: 1890-1945
Contains: correspondence, newspaper clippings, poems, short stories, genealogy, plays and Mother’s history contained within two volumes titled Simple Life.
PRENTICE, WILLIAM ELISHA
(b. 1857-d.1929)
Born in LeRoy (Parents John and Sarah Ann Randall Prentice) Taught school in Churchville, Byron, Elba, Stafford and Batavia, was elected Genesee County School Commissioner (1881), received a law degree from Yale (1888) and established a practice in Batavia, married Helen Louise McHardy (1893).
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 7
Collection Location: 5B.1
Collection Volume: 1 Cubic Foot
Date Range: 1885-1920
Contains: Cash accounts (1885), diaries (1885-1888) and correspondence.
REDFIELD FAMILY
Hon. Heman J. Redfield (b. 1788-d.1877)
War of 1812 Veteran, State Senator (1823-25), Post-Master (LeRoy), lawyer (William Morgan Affair), land agent, farm estate - Batavia
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 10A-D
Collection Location: 5B.3, 5B.5, 5B.6 and 5C.1
Collection Volume: 3.5 Cubic Feet
Date Range: 1812-1907
Contains: Accounts, diaries, journals, correspondence, legal papers, farm records, certificates and War of 1812 military records.
UPTON FAMILY
General Emory Upton (b. 1839-d.1881)
Military tactician, army officer during the Civil War, author of Military Policy of the United States, (Father- Daniel - farmer) - Batavia
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 5
Collection Location: 5A.5
Collection Volume: 1 Cubic Feet
Date Range: 1819-1907
Contains: Collection of published books on the Upton family, military reference, calling card collection, scrapbook of newspaper articles and hand-written notes.
VARIOUS AUTHORS COLLECTION
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 4B
Collection Location: 5A.4
Collection Volume: .5 Cubic Foot
Date Range: 1830-1935
Contains: Graney, Charles M. (Local Doctor) - Practices of Medicine and Surgery no date, Lane, Mary E. Events in her life and poetry (1867 and 1911), Morgan, James - Detective Story (no date), Patterson, Anna - Events in her life (1860-1891). Also unknown (unsigned) authors on topics of: poetry, daily chores (1890), ancient history, travel log (1935) and short stories (1830-1906).
WEISS, PHILIP (JUDGE)
(b. 1909-d.1966)
Received his legal training at the University of Buffalo Law School, was the District Attorney (1937), City Court (1939) [First Democrat Judge in 25 years], County Judge (1948).
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 12A and 12B
Collection Location: 5C.3.B and 29C.4
Collection Volume: 1.5 Cubic Feet
Date Range: 1930-1966
Contains: Election memorabilia, correspondence, speeches, photographs, judicial robe and awards.
WESTLAKE, (CAROLYN) LOUISE WIDDOWSON (DOCTOR)
(b.1874-d.1942)
Practicing Physician, graduate from the University of Buffalo Medical School - LeRoy
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 9
Collection Location: 5B.2
Collection Volume: 1 Cubic Foot
Date Range: 1872-1939
Contains: Correspondence, Ingham University Certificates, photographs, ledgers and financial records.
WILLIAMS, CLARA T.
(b.1860-d.1952)
Local author who gained prominence in her writing dealing with the early history of Batavia and Western New York.
Collection ID: Manuscript Box 8
Collection Location: 5B.4.1
Collection Volume: .25 Cubic Feet
Date Range: 1936 (copy-right date of book)
Contains: Handwritten manuscript -JosephEllicott’s Life and the Early Days of theHolland Purchase, plus typed copies of chapters 5-15 and “The Boundaries” - geography of New York.