Notes
1. Letter of John A. Rumsey to David Whitmer, January 1, 1888, located in the Seneca Falls Historical Society, Seneca Falls, New York.
Appendix G: Letter of John A. Rumsey to David Whitmer
Rumsey & Company
Seneca Falls Pump &
Fire Engine Works.Seneca Falls, N.Y.
January 1st 1888David Whitmer Esq.
Dear Sir:
Yours of the 24th no[w] before me and I have carefully noted contents and in answer can only tell you some few of the many changes that has transpired since you lived here, however I will commence up South and move slowly down on several roads until Waterloo is reached Abe and Conrad Manges married Philip Pratz’ daughters and lived 5 miles South of Waterloo and are all dead. Next farm North Markels all dead, you may remember John and Jake Markel. The next farm Hecks, Jacob and Geo. are living. John and all of the sisters are dead Now I will take you a mile West to Hiram Rogers 9 boys and 3 girls, one boy and two girls living, all the rest are dead. Next farm to Rogers is Joh[n] Emerick did you know Joe and John, they are dead, but one or two girls of the family living. Now I will bring you back on the Jolly Road. Next to Hecks was Henry Wile all gone to Ohio and nearly every one dead. Next Allemans, Joseph and a young brother only, are living. I suppose you remember the Allemans and Pratz girls. The next farm Philip Pratz. You must recollect John and Conrad Pratz, of course there is not one of the old family living and I only refer to the first set of children and not to the grandchildren. Now we are down to the corners where the Jolly Tavern and School House stand, the same old Tavern is standing but there is a new School House and a Brick Church (Jerusalem) where the old wood (log) one stood, as you look to the East and as we must pass by the Church to call at the houses Fred and Benjamin Kuneys also Shileys and Jacob Ackers. The Kuneys are every soul dead but one girl and William Kuney, who is about 80 years old. Jacob and Geo. Shiley are dead, two of Jacob’s boys are working in my Pump Factory, I employ 200 hands. now I will take you West as far as Jacob and John Kennel both are dead, the next house North from Kennels is George Neass’ Marshalls and the old Staninger Saw Mill. I think you have fished over there and seen people baptized in its water. Now we must go back to Kennels and take in the Jacob Ansberfer’s family who are all gone, you recollect the Kipps boys, who were school boys with you Isaac, Ralph, Henry, John and Nicholas all dead but Nicholas. Now we will go East to Robert [371] McClung you ask about, Sam was about your age they moved to Seneca Co. Ohio about 30 years ago. Now we will stop at the Jolly Tavern to take some refreshments, as I do not drink as much as our forefather’s did, the first house North was a Smith family, you must remember Sam Smith and his yellow haired sisters as I believe you must have had a Sweetheart among so many nice school girls, although I was so young I cannot remember whether you were one of the Boys, as they call them now. The next farm from Smiths was the Schotts little Tavern John Schott. George, Jacob and Fred all dead but Fred, he lives in Waterloo. I think the next house was Isaac Whitsell, who married a Rathfarn a daughter of Mrs Strayer who had several girls before she married Stayer, they are all dead. We will pass one or two small farms and stop at Isaac Jolly’s Wm Jacob and all the girls are dead but one Betsey Ann, who you may remember as she must be 75 years old. Now we come to the four corners we will go West and first farm, I believe, was your old home, but I am not sure. Adam Schenck lived back to the South on a cross road, one or two of his youngest children are still living. By going a little further brings us over to the Van Riper’s, none of them here, they moved to Michigan long ago. Next on the Van Ripers road is the old creek and Hicks Saw Mill but all the Mills on the stream are rotted down and the stream dried up. I might take you a few miles further West to Seneca Lake but will return from the old Creek and call at Jacob Kendig The Updikes, Knights, Garry Loveridge and others to the Jolly road We then stop at the Schotts Ed and Vincent were the last of the Schotts and they both died within the last six years. Before we go any further North we will run over and call at Sam and Mike Thomas and find that both are dead several years. I think we better come back and take the Jolly road and pass along to Millers, when we are one mile South of Waterloo, but we can see nearly every house in the village from where we stand so we will go along branching off to the West, where Sam Hendricks had a tannery and across the field to the old stone mansion of Ten Broeck [sic] Chamberlain on the river road, none of these men are living, now we come to the village and inquire for John & Steve Watkins and are told that they died 30 years ago. We now cross the River and Canal Bridge and ask for Preacher Lane, Lisk the tailor, the. Swifts, the Knox [sic] Burtons, Loring and Jake Chamberlian and are told every one of them dead.——
Waterloo has about 6,000 inhabitants a Woollen Mill costing $150000 a Hotel of the old Eagle Corner costing $80,000 a Presbyterian Church costing $60,000 and a Stone Church, Episcopal $4,000 and many other public and private buildings costing from $5000 to $20,000 The old Court House is still standing, the old Waterloo Hotel was burned and never rebuilt. Any other inquiries you wish to make I will endeavor to answer. Now if you have strength enough to listen to all I have written I think you will get well and I think your Doctor will agree with me
John A. Rumsey
[the following note was added to the letter above:]
John Sigler Rumsey born in Orange Co. 1753 died in Fayette Aug 10th 1829 son of Simon Rumsey of Orange Co N.Y. grandson of Simon Rumsey of Orange Co NY. and great grandson of Simon Rumsey of Southold L. I. The [372] name Sigler, is said to have been his by a relative West but no one else has ever so written his name nor does it appear on any deeds except John Rumsey
John Rumsey married Phoebe Russell daughter of Thomas Russell of Orange Co. N.Y.
Children John Sept 1st 1770 Abigail Mary David July 5th. 1775 Simon March 13 1777 Thomas Russell 1780 Moses Nathan July 13 1788 Elizabeth 1792 Thomas Russell Rumsey married Sophia Dansingburg their first child was born in Faith in 1818.1 [373]
