Baptist Society of Mentz Land Deed

I just found the land deed for the Baptist Church of Mentz dated Feb. 23, 1818 where Friend Barber sold land to the church, the elected members being John Jefferies, Joseph Clary, William Mead, Rupel Palmer, and Shadrack Crane as trustees.  The deed was sealed in the presence of John Wait and Christopher Jefferies.

After doing some additional checking, Friend Barber is of the Windsor, CT Barber family, my own distant relative and kin to many families who still reside at Port Byron.  Perhaps many of you are distantly related to the various names mentioned.

"New York, Land Records, 1630-1975," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-32985-10757-6?cc=2078654&wc=M9M4-8XN:n660094825 : accessed 24 Nov 2013), Cayuga > Deeds 1817-1819 vol T-U > image 200 of 605

Courage of Myrtle Kilmer

Every now and then you find a news clip that makes you stop and realize just how important the imagery of liberty is to us.  I'd like to share a little article that appeared in the Port Byron Chronicle on Saturday January 26, 1917:

STRICTLY LOCAL NEWS 

Miss Myrtle Kilmer a former resident of this village, who resides with her sister Mrs. Oliver Wilson at Syracuse, is receiving a great deal of praise as the result of an act she performed at the Emanuel Evangelical church Thursday evening while a meeting was in progress. The fire started near the chimney and the auditorium quickly filled with smoke.  The members of the audience crowded to the doors. Miss Kilmer forced her way through the crowd to the front of the auditorium where a large American flag  was hung , took down the flag and then hurried out of the building being the last to leave.  Miss Kilmer modestly denied that any special credit was due her, as it seemed to her the most natural thing to do.

Way to go Myrtle!

Lost Church

Many may remember attending school at this church.

Here is an earlier photo:

William Hecht Collection Rootsweb-digital enhancement by D Roe 

1911 Church History