After finishing Whiskey Island History in 1954, I had several requests from families interested in genealogy.  This time I am giving the census lists.  Probably some families are omitted. The census enumerators didn’t divide the town into school districts.  Different years they asked different questions.

The homes of some of these families can be located if you first study my maps.  Look for old sugar maples that suggest they were planted along the roadside.  You may find one or more of these flowers; patches of myrtle, lilac bushes, June roses, clumps of old tawny day lillies, live-forever, even daffodils may testify of someone's love of the beautiful.  These flowers are not native to the region, so are sure signs that a family dwelt there.

Remember as you read these lists that all these people didn't live in "The Burg" at the same time.

1850 Census

Joseph VanDyke               43 – farmer – Dutchess Co., in town 22 years.
Martha                              42
James                                20
Frances                             17
Melissa                              13
Martha                                 6
Edward                                4

Nancy Garlick 36  - widow of William -  Scotland - in town 16 yrs.
Mary A.          12  New York State

Gersham Fosdick             54 – farmer – Dutchess Co., in town 16 years
Sarah                               47
Samuel                             35
Nancy                              34
Richard                            29 – lumberman  - Ontairo County
Harriet                               6
Eleanor                            21
Caloin Henry                   27 – lumberman – N. Y. State

John H. Marsh                 42 – farmer – N. H. – in town 16 years
Waity                               33
William                               9
George                               7
Truman                               2

Peter Audas                    50 – farmer – England – in town 16 years
Mary (Hailstone)             50
Peter                               18
Garett                              14
Edward                           12
John                                10
Adeline                             8
Martha                              5
Isaac                                 1

Thomas Audas                47  - farmer  - England - in town 16 years
Mary                              34              -  Scotland
Jane Audas                     82  - mother - England - in town 16 years

William Godfrey            58 – farmer – England – in town 16 years
Mary                            56
Truman                         28
Henry                            21
Hiram                           18
Mary                            14
Frances                        12
Mary J.                           4

1850 Census. continued

William Johnson          56 - farmer - Scotland
Ann                            40

Amos Graves             40 - farmer - Oneida Co., in town 15 years
Lucinda                     37
Horace                     18
Otis                          19
James                       16
George                     14
William                       9
Orin                           7
Juilette                       5
Clarissa                     2 years old in 1855 census

Joseph Garlick         37 - millwright - England  in town 14 years
Catherine                 34
George                    14
Theodore                13
Adeline                   11
Sarah A.                  6
William                    3
Matilda                    5/12
Andrew                   3 years old in 1855 census

Orin Marsh             40 - farmer - N. H. - in town ii years
Mary (Godfrey)      40
Lois                         8
Mary                       7)
Martha                    7) twins
Waity                      2
Wm. Godfrey         92 – father-in-law – R.I.
Laura                       3 years old in 1855 census

James Smithson     37 - farmer - England - in town 12 years
Hannah                  32
Milton                   14

Jacob Sink            50 - farmer - Pennsylvania
Canulia                 50                 Massachusetts
Chancy Sink         23 - Methodist Minister
John                     18 - farmer
William H.            12                  Pennsylvania
James B.              10                  Pennsylvania
Welthia Carroll     73                 New York

On the 1852 map I found Stephen Cropsey living south from Jacob Sink.  Wife was a Davis, children Mary and Charles.

Washington VanDyke 25 - carpenter - New York
Ann                            22                      England
Jane Pierce                14

1850 Census, continued
James Roberts      38 - farmer - England
Ellen                     39                England
Ann                       9
John                      7
Mary                     6
Ellen                      4
David                    3
Leah                      4/12

Ambrose Ketchum          32
Harriet                            21
Henry Kimble                 26 – laborer
Cynthia                            2
Bianka                             8/12

Samuel Caldwell            48 - shoemaker
Roda                               38
Sarah A.                          15
Mary J.                            11
Samuel                              5
Eugene                              2

John Piersall                    26 - farmer
Emily                               25
Samuel                              9
John E.                              6
Emily R.                            4
Mary E.                             2
George A.                         5/12

Horato Philbrick             42 - polemaker - Maine - in town 3 years
Nancy                            38
Revillo                            10
Jay W.                              4

Thomas Piersall              37 - farmer – N.Y. - in town 19 years
Mirah                             38
Hannah                          15
Eliza                              13
Ruth                              11
Elmira                              6
George                            10/12
Hannah Tanner              78 - mother-in-law - Connecticut - in town 2 years

Abraham Piersall          28 - farmer
Rebecca                       24
Ransom                          2
Sarah A. Livingston         7 - niece
Samuel Piersall                1

1850 Census. continued
Lawis Peck            40 - farmer - Pennsylvania
Sarah                     35
Charles                  15
Ohio Ripley           52 - farmer - Vermont
Diadana                53                 Connecticut

I think Thomas, Abraham and John Piersall are sons of Hannah Piersall. A letter from Homer
Conklin, 233 W. Seneca Street, Sherrill,New York in 1924 in answer to my request for
information about our family genealogy tells me that Daniel Conklin came to Elpis, (then
Lanesburg) about 1850.  His wife was Sarah Ann Lane.  They came from down the Mohawk on
sort of a wedding journey.  Their children were Homer, William and Augusta.  In a few years
(before 1855) the family migrated to Wisconsin.  A short time after the father died, and the
mother came back east.

Homer Conklin erected the Conklin monument in Maple Flats Cemetery.  The Daniel Conklin listed in 1835 isn’t in the 1850 census. The Conklin families are also related to the Fosdicks and Carroll families.

Elpis Census – 1855

Frederick Diamond    38 – mason – Germany – in town 2 years
Regina                       33
Laurence                   13               (May have been in Oak Opening.
Adam                        12                 I am not sure just when he came
Sally                            9                 to Elpis.)
Abba                           4

James Scrobie           30 – farmer - Scotland
Eliza                          19                  Schoharie County
Frederick                  12                  Oswego County
Elizabeth                   10
John                            6

Michiel Scrobie          45 – farmer – Schoharie County
Mary                         47
Aberham                   18
Martha                      16
Eli                               9
Michiel                       4

John Colson               34 – farmer – England – in town 1-8/10 year
Eliza                           34
Horace French           10 – boarder – Onondaga Co. – in town 6/12 year

Elisha Gorton             52 – farmer, sawyer – Connecticut – in town 4/12 year
Sarah                         52
William West              30 – boarder – Connecticut – in town 4/12 year

Richard Segar            34 – Massachusetts – in town 1-3/12 year
Catherine                   26 – Dutchess County
Charles Rose             19)
Jane Hester               15) – boarders – Dutchess County
Wm. Champlin          16)

Emma Draper, 32, is a boarder in Horato Philbrick Family.
From Vermont. In town one year

James VanDyke        24 – farmer – Oneida County
Emily                        20
Albert                        2

Hiram Root             38 – Oneida County – in town 8 years
Esther (Church)       29 – Maine – in town 20 years

John Thompson       24 – blacksmith - Scotland
Harriet                     23
Caroline Allen            5 – niece – Onondaga

Daniel A. Lonis        46 – shoemaker – Columbia County
Adam Wise             24 – servant – France

1855 Census. continued

Hiram Landers         33 – Onondaga – in town 3 years
Sally                        28    in town 28 years
Homer                      8
Jerome                     5
Eunice                      2
Hiram                      4/12

John W. Fosdick     32 – farmer – Duchess County – in town 23 years
Sarah                      27           Herkimer County – in town 22 years
Mary C.                   1           Oneida County

Willett M. Conklin  37 - none - Oneida County - in town 5/12 year
Adeline                   36             Genesee
Edgar                      15             Warren        (Might have been
Henry M.                17             Madison        Lockerby District)
Helen C.                 12             Oneida
Mary                        8             Oneida

John Butters            19 - grandchild of John and Lois Marsh
 

Christopher Remore    23 - farmer - Herkimer County
Roda (Myers)             18
George W.                    6/12

Giles W. lane              33 - lives with his father, Ormal
Julia Lane                   22 - milliner - lives with her father, Ormal

Elpis Census - 1860

Richard Fosdick              40
Lydia A.                          24
Samuel                              9/12
Gersham                         74 - father
Sarah                              65 - mother

William Deveresse         39 - farmer, woodsman - England - in town 8 years
Eliza (Deal)                   35
Thomas                         23
Eliza                              14
George                          12
Alice                                6
John                                 4
Charles                             1
Edward S.                        4 years old in 1865 census
Frances                            2 years old in 1865 census
Emily                                Born in May, 1865

Thomas Tracy                  45 - farm laborer
Minerva                            31
Martha J.                          10
George H.                          8
Mary C.                             7
Hannah                              5
Esther                                3
Delia E.                             2

Lewis Peck                     42 – farmer - Schoharie County
Sarah (1st wife)                    Dutchess County
Regina Diamond (2nd wife) - Widow of Frederick
Charles Peck, son of Lewis, married Sarah Diamond, Adam Diamond's sister.  Children were Lewis, Will, James, Charles, Laurence, Lizzie and Irvin.  (This was told to me by Charles Peck, son of Charles and Sarah Diamond Peck.)

Elpis Census - 1865

George Butters           45 – New York
Julia Ann                    30 – Oswego County
George                      13
Orin                            8
Mariett                        6
Hiram                          8/12

John Charles Miller     33 - teamster
Nary Jane                   29
Delia J.                       11
Charles N.                    5
Helen A.                       3-3/12
John Edward                1-3/12

John N. Thompson     34 – blacksmith - Scotland
Harriet                       33
Nettie                          4
Caroline Allen            15 - niece
Sarah Mallery            76 – mother-in-law – R.I.

Daniel W. Odell         32 - teamster
Sarah A.                    22
Hellen E.                     4
Cora A.                      2-2/12

Enos Hibbard            56 - mason
Angeline H.               35
Harriett A.                17
George H.                10
Minnie E.                   5
Warren                      3

Lois Marsh Philbrick 26 – Revillo’s widow
Jay W.                       4
Edward Audas         26 – boating on Erie Canal
Martha (Marsh)        21
Etta                            3-3/12
George                       8/12

James Lonis             22 - laborer
Lydia                       21

Edward Walker       29 - miller
Harriet                     26
Adaline                      6
Elmer                         3-3/12
Arthur                        1-1/12

1865 Census. continued

James House            29 - boating on Erie Canal
Mary Ann                 27

William J. Marsh       28 - farming
Matilda                     26
Mary Elizabeth           4
Ellen                           8/12
William                       2 in the 1870 census

Caroline Haugh - black - Columbia Co. mother of 9 children

Abraham Skinner      56  - Albany County
Annie                        55
Nelson                      24 - farmer
Franklin                    20
Debby                      17
Peter Cook               68 - farmer - Columbia County
Polly                         68               Albany County
Marie                        25
The Cooks had eleven children

Elizabeth Kelley        42 - Schoharie County - widow
Thomas                    19 - farmer - Oswego County
David                       12
Susan                       10
James                         9
Sarah                          7
Francis                       3-7/12
Juilette                        1-3/12
The Kelleys had nine children
William Myers          23 - farmer - Herkimer County
Almina (Marshall)     20
Martha                       1
John Hailstone          57 - farmer - England
Anne                                             England
Elizabeth (Hailstone) Meachem - 19 - England
George                    16
John                         14
Joseph Meachem      21 - hoopmaker - Oswego County

John Gorton             34 – farmer – Herkimer County
Mercia (second wife)  22
John, Jr.                   11
Mary                         3
Sarah                         8/12

1865 Census  continued

George Grinell   55 - laborer - Rensselaer
Elizabeth           41
Ethiel                19
Louisa              14
Martha              8
Dorcas              4

Napoleon Peck   39 - laborer
Hannah               27
George               11
Willard                 3-1/3
Mary                   1-1/12
Phobe                 67 – mother-in-law

Harvey Landers   62 – farmer – Onondaga County
Jerusha                48                  Dutchess County
Harvey                17
Duane                 13
Adeline                  3

Atlantic Bridgeman  30 - farmer - born on Atlantic Ocean
Ruth                        25
George                      6
John                           2-1/2
The father, H. Bridgeman, is on Map of 1858

James Graves            30 - mechanic
Adeline (Audas)        23
William                       2-7/12
John                           1-1/2

John Mallery              37 - sawyer - Jefferson County
Betsy C.                    33                 Oswego County
Lewis                          8
Emily                           1-4/12

George Lindfield       33 - laborer - England
Harriet M. (Janes)     27                 Oneida County
Martha                     11
Francis E.                 13
George H.                   6
Frederick                    2-6/12

Ezra Ripley             29 – farmer - Pennsylvania
Mary (Will)            19
Lorena                     6/12
Waren Armstrong   21 – works on farm

George Milton Dunham  32
Martha (Audas)             25
Eri                                   2

Jabe Marshall   31 - farmer
Fanny (Pierce)  20
Frederick           3
Norah                 3/12
I don’t know about the Sweatland family.  The children are listed in school in 1870-71.
They lived in the William Schlenburg house.

Elpis Census - 1875

Davis Washburn  35
Nettie                  23
George                  4
Purliett                  3
Cora E.                1

Nicholas Martin 60 - France
Felinda              47 - Canada
Felix                  12 - Massachusetts
Norah               11 - Canada
Frederick            9 - Canada
Napoleon            6 - Vermont
Peter                   4 - Montgomery County

I wonder where they are now?

Wm. Spencer Lane 46 - farmer - Schoharie County
Salome                   49
Harriett                   20 - school teacher
Fordyce                  15
Alfred                     12
Gertrude                   1-1/2
Eliza Dunton            78 - mother-in-law
Winslow                  46 - brother-in-law

I repeat, I only copied the part of the census lists that I was interested in.  These are not complete lists.  I copied the spelling of the names just as they were recorded.

Jack Audas was living on the Brosmer farm in Whiskey Island.

Orin Marsh gave the farm to Waity and Jack as a wedding present. Abner was born at the Marsh
home in Elpis in 1873. Orin came in 1875 and Leon in 1879 at the Brosmer farm.  Rena, the
youngest, was born after the death of Jack’s parents when Jack and Waity left Whiskey Island for
the Audas farm in Elpis.

I think of Martin Treen and Frederick Wright as being part of Elpis.  I don't know when they came.  It was after 1875.

Roger, do you believe me when I say, ”Elpis was once a busy place?"