Memories of the Coes 10 - Snowbound

I think we were considerably nearer Pavilion village than Le Roy which was five and a half miles away, but Le Roy was our trading point and post office. Living on a north and south road, the road was often blocked in the winter. When the storms would subside our man and the neighbors would have a kind of bee digging out the snow. They would have big bob sleighs and hitch strong horses on, and drive through when possible, digging when necessary. They would come in rosy and snow covered, and I think, there was quite a lot of fun with the hard work. Our father had cousins in Phelps who visited their cousins in Le Roy and Pavilion quite frequently as I recollect. Among them were two brothers Fletcher and Salvo Helmer, young men, extreme contrasting types. Fletcher was all masculine, sturdy, dark curly hair, while Salvo was slender, fair, did fancy work like the women. I remember a nice piece of cross stitching I think he was working. We heard of him later as keeping a millinery store and still later as engaged in Y.M.C.A work. Miss M. Ella Thomas of Pavilion says Fletcher's son was once a beau of hers. The others I do not remember as well, - several ladies, old or elderly, and one brought a new husband, Mr Demrock, one time. One time a lot of them came five to seven, I should think. A heavy storm came up and they were blocked in, and all had to stay over night. I imagine there was some intensive planning, as there were seven of our own folks. I slept with cousin Josephine Crocker, of Le Roy. She said I was a nice bedfellow!

There was a trundle bed which rolled under father and mother's bed in the little down stair bedroom. I slept in it some times and the twins sometimes. Later I slept upstairs with Mary, for a time at least. She was going to Le Roy to school and went Monday morning, returning home Friday after school. She rose early one Monday morning before light, and presently I though I would get up also. I hunted around the room for the door, it seemed a long time, but could not find it. I think some one heard and came for me. Possibly I found my way back to bed. But I do remember the steam and soapy smell of mother's washing. She always washed Monday and started early. 

Some times the snow would drift high over the lower parts of the windows, I seems to me the frost on the kitchen windows would sometimes be half an inch thick. Father loved to keep rousing fires, - wood, - in the stoves. We had at least one stove called a Regulator. When the fire got so hot, the damper would close, shutting off the fire. Neither Charles nor I can remember how it worked. 

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Patty's notes on this entry

Cousins in Phelps - The cousins in Phelps were members of the Coe/Cline family. Maria Coe (188-1878) was a daughter of Jesse Coe (1769-1843) and Olive Roberts (1770-1854). She married Conrad Cline (1796-1874) in 1818, and lived in Phelps, Ontario County, New York. Conrad and Maria had ten children, Marvin (1820-1881) Juliette (about 1824-1898), Minerva (1827-1913), Emily (1828-1910), Mary Ann (about 1831 - ????), Maria (1832-1904), Esther (about 1835 - ????), William (about 1838 - ????). Lyman (about 1841 - ????) and Hiram. Ezra Coe (1796-1869), father of Albert Coe (1827-1907), also was a son of Jesse Coe and Olive Roberts. So the children of Conrad and Maria Cline were Albert Coe's first cousins. 

Fletcher Helmer - Fletcher C. Helmer (1852-1914) was a son of William Henry Helmer (about 1822 - 1893) and Juliette Cline (daughter of Conrad Cline and Maria Coe). He married Sarah Frances Park (1851-after 1920) in 1875. Fletcher and Sarah Helmer had two children, Frederick Jesse (1876-1940) and Eva M. Helmer (1887-1975). 

Salvo Helmer - Frederick DeSalvo Helmer (1848-1908) was a son of William Henry Helmer and Juliette Cline. He married Harriet S. Root (1849-1908) in 1871. They had two children, Grace (1872-1960) and Edward (1885-1959). According to the 1880 census, he worked at a clothing store in Rochester, Monroe County, New York. In 1900, he worked as a clerk in a dry goods store in Selma, Dallas County, Alabama. The 1904 and 1906 city directories for Selma list Frederick as a clerk at Liepold Brothers Department Store. so I am unable to confirm his work with Y.M.C.A. 

Miss M. Ella Thomas - probably Mary Ella Thomas (1862-1950) was a daughter of Samuel Thomas (1822-1911) and Susan Beekman (1825-1906). She lived in Phelps, Ontario where the Helmers lived in 1870s. By 1880, she was living in Pavilion where she lived for the remainder of her life. 

Fletcher's son - Frederick Jesse Helmer (1876-1940) was Fletcher C Helmer and Sarah Frances Park's son. He married Lillian V Rowe (1884-1965, daughter of William Rowe and Sarah Wall) in 1909. M Ella Thomas was 14 years older than Frederick Jesse Helmer, so while it is possible he was a beau of hers, I haven't been able to confirm it. 

Mr Demrock - this may be William Phelps Dimmock (1811-1891, son of Solomon Dimmock and Clarissa) who married Minerva Cline (1827-1913, daughter of Conrad Cline and Maria Coe) between 1869 and 1875. So if this is who Mr Demrock is, this would date the visit most likely to the early 1870s. 

Josephine Crocker Pratt (1843-1927) and her daughter Alice Louise (1872-1950)
Photo courtesy of Marion Sperry Howe

Marion's blog with Coe photos is at https://mlsperry.blogspot.com/2020/07/coe-family-this-post-presents-pictures.html

Josephine Crocker - Josephine E. Crocker (1843-1927) was the daughter of Huldah Melissa Coe (1821-1902) and Henry Crocker (1819-1899). Huldah was Ezra Coe (1796-1869) and Elizabeth Ann Sornberger's (1795-1888) oldest daughter, so older sister of Albert Coe. She married Peabody W. Pratt (1838-1874, son of David Pratt and Electa Gibbs) in about 1871. They had one daughter Alice (1872-1950).

Mary - Mary Isadore Coe (1851-1924) oldest daughter of Albert Coe and Deborah Prentice (1833-1910). She married George W Sperry (1853-1933, son of Platt T Sperry and Rebecca) in 1879

school at Le Roy - Mary likely attended the LeRoy Academic Institute that opened in January 1864. The school had both day and boarding students, educating both boys and girls. You can read more about the LeRoy Academic Institute at http://sites.rootsweb.com/~nycleroy/history.htm

Regulator stove- I haven't been able to find any information about an early stove called a Regulator. 

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