Memories of the Coes 8: Family Gatherings: Cyrus Sperry

In those early days before the family was too large, we Coe's used to have family gatherings at holiday time. I remember one at uncle Cyrus Sperry's. i thought it was at the old house a mile east of Le Roy, burned down during my schooldays. E.F. Coe thinks it was before they moved there. Uncle Cyrus afterward moved to Le Roy to the house on Myrite (?) St. where his granddaughter-in-law Mrs. Wilbur Sperry, now lives. Cousin Philo, the only child, sold the home farm to Dr Graney, who has a very pleasant home there. Uncle Cyrus had a hare-lip. When he was quite an old man, in his 60's I think, he had gangrene in one leg. It was his life or amputation. It seemed very serious, in those days, but he survived the loss of his leg for many years. He was well-to-do. Father estimate he was worth $ 100,00 in those days. 

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Patty's Notes on this entry 

Cyrus Sperry (1810-1895)

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

Cyrus Sperry was born on March 6, 1810, the son of Philo Sperry and Polly Wooster,  in Alford, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. He married Olive Coe (1823-1901, daughter of Ezra Coe and Elizabeth Sornberger) on May 18, 1843 in Le Roy, Genesee County, New York. Cyrus died in Le Roy on June 2, 1895. 

Olive Coe (1823-1901)
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

Cyrus and Olive (Coe) Sperry had one child, a son, Philo J. Sperry born May 22, 1848 in Pavilion, Genesee County. He married Emigene "Emma" Mary Seekins (1848-1899), daughter of Martin Seekins and Phebe Jane Mills) in early 1872, possibly on January 3. After Emma's death, he married Martha Moody (1859-1911, daughter of William Moody and Martha) on November 14, 1900 in Le Roy. Philo died in Buffalo, Erie County, New York on February 28, 1928. 

Philo Sperry and Emma Seekins had also only had one child, a son Wilbur Marshall Sperry born October 11, 1872 in Le Roy. He married Lida May Thomas (1876-1949, daughter of William Vine Thomas and Mary Elizabeth Hoffman) on November 28, 1899 in Le Roy. Wilbur died December 30, 1930 in Le Roy. Wilbur and Lida had eight children Harold Philo (1901-1985), Marion O (1902-1978), Helen Irene (1904-1905), Mildred Emma (1906-1991), Merton Thomas (1908-1960), Ralph E (1912-1987), Ward Addison (1914-1986) and Bertha Elizabeth (1917-1972). 

Mrs Wilbur Sperry - Lida May Thomas who married Wilbur Marshall Sperry.

Cousin Philo - Philo J. Sperry son of Cyrus Sperry and Olive Coe

Dr Graney - Charles David Graney (1871-1956) was a physician in Le Roy for over 50 years. 

Census records place Cyrus and Olive in Le Roy, Genesee County from 1850 - 1900. In 1850, Cyrus was listed as owning $ 3000 in real estate. In 1860, Cyrus was listed as owning $ 2500 worth of real estate and having a personal estate of $ 800. In 1870, Cyrus was listed as owning $ 18,000 worth of real estate and having a personal estate of $ 6000. In 1900, Olive was listed as owning her home free of any mortgage. 

Cyrus Sperry purchased and sold several pieces of land in Genesee County. 

In 1855, he purchased land from Hiram Boughton. 

In 1864, he purchased land from John Zigeler

In 1869, he sold land to William Sheldon

In 1870, he sold land to Hiram Husted. 

In 1875, he sold land to Donald McColl

In 1876, he purchased land from Martin Seekins, father of son's wife Emma. 

In 1884, he sold land to Philo J. Sperry

In 1893, he purchases land from Frederick Petry. 

In 1894, he purchased land from William M. Crawford. 

I haven't found a deed for Philo Sperry selling land to Charles Graney. 

Cyrus Sperry's obituary was printed in Le Roy Gazette on June 5, 1895 on page 1. It mentions several land purchases he made, which appear to line up with the deeds I've found in Genesee County Land Indexes (I haven't pulled all the deeds). His obituary mentions that he was a member of the Free Methodist Church since it's organization. In the previous entry of The Memories of the Coes, Elizabeth Coe mentions the split in the Methodist Church and that Cyrus and Olive Sperry joined the Free Methodist Church. 

Previous Post in the Memories of the Coes: Pastors and Church Division

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