New York Genealogy

When homes began to be established in St. Helena, the need for a school arose, naturally. The exact date of the building of the first schoolhouse cannot be learned. However, it is known that the structure was located in the valley on the west side of the northern highway leading toward Castile. The building was used later for a barn. The school district was Number Four, at first, but later was changed to Number Ten in Castile Township. Since the village’s plans were made about 1820, it would appear that the schoolhouse was included. The first school building was used…

St. Helena’s young men responded quickly when their country called for volunteers during the Civil War, 1861-65. Among them were: Charles Buckley, Eugene Buckley, Milton Burnap, Emerson Crowley, George Crowley, Franklin Eddy, George Green, James Green, Fitch Merithew, Hiram Merithew, Philander Merithew, Chauncey Orsburn, Albert Piper, George Piper, Henry Piper, John Piper, Myron Powell, Hugh Skillin, Sherman Streeter, George Westbrook and Emmett Wood. Many of those boys drilled on fields near Portage High Bridge. There were such large numbers of volunteers that the hastily built barracks could not house all of them. It is said that old buildings, used for…

February 22, 1884, the river bridge succumbed to the ice and high water at St. Helena. Up until that time the structure had been of wood but now the public wanted a bridge of more substantial structure and proposed iron for the work. By July, 1884, it was agreed that a bridge should be built and the cost shared equally by Wyoming and Livingston counties, since the river was the boundary line between the two. The Castilian of September 14, 1884, states that “The supervisors and highway commissioners of Mt. Morris and Castile met at Perry to discuss building a…

In 1882, John A. Orsburn and Mary Lottie Alger of Greigsville were married and began housekeeping on the farm in St. Helena which was their home until Mrs. Orsburn’s death January 3, 1916. John died there July 9, 1923. Their farm was the fertile flat land on the east side of the river farthest to the north. To them were born eight children, all boys. Two of the children died in 1894 of mumps and whooping cough and were buried in the St. Helena cemetery. As far as can be learned, these burials were the last made in that spot.…

Articles taken from the Castilian which referenced St. Helena. March 28, 1879: “Mr. Gaines, the publisher, apologizes for the lateness of this week’s paper, as he had attended a law suit at Portage, which lasted all the previous day and into the early morning hours. The case concerned a charge against George Green, of St. Helena, for failing to pay the required tax on his dog. After those present had listened to the two lawyers expound their knowledge all that time, the jury brought in a verdict of ‘no cause for action.’” St. Helena was “on the map” that day.…

The following episode was recalled by John E. Eddy, of Castile, who was born on the farm of his father, Franklin Eddy, on Wolf Creek Road near St. Helena. Mr. John Chase, a highly respected farmer, who lived across the river opposite St. Helena, had cut and sold two thousand railroad ties, which were to be used in building a part of the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad, near Mt. Morris, at which place the ties were to be delivered. Mr. Chase believed the quickest and cheapest way to transport the order was by water. He built a mammoth…