APG-L Archives

From: Carolyn Ybarra <>
Subject: [APG] Taverns Re: 1st genealogy pub in America
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 13:03:21 -0700
References: <mailman.18267.1210346514.8874.apg@rootsweb.com>
In-Reply-To: <mailman.18267.1210346514.8874.apg@rootsweb.com>

This mention of taverns reminded me of an account I read in "The
Smiths of Tyre," by E. Payson Smith, (quote below from p. 39) a
little book that was published in 1979 by William Morrison of Ovid,
NY (I think this is no longer available from him). As I've mentioned
before to Craig, this book has the only explanation of my ancestor,
Joseph Southwell's demise, as a fellow soldier with Jason Smith
during the War of 1812. (He apparently died of fever in the barracks
in Sackett Harbor).

Jason Smith writes about the fall of 1813, when, due to reports of
British incursions, he volunteered along with many men from Seneca
and Cayuga counties, NY. They had stopped in Geneva on their way to
fight:

"We got into a tavern at the south end of the village and occupied
the barroom. There were no chairs or benches in the room, nor
conveniences for sleeping, and if there had been we could not have
slept as there was a set of rowdies who screamed all night, among
whom was Leonard Wills, James Magee, Benjamin Sayre, and James Gerald
from this place, [Tyre, Seneca County, New York] and Noah Maries,
Gerry Arnold, and a number of others whose names are not recollected,
from Seneca Falls. They would perform what they called a war dance.
They would form a ring in the middle of the floor, take hold of each
other, then circle round and round. They would get an
unsophisticated fellow in the ring, then sway back and forth and
prostrate him on the floor, raising a war whoop and make a horrible
din. The only way he could get out was to beg liberally! There was
a tall writing desk in one corner under which I would crawl to avoid
being run over and try to get a little sleep, but they would have me
out occasionally and hustle me around the room. The officers who
slept in the room above us would come down occasionally and try to
still them. They would promise to be very quiet, but as soon as they
had fairly gotten into bed they would begin again as bad as ever."

He goes on to say that the British retreated to Canada so they were
all sent home, after another such night at another tavern.

"We were gone three days and two nights and never got so much as
thanks from the government. I had to borrow money from our neighbor
to get something to eat."

-Carolyn

Carolyn Ybarra, Ph.D
Family Research Services
1017 El Camino Real #332
Redwood City, CA 94063


> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 11:09:48 -0400
> From: "robert mclaren" <>
>
>
> OK, let's meet at the bar at the Conference hotel in Kansas City and
> declare it the official Genealogical Pub!!
>
> As for ancestors who ran pubs, I'm not sure if I have any. I believe,
> however, that I have some who were thrown out of pubs. Does that
> qualify?
>
> Yours aye,
>
> Bob
>

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• [APG] Taverns Re: 1st genealogy pub in America by Carolyn Ybarra <>