Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society facts for kids

The Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society is a group dedicated to preserving the history of Yates County, New York. It runs the Yates History Center, which includes three interesting museums in the village of Penn Yan, New York. These museums are the Oliver House Museum, which shows what life was like in the 1800s, the L. Caroline Underwood Museum with its beautiful old art and local history displays, and the Scherer Carriage House, which tells the story of a unique local figure called the Public Universal Friend.

The Story of the Society

The Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society started a long time ago, in 1860. For many years, people worked to collect old documents and items, but they didn't have a permanent place to keep everything.

Early Beginnings in 1860

On January 10, 1860, a newspaper announced a meeting. People who had lived in Yates County before it officially became a county in 1823, and their families, were invited. The goal was to create a historical society. They wanted to collect stories and items from the early days of the county, including information about Native American history.

The meeting happened, and Russell A. Hunt was chosen to lead it. William M. Oliver suggested that they should form a society to collect and save important historical items. Thirty-two men from nearby towns like Milo, Benton, Jerusalem, Middlesex, and Potter agreed to this idea.

Keeping History Alive

After this first meeting, members of the society traveled around the county. They found old relics and documents, which were stored in people's homes. For a while, there wasn't much news about the society. Then, in 1915, a newspaper article helped bring it back to life. It said that Yates County had many historical treasures that needed to be saved. The article worried that without a central place, these items would be lost forever.

The historical society had times when it was very active and times when it was less so. In the mid-1920s, newspapers often asked what had happened to the society. They also encouraged readers to form a new one. People were concerned that other counties were getting valuable historical items from Yates County.

In 1926, the editor of the Penn Yan Democrat newspaper asked readers what they thought about starting a historical society. He even listed names of people who were interested. In 1927, a meeting was held, but another newspaper article wondered if the society had "died again."

A New Start in 1928

Finally, in 1928, an organization truly began to take shape. Arthur Bailey led this effort. They wrote new rules and applied for a special charter from New York State. In 1929, the charter was approved. The Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society, Inc. was officially re-established. Only one person from the original 1860 group was still a member. This new charter is still used today.

In 1930, the society published its first book for sale, called Memories of Local Naturalists. In 2010, the Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society celebrated its 150th anniversary!

Exploring the Museums

The Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society manages three museums in Penn Yan, New York. These are the L. Caroline Underwood Museum, the Scherer Carriage House (which is behind the Underwood Museum), and the Oliver House Museum.

Oliver House Museum

The Oliver House was built in 1852 on Main Street in Penn Yan. It was a wedding gift for William Oliver from his parents. William and his three children lived there their whole lives. Carrie Oliver, the last child to live there, passed away in 1942. She left the house to the Village of Penn Yan, along with money to help take care of it.

Carrie Oliver wanted the house to be used by different organizations. For example, during World War II, it was used by the Red Cross. The Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society now runs it as a museum. They keep many of the original portraits and furniture from the Oliver family. They also have changing exhibits. The museum officially opened its doors in 1948.

In 1975, the Oliver House Museum was restored and reopened to the public. It has been operating ever since, with more and more collections and exhibits. Many of the Oliver family's belongings from that time period are on display.

L. Caroline Underwood Museum

L. Caroline Underwood was a teacher for 50 years, with 47 of those years spent in the Penn Yan School District. When she passed away, she left most of her money to create this museum. She wanted her favorite collections to be preserved. The museum works with the Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society.

The L. Caroline Underwood Museum is open all year. It has both permanent exhibits and new ones that change over time, just as Underwood requested in her will. Inside the museum, you'll also find the Catherine A. Spencer Research Center. This center has books, family history information, and details about Yates County's past. You can also find maps, census records, and cemetery information there. The L. Caroline Underwood Museum and Research Center officially opened in 2004.

Scherer Carriage House

The Scherer Carriage House is located right behind the Underwood Museum. It features an exhibit about a special religious leader known as the Public Universal Friend. This person led the first group of white settlers to what is now Yates County. This community was the largest group to travel so far west in New York State at that time.

The exhibit includes the preacher's portrait, their bible, hat, coachee (a type of carriage), and saddle. The Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society is the main place where objects and documents belonging to the Public Universal Friend or their followers are kept.