**NOTE** There are several GEDCOMs loaded on this site (called Trees), and there is some duplicate information in each.  But if you are interested in strictly my HOSMER research, the links for histories, photos, etc. will appear in the ESTACAILLE tree.

First, I want to mention a website that proved to be a goldmine of information.  It's the Tri-county Genealogy Site for Bradford county, Chemung county, Tioga county, Pennsylvania.  You can find it at http://www.rootsweb.com/~srgp/jmtindex.htm
 
Unfortunately, I don't have many photos of my ancestors/cousins on the Hosmer side.  I didn't know they existed until the summer of 2002. Here's some of what I've discovered & concluded:

News as of Summer, 2007

I ordered John Hosmer's civil war records from the US National Archives and the records finally arrived. not much new info but I now have a name of John C.H. Hosmer born November 1830 in Alfred, Allegany county, New York. I guess next step is to search 1840 census records for Alfred, see what Hosmers I can find there.

New as of August 1, 2005

I've made contact with cousin Kay Daniels-Jackson, a descendant of Charlotte Hosmer & Jacob Daniels. Kay & I are starting to compare notes about research. Stay tuned for updates to the genealogy.

New as of February 17, 2005

My research has been quiet lately. I've been trying to get some major non-genealogy projects done around the house.  But every once in a while I do a quick search of the web, see if I can find anything new.  I had thought about trying to get the death certificate for one of the Hosmer boys who died in Pennsylvania.  But Pennsylvania vital stats look pretty strict about giving certificates only to direct descendants.  Seeing as I'm not a descendant of the sons.... Maybe I'll have to check and see if a professional researcher has access ideas.

I've traced John Hosmer in the US censuses from 1860 to his death in 1903. I haven't found any census records of Hosmers living in the Athens PA area during 1840 or 1850. I'm guessing that John moved from New York state about this time.  I have found a John Hosmer in the 1850 census for Cortland NY, about the right age.  But there's not enough info to say "yes, this is my John Hosmer".  Then there is John Hosmer, born abt 1835, son of William Hosmer (editor of the Northern Christian Advocate). This family appears in Auburn, Cayuga county, New York - just a stone's throw from Athens. This John is 3-5 years older than the one I'm looking for. And it turns out his middle name is Gamage - his mother's maiden name.

New as of May 31, 2004

I've received an email from previously unknown Lynde cousins.  Kim Lynde has sent me some info on Dora Hosmer m. Elmer Lynde's descendants.  It will appear in the database with the next update. It's times like these that remind me how invaluable having my website can be.

New as of May 7, 2004

I've updated the Estacaille tree in the database with the latest information I have.  I'll be linking headstone photos of Hosmers from Bradford county, Pennsylvania.

New as of January 31, 2004

I received my research request back from the North Dakota vital statistics.  They were unable to find a death record for Frances Lane.  Maybe she was visiting outside of North Dakota when she died.

Previous news

Up till 2002 the furthest I could go back on the Hosmer tree was my 2nd great grandmother Jessie Grace Hosmer  married to Charles Boyd.  Last summer I inherited my paternal grandmother's scrapbooks & albums.  Amongst the treasures was a telegram to my great-grandmother Edith Braniff (nee Boyd) from a Dora Carr informing her of the passing of Dana Hosmer.  I figured Dana had to be related.  I did some searching, found an entry in the United States Social Security Index for Dana.  Did some more digging and found a researcher with a family tree listing Dana, his wife and daughter Ardis on one of the Genealogy.com World Family Tree CDs.  This researcher's brother is married to Ardis and put me in touch with her.   

The last couple of months have gotten interesting.  I found that Jessie, Dora, Dana, and brother Floyd were born to John H. Hosmer and Frances Lane.  The 1885 census for Dakota Territories-Stutsman county lists John H. Hosmer as a civil war veteran, having served with the Union army, 50th NY Engineers.  I found in the 1880 census records (FamilySearch.org) a widower by the name of John Hosmer, approximately the same age as my John Hosmer, listed with two children living in Athens Borough, Bradford county, Pennsylvania.  I discovered a genealogy web site for the Tri-County area of Bradford PA, Tioga PA and Chemung NY (BTW: this site is FULL of genealogy records).  This site contained records of civil war veterans, including to my delight a John Hosmer who served with 50th NY Engineers.  Looks like I found my 3rd great-grandfather John Hosmer with another wife and children in Pennsylvania.  It appears his first wife Sarah died in 1879.  And after the 1880 census he married Frances Lane (either in PA or met her in Iowa) and moved west.  Their first daughter Grace was born in 1881 in Davenport Iowa.  They then moved to the region of Pingree, Stutsman county, North Dakota and raised a family.

In November I sent a request of research to the Bradford County Historical Society.  Hope to have a response in the near future.  Watch here for further discoveries...

I'll be posting transcriptions of records I've obtained in the Photos and Histories section of this site.