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Samuel Alexander Loomis and his wife Dorcilla Huldah King, a Biographical Sketch
by Kris Dempster
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Samuel Alexander Loomis (1857-1926) and Dorcilla Huldah King
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Samuel Alexander Loomis was born Saturday, August 22, 1857, at the Loomis home on Chubb Hollow Road in Yates County, New York. He was the first child of eight children born to Morris and Candace Vance Loomis. Samuel came from a long line of Loomis family farmers in Yates County. His great grandfather, Thomas Loomis, born in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, originally purchased a lot of 320 acres in the Chubb Hollow area in the early 1800s. Before moving his family to Michigan in 1837, Thomas gave his son, Gideon Loomis, about 60 acres of that land and sold the rest for the move. Gideon Loomis died in 1854 and his estate, which included the farmland, was administered by his son, Morris Loomis, who stayed behind instead of moving to Michigan. Morris purchased more acreage for the farm and after his death, Samuel took it over. Now, Samuel had to manage more than 100 acres of farmland. Samuel learned the farming profession well from his father and was a lifelong respected farmer.
Before Chubb Hollow was cultivated, it was a thick forest of trees containing pine, hemlock, oak, ash, maple, elm, and other trees. A variety of animals also wandered the forest such as bears, wolves, deer, birds. In the early 1800s, a man by the name of Ira Chubb, born in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, came to Yates County and purchased more than 400 acres of land. He and his family cleared up an area in the northern section and built a family home. As a result of the purchase and clearing of the land, the section was thus named “Chubb Hollow.” Ira Chubb had two brothers, Philo and Stephen, and one sister, Irene, who married Thomas Loomis, Samuel’s great grandfather.
Samuel’s parents, Morris and Candace, were both born in Yates County in 1831. The Loomis and Vance families were pioneers of Yates County and great additions to the farming and social community. Morris’s farm was located on Welker Road and the road still exists today. The farm consisted of 47 acres in 1860, grew to 165 acres by 1870 and decreased to 120 acres by 1880. Some of the farm animals were cows, sheep, chickens, and pigs. Some of the crops grown on the farm were barley, oats, corn, wheat, potatoes and apples. Morris was elected as an assessor in the Barrington district of Yates County for one term, a member of the Farmers’ Alliance, and Overseer of the Poor for two terms. An Overseer of the Poor’s main purpose was aiding those in need of shelter, money, food and clothing. Candace’s father, Samuel, was also a prominent farmer in Yates County and veteran of the War of 1812. Morris and Candace were married in the Barrington district of Yates County on Sunday, July 16, 1854. They lived the rest of their lives in Barrington, and both are buried in Section A at the Hillside Cemetery in Dundee.
Samuel’s wife, Dorcilla Huldah King, was born Tuesday, September 26, 1865 in Westfield, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. She was the second child born to Almon and Mary Jane Miller King. Sadly, Dorcilla’s older sister, Cora, died at two years of age just a few weeks after Dorcilla was born. Essentially, she was an only child, although her parents had large families. Her mother had eight siblings while her father had six. She would have had plenty of cousins to play with as both sides of the families lived in Westfield near each other. Dorcilla’s father was born in Westfield, and learned the farming trade from his father. He eventually cleared a piece of land there, built a home and lived there the rest of his life and died in 1887. Her mother was born in Yates County, New York, and lived the remainder of her life in Westfield, although we do not have a death date for her, nor burial information for either Almon or Mary. I assume both are buried at their home which was common at the time. Dorcilla’s maternal grandfather, William Miller, was a blacksmith and lived with his large family in Alleghany County, New York. Samuel came from prominent and pioneering families, and so did Dorcilla. Both the King and Miller families had been established in the United States for several generations and well known in their communities.
Samuel’s story began in 1860 with the United States Federal Census displaying him age 3, living on the Loomis Farm with his parents. By 1865, the Loomis family grew with two additional children, Dorcilla and Arvilla. They lived in a framed house like most families in the Chubb Hollow section of Yates County although there were some families still living in log homes. At age 8, Samuel would have been attending school. After talking with a Yates County Historian and according to an 1865 map, Samuel most likely would have attended School House Number 3 because it was in walking distance from his home. School House Number 3 was located at the intersection of Chubb Hollow and Moon Hill roads, which both still exist today. School House Number 3 was later named “The Morse School,” which has significance to the Loomis Family, as one of Samuel’s children became a passionate teacher.
By 1870, the family added another child, Melvin, but lost two children, Arvilla and Carrie. Samuel’s maternal grandparents, Samuel and Martha Vance, were also living with the Loomis family in 1870. This reveals that the framed home was large, with two families living together. By 1880, the Loomis family expanded with three more children, Marilla, Huldah and Luella. These three daughters would be the last children of Morris and Candace. Samuel, now 22, was a farm assistant to his father on the family farm working hard to develop skills.
His wife Dorcilla’s story began in 1870 with United States Federal Census displaying her age as 4 and attending school in Clymer Township of Tioga County. She was living with her parents and paternal grandparents, Ozial and Sarah Bowen King. In 1875, there were nine schools in the Westfield and Clymer Townships. Since their home was on Mill Creek Road, I assume Dorcilla was attending Mill Creek School District, which was near her home. By 1880, age 14, Dorcilla was still at home in the Clymer Township with her parents and grandmother, as her grandfather, Ozial, died in December 1870.
Between 1880 and 1890, things get interesting for Samuel and Dorcilla. Samuel followed in his father’s footsteps, as he became well known in the farming and social community. In 1881, he won an election as the Barrington Town Collector and was also elected as a one of the constables for Barrington. In 1886, he was elected again as a constable. Constables had a variety of duties in the 1880s, which included serving warrants, surveying properties, and dealing with stray animals among other community happenings. Also, in the early 1880s, family reunions begin to be popular in the United States. I am fairly certain this how Samuel and Dorcilla met, although they may have known each other for some time. Here’s why: Samuel’s mother Candace Vance and Dorcilla’s grandmother, Catherine Vance, were sisters. This would mean that Samuel and Dorcilla were first cousins once removed, not second cousins as formally believed. Though it may seem strange, this was quite common in the 1800s and proved to be beneficial for some families because it kept wealth and property within the same family realm.
On Wednesday, June 25, 1890, a warm and muggy evening, Samuel and Dorcilla were married in Corning, New York. Both sides of the family were widely represented. The spring of 1890 didn’t turn out well for many farmers, as the Southern Tier of New York had an abundant amount of rain. The severe rain hurt many of the Samuel’s crops, which included barley, oats and wheat. The crops eventually recovered but it did take some time. By the late summer, most of his crops were ready to be harvested.
Between 1890 and 1900, Samuel and Dorcilla’s lives changed quite dramatically. They welcomed their first child, Bertha King, on Tuesday, September 29, 1891. In the 1892 New York State Census, Samuel, Dorcilla and Bertha are all living in Barrington. Samuel is listed as a Thresher, which was a machine he operated to separate grain from the harvested crops. He would take his machine from farm to farm and help other farmers. Of course, he was paid for his service. In June 1894, he had a new thresher shipped to him so he could perform his duties on his farm along with helping other community farmers. Also in June, their second child was born. Ralph Vance was born on Tuesday, June 26, 1894. Sadly, Samuel’s father, Morris, died Friday, November 6, 1896. Two years later, his mother, Candace died Monday, August 15, 1898. Finishing out the 1800s with a cheerful note, they welcomed their third child, Miles Almon. Miles was born on a cold and snowy Monday, December 19, 1898.
By 1900, Samuel had established himself as a successful farmer and a well-known community member. He was still using the thresher, but as the machine became more popular and affordable, others in the area had their own. Samuel continued his social aspect in the community being elected as a Path Master for Chubb Hollow in 1903. A Path Master was considered a road overseer responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of roads in the community. The Loomis Family grew with three more children born between 1901 and 1907. Willis Harvey, their fourth child, was born Saturday, April 6, 1901. Three years later, they welcomed Mildred Lucille, born on Wednesday, March 16, 1904. After another three years, Samuel and Dorcilla welcomed their final child, George Orville, on Sunday, August 4, 1907.
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A 1914 Model T
similar to the one owned by Loomis
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During the next few years, more significant events happen for the Loomis Family. Samuel and Dorcilla become more active in the Barrington township. They became members of the Barrington Grange Group in January 1910. The group was established as a social and educational organization for mainly farmers. They would discuss agriculture news and reports and share information about gardening and planting. In April 1910, Dorcilla read an article on plant, food and coal ashes and a lively discussion was held after the article was read on the uses of ashes. On Wednesday, December 27, 1911, Bertha King Loomis married Fred Wellington Morse at the Baptist Parsonage in Dundee, New York. In February 1913, Samuel made a large purchase for his first automobile, the 1913 Ford Model T Touring. The Model T was the first popular and affordable automobile for most families in the United States. The Model T Touring car usually had five seats. It came in several colors, including red, green, gray and blue and the average price was about $600.
Samuel continued his community work and in May 1914, he was elected as a School Trustee for the Barrington School District. On many occasions, Samuel and Dorcilla welcomed Bertha and her husband Fred to their home for afternoon drives, dinners and stay overs. Along with family, they also welcomed friends of the community to their home. In June 1914 while the family was attending the Coolbaugh Family Reunion, Dorcilla suffered a very painful accident. While playing a game, she fell crashing her left hand violently on the road. She dislocated three fingers, and immediately contacted the doctor in town. Dr. MacDowell had to file off a ring on her finger before he could reset the three fingers. A few weeks later, she recovered the full use of her hand.
On July 19, 1914, a warm and breezy Sunday evening, Ralph Loomis and three friends took his father’s Model T out for a drive. On a difficult and narrow lake road between Hammondsport and Grove Springs, the steering gear malfunctioned, and Ralph lost control of the Ford. The automobile could not be stopped and went over the embankment on the lake side with all passengers inside. All four passengers were thrown from the vehicle after it initially turned over, and then somersaulted several times before hitting the bottom of the embankment seventy-five feet below. Ralph and his three friends, Marguerite Reynolds, Genevieve Carmody, and Richard Craugh, were cut and bruised but narrowly avoided serious injury. Miss Carmody, whose father at the time was the New York State Attorney General, was thrown against a tree and more severely bruised than the others. None of the passengers were sent to the hospital.
In May 1915, the Loomis Family attended another Coolbaugh Family Reunion. Amelia Loomis, Samuel’s great aunt, was married to Benjamin Coolbaugh. On this occasion, there were no accidents, and no one had to call on the doctor for assistance. Thirty-five people attended and Samuel Loomis was elected as Vice President of the group. As one newspaper reports, the next Coolbaugh Family Reunion would be held at the Loomis Farm in June 1916.
In September 1915, Dorcilla becomes ill and needs medical attention. She has difficulty breathing and is coughing more than usual. Due to the symptoms that she is describing to her physician, he believes that she may have goiter. They try mild treatment, but the condition worsens. She was taken to the Ithaca City Hospital and her physician plans for surgical treatment. On Friday, October 1, at 7 a.m. just before the operation was to begin, Dorcilla died at the Ithaca City Hospital at the age of 50. The family was devastated as the matriarch of the Loomis Family was gone. Afterward, the family gathered at the Hillside Cemetery in Dundee, and paid their last respects to their mother, wife, friend, and a well-known community member.
After Dorcilla’s death, Samuel and the family tried to adjust. He relied on family members to help him grieve the loss. His siblings come to visit him and, in the summer of 1916, Samuel’s sister from Michigan, Marilla Dunn, planned a family gathering in Michigan to honor her older brother’s 59th birthday. Several of his siblings attended the gathering. In the winter of 1917, Marilla came to visit Samuel for a couple of weeks. Bertha and Fred continued to visit and help with the children and the farm. Mildred, Willis and George were still attending school during the day.
In August 1917, Ralph Loomis was drafted for World War I and had a date to leave for training in early October. Ralph trained for two months in Camp Dix, and returned just before Christmas, spending a good time with his father and family before he has to return for more training. During the spring of 1918, Ralph was sent to France. Ralph wrote home to his family, and the family published the letter in the Dundee Observer. He wrote from Vic-de-Chassenay, France. He described his time in France while in combat, and hoped to be home for Christmas “in the little town of Dundee.” It took Ralph a little longer than expected to get home. After a year in France, Ralph was discharged in June 1919 and was back home in Dundee with his family.
Between 1920 and 1925, a few significant events happen within the Loomis Family. Samuel was now in his 60s and he understands that his farming days are coming to an end. In April 1920, Bertha and Fred take over the Loomis Farm and do their best to make things profitable for the family. On April 15, 1920, Samuel was notified that his sister, Dorcilla Loomis Pulver, died. She was married to Sylvester Bush Pulver for forty years. Three days later, Samuel, the family and friends, attended the funeral at the home of Mr. Pulver and pay their final respects as she is laid to rest at Hillside Cemetery in Dundee. Another important event is that Samuel marries a second time. On a beautiful fall evening, Saturday, September 24, 1921, at 8 p.m., Samuel married Mollie Stanton Wheeler at the home of her sister, Anna Stanton Faucett, on Union Street in Dundee. Mollie is the daughter of Julius and Jane Chapman Stanton. In attendance was his sister, Marilla Dunn, who made the special trip from Michigan to support her brother and the rest of the family. Reverend A. C. Horsman, the pastor for the Dundee Baptist Church, performed the ceremony. Samuel and Mollie resided on the Loomis Farm on Chubb Hollow Road.
Samuel’s health began to decline, but he remains dedicated to the family farm. In the summer of 1923, Samuel displayed symptoms of a stroke. This happened on three different occasions during the summer. Even though these episodes happen, he still attends family gatherings and reunions, and his health appeared to improve. By the winter of 1924, he and Mollie were going to social events and Samuel’s sister, Marilla, visited for a time in February. In July, Samuel and Mollie attended her family’s reunion, while in August, they attended another Coolbaugh Family Reunion. On a sunny and warm afternoon at 4 p.m., August 25, 1924, Samuel and his family host the wedding of his daughter, Mildred Loomis, as she married Roselle Eugene Shepherd at the Chubb Hollow Farm. As 1924 comes to an end and the holidays follow, Samuel and Mollie joined the family twice before year’s end for large family gatherings. On Thursday, November 27, 1924, Samuel and Mollie had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at the Chubb Hollow home with Bertha, Fred, George, Ralph, Ralph’s new wife Alta, and a few others. On Christmas Day, they entertained their children with another large gathering.
In 1925, Samuel starts to think about his legacy and where he wants to settle for the remainder of his life. But before they consider much, they do what they know how to do best, entertain family and friends at their Chubb Hollow home. On Saturday, February 21, 1925, Samuel and Mollie invited many friends and family to a “Washington Dinner.” A Washington Dinner was a dinner that celebrated the life of George Washington and often tried to recreate the feeling of a dinner hosted by George Washington and his family. It would include food, attire and décor along with “Washington Favors.” Washington Favors were decorative items that reminded you of historical events around the time of the American Revolution. Examples of these would be Mount Vernon keychains, patriotic-themed coasters, chocolate coins, tiny American flags and among other patriotic decorations. The food at a Washington dinner was colonial-era favorites, roasted meats, seafood, pies, and beverages such as punch or beer. Eight families attended the dinner and there was a lot of enjoyment among family and friends.
On March 30, 1925, Samuel had an auction to sell some of his personal property from the farm. Some of the property included 2 black mares, a bay gelding, 23 sheep, 60 rock hens, Ford Touring automobile, 2 wagons, a buggy, a spring wagon, a surrey (which is a 4-wheel carriage), 2 mowers, a plow, a hay rack, a bean puller and a few other farm accessories. Apparently, the auction was successful, as a month later Samuel and Mollie purchased a home and officially moved from the Chubb Hollow Farm to 24 Harpending Avenue in Dundee.
In early May, Samuel and his immediate family were notified that his brother, Melvin Loomis, was critically ill. They visited the family to support him, his wife and children. On Friday evening May 29, they were informed that Melvin has passed away. Three days later, on the afternoon of June 1st, 1925, the Loomis Family all join to celebrate Melvin’s life at the home of their sister, Luella Loomis Lord. The Reverend A. C. Horsman of the Dundee Baptist Church officiated the funeral and later that afternoon they travel to Hillside Cemetery in Dundee for Melvin to be laid to rest.
Over the summer of 1925, Samuel and Mollie moved again to 28 Seneca Street in Dundee. They continue to have guests in their new home. Many family members visit them over weekends, and they have lunches and dinners together. The family celebrated Samuel’s 68th birthday on Sunday afternoon, August 22. They fondly reminisce about their time on the Loomis Farm and how much things have changed. In the late autumn, Samuel’s health deteriorated, and he became ill. However, they still host friends and family for Christmas. After the holiday and the new year began, Samuel developed a severe illness that he cannot get rid of, and is confined to his home for a couple of weeks. On Thursday, January 28, 1926, Samuel’s life came to an end. Samuel’s obituary title states he was a well-known community member and respected farmer. Two days later, on an unseasonably mild January afternoon, Samuel’s funeral was held at his home on 28 Seneca St. Pastor of the Dundee Baptist Church, A. C. Horsman, who officiated his second marriage, presided over the funeral. The family traveled the short one-mile drive from their home to the Hillside Cemetery, where they pay their last respects and laid him to rest next to his first wife, Dorcilla King Loomis, in Section E of the cemetery.
Mollie and the family post an advertisement in the Penn Yan Chronicle-Express newspaper to sell the Loomis Farm and home in Chubb Hollow. The advertisement listed 92 ½ acres, 9-room house with running water, acetylene gas lights, 2 barns and a garage. To settle the estate, she and the family have to sell the home. Unfortunately, the records of today do not state the sale amount.
Mollie continued to live on Seneca Street for a few more years, having family and friends visit on a regular basis. In 1934, Mollie’s health declined and on Wednesday July 18, 1934, she died after a long illness. She was 69 years of age. Her funeral was held Saturday, July 21 at the home of her sister, Anna Stanton Faucett, where she had married Samuel Alexander Loomis. She is buried in Section A of the Hillside Cemetery. Continued in Part Two.
Samual Alexander Loomis and his wife Dorcilla Huldah King are the author's maternal great-grandparents.
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