Above photograph of Jacob Dunning (man standing) circa 1865. Jacob is one of the local sailors listed below. Photo courtesy of Allison Reed, his great great grandson.
I recently received this email from Allison Reed:
My name is Allison Reed. My great-great grandfather was a man named Jacob John Dunning, who was born in the Netherlands in 1845 but was raised in Pultneyville.
According to several historic accounts in “The Commercial Press,” Jacob and his brother, Frank, were whalers (as were many young men of that era).
Today, I encountered your wonderful site, which also shows Jacob and Frank list among the many “Sodus Point Sailors.”
Sodus Point Sailors 1854 – 1914
With all that’s going on in the world right now, I’ve had lots of time to go through boxes of old family photos! One of the photos I found (which I have attached) shows Jacob, who is standing, and two unidentified men who are seated. Because of the boots they are wearing, I can’t help but wonder if this pic, which was made in NYC, was taken just before or after the 9-month whaling voyage that I know he embarked on in 1865. (The back of the photo says Jacob was 20 years old, so 1865 would be the year it was taken).
I am wondering if you’ve ever seen a similar photo. One of my Dunning cousins and I have been picking it apart, and are especially curious about the hats, which appear to Scottish, and the identity of the seated men.
Is it possible that the captain of their whaling schooner was a Scotsman, and therefore all of the crew wore these hats? Jacob was Dutch by birth with no Scottish ancestry.
Photo of Captain Hiram Clark
The following was copied from an old scrapbook done by Fannie Buys and now owned by Esther Buys. There are 325 names listed here as Sailors out of Sodus Point. The newspaper article is circa 1910 – 1914. Captain Hiram Clark lived 1842 – 1927.
Sailed From Sodus Point
Captain Clark Gives List of Sailors Who Called It Their Home
Sodus, Sept. 17 –
In a recent talk with Captain Hiram Clark, of Sodus Point, he went into
a retrospective line, and in answer to a remark, that years ago nearly every able-bodied
man in Sodus Point and vicinity followed the vocation of a sailor part of his
life time he remarked, “I have a very good memory, you take down the names and
I will tell them to you of those who went sailing out from Sodus Point since
the year 1854,” and the following are the names he mentioned:
Isaac Andrews Vernon Belden Isaac Clark
John Andrews Peter Baltis John Clark
William Andrews Henry Buys Hiram Clark
Myron H. Andrews Elisha J. Buys Benjamin Clark
Richard Andrews Darrell Buys Monroe Clark
Newton Andrews Ross Buys Lewis Clark
Henry Andrews Benjamin Button Frank Clark
Henry Andrews Elias Button Hiram J. Clark
Lewis Bates Elljah Blanchard William Cummins
John Bates Ezra Blanchard Eli Cummins
Daniel P. Bates Guy Blanchard George Cooper
Bonaparte Bates Willard Blanchard Patrick Conway
Lawrence Bates William Brass Reuben Comstock, Sr.
Edward Bates Daniel Bayless Reuben Comstock, Jr.
DeGrasse Bates Charles Bayless John W. Comstock
Sanford S. Baldwin Joseph Boyer George Carson
Stephen Bushnell George Burtis Edward Clay
Britt Brewer James Burtis Jacob Cattieu
Byron Brewer Joseph Bean George Case
Alonzo Billings John Borden John R. Case
Randall Billings Charles Burnett Jacob Case
John Billings Freeman Boyd William H. Cook
Marshall Billings William Boyd Ward Cook
Zenice Bernell William Bennett David Corcoran
Delbert T. Belden Fred Bennett Glen Cuyler
Herbert J. Belden Eugene Bennett Henry Cooper
John C. Belden John Bennett Robert Catchpole
Names of sailors continued: Warren H. Field
Benjamin Catchpole William Field Frank Garlock
James Catchpole Morris Field Jacob Garlock, 2nd
William Coon Oliver Field William Garlock ,2nd
Samuel Coon Clesson Field George Garlock, 2nd
Isaac Cleveland Dewitt Field William Garlock, 3rd
George Cleveland Alvin Field William Gatchell
John Cleveland Abram Featherly Henry Gloyd
Charles Cleveland Albert Featherly James Harris
George Cortright Angus Featherly John Harris
William Cortright Richard Featherly Eugene Harroun
Charles Camp Wesley Featherly William Hulett
Thomas Christian Charles Featherly Charles H. Hulett
Henry DoVille, Sr. Jacob Featherly William Hunter, Sr.
Henry DoVille, Jr. Frank Finch William Hunter, Jr.
Egbert DoVille William Finch Benjamin A. Hopkins
Joseph DoVille John T. Finch Cassius Hopkins
Charles DoVille John Farrow Erastus Hinman
Fred DoVille John Floyd Abram Halcus
Eugene DoVille Frank Granger James T. Holling
Claude DoVille Clarence Granger Armine Holling
Frank DoVille Everett Granger Edward Holling
Harry DoVille Frank Granger, Jr. Andrew Holling
Norman Darling Fred Gale Willis J. Howard
William Davidson John Garrison Henry Howard
John Day Thomas Grady Charles Howard
Frank Dunning William J. Goldring Bryan Johnson
Jacob Dunning Soloman Gibbs John Johnson
George Edos Harvey Gibbs Stephen Johnson
William Edos William Gibbs Joseph Jones
Matt Edos Monroe Gibbs Thomas Jones
Andrew Fleming Gardner Green George Jones
Henry Fleming James Gaffield John Jackson
Melvin Fleming Jacob Garlock Matt Kitchen
Daniel Fleming William Garlock William Kitchen
Melvin Fleming 2nd George Garlock BenjaminKitchen
Sailors names continued:
Charles Kelly Nathan May John Preston
David Kipling Eli May William Pettit, Sr.
William Kipling William May William Pettit, Jr.
Robert Kipling Rodolphus May Elisha Pettit
William Leaver Oliver May Lyman Rice
Joshua Lepper William May, Jr. Fred Roscoe
George Lepper Peter May Thomas Roys
Oliver Lepper John May John Roys
Charles Lepper Deforest McNett Philander Roys
Silas Lepper Abner McNett Miles Shirtz
William Lepper Hiram Newport Daniel Shirtz
Rufus Lepper Philip Newport James H. Sergeant
Philander Lyman Henry Newport Henry Sergeant
Carlton Lloyd John Newport Oscar Sergeant
William Lloyd John Newport 2nd Melvin Sergeant
Horace Morley William Rogers John A. Sergeant
John Morley Noble Rogers Nathan Sergeant
William Morley Ephraim Pettis Israel Sergeant
Frank Morley Melvin Pettis George Sergeant
Tyler Morley Leonard Proseus Charles R. Sprong
Martin H. Morley John M. Proseus Levi Sweet
William Morley, Jr. Glen Proseus Samuel Stacy
Troop Morley Nathan Polhamus John Sheffield
Lawrence Morley William Polhamus Joseph Sadder
Carl Corley Albert Polhamus Dayton Sadder
William Mumford William Plummer William H. Sentell
John Morgan Daniel Phillips, Sr. John Sentell
William H. Mason Daniel Phillips, Jr. John Smith
Daniel Mull Charles Phelps John Smith, 2nd
Harrison Mull Thomas Pollock Charles Sampson
Minard Mull William Pollock David Teetor
Henry Mull Myron Peeler William Teetor
Frank Mull Joseph Parker George Teetor
William Meagher Frank Pulver Sylvester Teetor
Thomas Meagher George Preston Jacob Teetor
More Sailor names continued:
Frank Taylor
Enoch Turner
Elisha Turner
James Turner
Albert Thompson
Edward Todd
John Todd
James Todd
Benjamin F. Todd
Horatio Troop
Washington Troop
Charles Torrey
James Torrey
Canfield C. Teall
John H. Wood
John whiting
Jonas Whiting
Thomas Weeks
Charles C. Weeks
Frank Walsh
DeForest J. Walsh
William Wickham, Sr.
William Wickham, Jr.
Samuel Wickham
Frederick C. Wickham
Daniel Williams
George S. Wride
William Washington
Abram Walker
Joseph Walker
Dorastus Whitney
Lorenzo Whitney, Jr.
Hiram S. West
The Death of Elisha Jacob Buys
THE LYONS REPUBLICAN newspaper, Lyons, New York, Friday, January 30, 1914. Page 8. Heading: “Sodus Points Paragraphs” Text: Sodus Point. _ The death of Elisha Buys occurred at his home Sunday morning from pleuro-pneumonia. The deceased was 59 years of age and for a number of years had sailed the lakes. Of late years he had been operating the pleasure boat ‘Sea Bird’ on the bay. Besides the wife he is survived by one son, William F. Buys; a brother, William II. Buys; and two sisters. Mrs. Willis Pollock of Sodus Point and Mrs. Edward Finch of Sodus. The funeral was held at the Methodist Church, Tuesday afternoon, Rev. Edward s. Lane officiating. Interment was made in Rural Cemetery.”
I am DNA related to Michelle Buys, daughter of William and niece of Bruce Buys of Sodus Point. Came across this information on Ancestry while working on connecting our trees. Transcribed the contents as the image is fuzzy.
Thought you might want to place it on the website. Thank you for investigating the history of Sodus Point.
Regards,
Barbara Bissell-Erway
