In and Around Oswego, New York

In the last blog post I talked about the cemeteries that we visited in Oswego, New York. While we were in Oswego, we also drove around the city to find the places where the Bond and Doran families lived. I had information from census records.

Our first stop was on the east side of the Oswego River. Orville Bond was living at 150 East 2nd St on all census records from 1900 through 1940.

 

The 1880 census says Ozro Bond, his wife Harriet, and their two sons were living at 115 East 7^th St, but looking at the house that is at that address now makes it appear that the houses must have been renumbered at some point between then and now. We have a drawing from a book that is a picture of their house. It looks like the same house whose address is now 137 East 7^th St. Actually the house has been changed into a multi-family house so 135 East 7^th St is also part of the original house.

 

We then went over to the west side of the river. I am not sure when the family moved into the house at 332 West 5^th St, but that is where my husband’s aunt lived as an adult.

 

St. John’s Catholic Church at the Corner of West 3^rd and West Erie is the church that the Doran and Kelly families attended. Several funeral masses were held here. It is no longer a church.

 

251 West 5^th St is where Patrick Doran, his wife Anna Kelly, and their son Vincent were living in 1930 according to the US census. Their daughter Marie, her husband Harold Bond, and their two oldest children were all also living there renting the other part of this two family house from Patrick and Anna.

 

By the next year, Harold and Marie were living at 263 West 4^th St at the time of her death in 1931.

 

Then in 1940 (maybe sooner), Harold and his children were living at 254 West 5^th St. This house was across the street from where they had lived with Patrick and Anna back in 1930. The house is no longer there. Based on the numbers it looks like 3 houses were torn down and were replaced with one house that is now there.

 

The West Baptist Church at 39 West Mohawk St. is the church that Orzo Bond and his family attended.

 

Orville Shepard Bond and his son Harold John Bond owned a store at 209 West 1^st St. The name of the store was China Hall. Here is an ad for the store and a picture of what is currently occupying that storefront, The Port City Café and Bakery.

 

The last stop was Charles H Bond’s house at 49 West 5^th St. This home has a historic plaque on it. There are several large homes on this street. It is near the lake and close to where the lumberyard was that he and his father Ozro had.