This is the earliest known photo of Lucy L. Hopkins. Is this her wedding picture at age 19 in 1899 ? If so, where is Homer’s picture ? If not, what was the occasion for such a nice formal picture ?

   Homer Freeman Blakesley was born Dec. 26 1879 at Delrimple Hill near Prattsburg, Steuben Co. NY. His parents John Wesley & Mary Eva Finger Blakesley. The 1st record of Homer is the 1880 census for the Town of Jerusalem Yates Co.NY. He is listed as 5 months old under the name  of Henry H.

A special 1892 census for Jerusalem lists him as 12 years old & under the name Homer F.

His parents must have had a change of heart about the name Henry.

   Lucy Lucinda Hopkins was born April 25 1881 in Geneva Ontario Co. NY. Her parents were William & Ellen Kennedy Hopkins .

   Homer of Jerusalem NY  & Lucy of Italy Hill NY were married Sunday Nov. 19 1899 in Potter, Yates Co. NY. The Rev. Otto Forrest Burgess officiating with Mrs. E. A. Jones & Mrs. J. Halstead as witnesses.  See marriage certificate below. Lucy said they hitched their horse & carriage to an apple tree in the front of the church.

1 - Mary Ellen born Jan. 4 1901 in the Town of Italy, Yates Co. NY. Died Jan. 20 1984 in Carson City

     NV. She is is buried in Gorham Cemetery Ontario Co. NY along side her husband, Leon

     Borden Sr. Note: Her marriage certificate gives her name as Ellen M. She always went by the

     name Ellen.

2 - Georgia B. born July 1 1903 in the Town of Italy. Died Oct. 1983 in Potter Yates Co. NY

     She is buried in Nettle Valley Cemetery, Potter, next to her husband Charles Campbell.

3 - Olive M. born July 16 1905 in the town of Italy. Died Nov. 1976 in Rochester NY. She is buried

     in Calvary Cemetery, Canandaigua NY next to her 2nd husband, Philip Wyffles.

4 - Charles Wesley born Jan. 11 1911 in the Town of Italy. Died March 31 1983 in Canandaigua NY.

     He is buried in Gorham Cemetery next to his 2nd wife, Orabelle Bergman Fox.

     He is the father of the author.

5 - Merrill Kimbell born Aug. 3 1916 in the Town of Italy. Died Sept. 22 1994

      He is buried next to his wife Pearl Blixt in Riverside National Cemetery, CA.

6 - John William born Jan. 23 1920 in the town of Italy. Died Jan. 4 1998 in Canandaigua NY. He is

     buried in Gorham Cemetery. As of May 2014 his wife, Viola Tears, is still alive.

7 - Robert George born Sept. 19 1925 in Penn Yan, Yates Co, NY. Died March 4 2001 in Hopewell,

     Ontario Co. NY. He is buried in Gorham Cemetery next to his wife Pauline Day.

    After their marriage in 1899, the next record of  Homer & Lucy is the 1900 census for the Town of Italy, Yates Co. NY. Birth month & year is given for both. Homer is listed as a farm laborer & renting a home. They were living on the Wilcox farm, Pulver Rd. near Italy Hill.

    The 1905 census shows them still living in the Town of Italy. Homer is 25, Lucy is 24. They have 2 children. Ellen age 4 & Georgia B. age 2. No other information.

    1910 census, Town of Italy. Homer age 30, Lucy age 29. Three children: Mary E, [Ellen] age 9/ Georgia age 6 & Olive M. age 4. All born in NY. Homer listed as a farmer.

    1920 census, Town of Italy. Homer age 40, Lucy L. age 38. Five children:  Ellen age 19/  Georgia B. age 16/  Olive M. age 14/  Charles W, age 9/  Meral K. [Merrill] age  3 yr. 6 mo. & John W. age less than 1 month. All listed as being able to read & write. All born in NY. Homer listed as a farmer, working on his own account [?]. They lived in a rented house on Pulver Rd, near Italy Hill.

     1930 census, Town of Potter  They are probably living in the same place as they were in 1925. Homer age 50, a farmer. Lucy age 49, housewife. Four children at home. Charles age 19. He is listed as employed, but writing is too poor to tell what it is. Merrill age 13 in school, John age 10 in school & Robert age 4 years 6 months. Note: The next person listed in the census records is Homer & Lucy’s daughter Olive. She is listed as Olive Thayer age 24, a widow, with son Donald age 1 year 6 months. They must have been living next door to Homer & Lucy.

    1915 census Town of Italy. Homer age 35, farmer. Lucy age 34, housework. Four children: Ellen age

14/ Georgia age 11/  Olive age 10 & Charles age 4. All the children are in school except for Charles.

    1925 census, Town of Potter Yates Co. NY. Homer F. age 45, a farmer & Lucy age 44 are now living on Friend Rd. [ Probably at the “Campbell” farm” on corner of Friend & Campbell roads.  See red dot on map]. Three children at home, Charles W. age 14/  Merrill K. age 8 & John W. age 5. Charles & Merrill are in school.

    Homer, Lucy & family moved to the “Wilson” farm in the Town of Gorham, Ontario Co. NY  in March 1933. They never owned the farm, but worked it “on shares”. It was owned by the Fitch family of Rushville NY. It was located on the east side of  NY RT 247 & it’s intersection with the Lake to Lake Rd, now #4497 NY 247. The farm consisted of about 300 acres including 80 acres of woods which is now the “Camp-in the-Woods”. Their son Charles was married in 1933 at Reeds Corners which is just north of the farm on Rt. 247. He gave his address as Stanley NY, the post office for that area.

    When Homer & Lucy took over the “Wilson” farm, a large part of their family was still living with them, Olive, a widow, age 28 & her son Donald Thayer, about 5. Sons Merrill age 17, John age 13 & Robert age 8. Also living there were son Charles & his wife Alice  Bond. John, Robert & Donald probably went to school in the brick common school #6 just across the road. Later they went to school in Gorham. That schools new building was built in 1934. Merrill had already graduated from Middlesex Valley [Rushville] in 1933. When the brick school closed is not known, the place was purchased by Charles & Alice in 1937. 

    The 1940 Town of Gorham census shows only Homer, Lucy, Merrill, John & Robert living there.

    The following stories about Homer & Lucy are based on the authors recollections & stories told to him. He lived across the road from them until they moved. He was then 12 years old & spent most of his free time there. Even after they retired & moved, they were only a couple of miles away.