Delaware County NY Genealogy and History Site
 A MASCONIC GROUP PHOTO? - Fleischmanns/Clovesville Area? This is of a group of gentlemen as you can see. The only person in this photo we know is Orville Foster Ballard Sr. (born 1841). He is in the front row, 2nd from the right. The photo was probably taken in the Fleischmanns/Clovesville area as that is where he lived. If anyone can identify anyone else in this photo we would like to know who they are. Unfortuately I don't know when it was taken, only that Orville was born in 1841 and he died in 1922. As you can see from the photo this had to have been taken in his later years so I would assume it would have been in the early 1900's. We do know he belonged to the Masons so we wonder if this could be a photo of them.
NOTE RECEIVED JANUARY 2023 from Sherri Turner Newton: . . . I can identify 2 of the people in this picture. The man in the center front row sitting directly behind the log is my 2x Great Grandfather, Emory Stratton Turner. The man standing away from the group on the left standing/leaning on the banister, is his son David Bryant Turner.
From the age of David in the picture this would have to be dated no earlier than 1888 and probably no later than 1900. I would estimate it in the 1890s. Emory was living in Newburgh, NY during this time, and removed his family to Colorado, while still having residences and businesses in Newburgh. My Turner family ancestry is from Schoharie County and Emory was born in Hobart. The family resided in many areas in this region due to his father being a Methodist preacher. Emory was a civil war veteran (mustered in Kingston, NY and his regiments/companies were from the Ulster/Green County), so I thought this might one of his civil war reunions, however, according to the rosters, there was no Orville Foster Ballard, Sr., listed but there was a John Ballard in his regiment who fought at Gettsyburg with him, both wounded there. My grandfather has a prosthetic left arm in this picture on your website, from his lost arm in that battle. It is possible that Orville was representing for John for a reunion in the picture… but because of the size of the group and their reunions were located in the county they were mustered), it’s probably not his regiment reunion but cannot confirm.
G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) Veteran Reserve Corps In 1896 Emory was in a picture for the unveiling of the Sharpe Civil War monument in Kingston with other civil war veterans. In 1890-91 Emory, was a member of The New York Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and attended and served as the aisle committee for the special service at the Church of the Incarnation in New York City. There was an Orville W. Ballard who was also a member. In 1901 Emory was a member of the Club Men of NY, specifically a member of the Army and Navy Club. He was a member of the New York Historical Society Charter. He was a member of the Bibliophile Society in 1903
Hope this helps. Feel free to email me if you need further information or I can help more.
Sincerely, |
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