Family Gatherings

I believe that this is a gathering of the Moon and Chandler Families. One thing that has not changed from that time until today is how people fail to write names or descriptions of who, what, and where on the back of their photographs.

Now is a good time for me to share with anyone viewing these entries of words and pictures that copies of any photographs on this site are available upon request. Of course, you have to be related in some family way (and be prepared to explain that briefly to me), but all is needed is a request.

Likewise, if anyone can identify ANYONE in any of these photos send me word via the 'comments' feature here. Thank you.

Elva Chandler Olney

This is the last Woodgate Farmer's grandmother, Elva Chandler Olney.

She was an original Adirondacks woman. Nobody loved their children and grandchildren more from what I was told by some of those surviving grandchildren, now in their late 60s, 70s and early 80s.

Elva married Archie Olney. They had a total of 6 children. Only 3 boys survived. A little known fact of Woodgate Farmer history is that all the children were born in Canada, in a community near Toronto. The three deceased children each died from illness of that time period while still being under 2 years of age. I imagine that had to put a strain on the marriage of Elva & Archie. While that may be true, it didn't stop Elva from coming home to Woodgate.

In her later years, she worked as a cook at the State Hospital in Rome, New York. She knew how to handle a gun and could shoot as well as any man. During her life, Elva also worked in a couple logging camps cooking and performing basic nursing duties. She was a strong willed woman; independent and unafraid to tackle life on her own, a good daughter to her parents, Uretta (Moon) and Nelson Ray Chandler. Her daughter-in-law, Ella Lillian (Olney) Olney is remembered for all the things that Elva taught her after Ella married Nelson R. Olney. Nelson R. Olney, Jr. also has very fond memories and nothing but kind thoughts for his grandmother. As I said, Elva Chandler Olney was a fascinating and strong willed woman. Those qualities and her basic body frame is still found in women born into the Olney family lineage today.

Nelson Ray Olney Sr.

In 1925 in Woodgate, then called White Lake Corners, you had to have at least one horse. People had farms. They grew potatoes and other vegetables. They raised cows, sheep and chickens. Wildlife was plentiful. There was no television and you were lucky as a family to have quiet evenings reading books, or letters or writing to loved ones elsewhere.

By the 1940s, the Olney farm was pretty well known. But don't search the MidYork Library system. They don't appear to have as well-rounded a community view in photographs as they have in reportings made from one particular family. I would suppose that priacy also played a large part in why some families slipped beneath the radar. The Chandler's, Olney's and the Moon family each contributed to the small community. They were families grown on hard work and love.

Charles Lewis Olney on the farm

Charles Lewis Olney tending to livestock on the farm back in 1919.
There are only a few known photographs of Charles, as he died at the age of 16 years, due to an accidental hunting accident.

It was getting towards evening, and Charles went out to hunt. The three boys had been schooled by the best in the ways of hunting and proper gun handling, but it is imagined that Charles was in a hurry to get to a place in the woods where he had previously had 'luck' taking a huge Adirondack whitetail buck. Being in a hurry was the only reasoning that could be applied to how young Charles lost his life .

He had set his gun down against the barbed wire fencing that so often back then outlined the property and containment lines. It was a freak mishap that his gun managed to fall and discharge by accident on its own, striking and killing him. As darkness approached, Nels Olney (oldest of the surviving Olney three brothers) set out into the night to find his brother. He carried the boy home and the entire community mourned the loss of young Charles.

Today, Charles rests beside his older two brothers and their wives, his mother, and his grandmother and grandfather in the Woodgate Cemetery.

Lee Emerson Olney

Lee Olney was born in Canada and served in the military. He was the second eldest surviving son (of 5) to Archie Olney & Elva Chandler Olney. I am looking into his life presently and will share what I can as I learn of it.

Another Photo of The Woodgate Homestead

From age of the car parked at (what was) the back entrance, this photo looks to be taken during the late 1920s.

In later years, the bushes along the sides of the house were removed. Two apple trees had grown to the left side area of the photo. No bushes blocked that first window, which by the way was where the original parlor was housing a superb collection of older family portraits. Unfortunately, Robert C. Olney Sr., son of Nelson R. Olney Sr., disposed of the wall mounted portraits and the piano, which dated back to the mid 1800s. It is now believed, while no 'official' notations have surfaced that Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, and an earlier State Legislator and Governor may have visited the Chandler Homestead during the span of time from 1886 -1918 while engaging the Adirondack Guide services of Nelson R. Chandler.

In the late 1940s until 1964, the Olney farm had been known by the locals to be the largest and most fruitful in providing farm produce. It had the distinction of being the largest pieces of total acreage in producing quality grown white and red potatoes.

The Nelson R. Olney Sr. Family of Woodgate & Utica, New York

Standing: Nelson Ray, Jr.(1st son), Richard Lee(3rd son), Robert Charles (2nd son).

Seated: Nelson Ray, Sr., Linda Jean (youngest daughter), Ella Lillian (Olney), Marilyn (oldest daughter), Donald Herbert (4th son).

This photo was taken in Utica at the Sunset Ave residence in the parlor. The year is 1948-1951.

At one time, Nelson Olney had the largest farm in Woodgate, New York. People came from near and far for a bushel basket of his potatoes.

Presently, as of this date (August 21, 2008) only Nels Jr., Robert Sr., Marilyn(Palaski), and Donald, Sr., are living.

For we are the same our father's have been...

"For we are the same our fathers have been;
We see the same sights our fathers have seen;
We drink the same stream, we feel the same sun,
And we run the same course our fathers have run.


"They loved, but the story we cannot unfold;
They scorned, but the heart of the haughty is cold;
They grieved, but no wail their slumber will come;
They joyed, but the tongue of their gladness is dumb,


"They died, aye! they died; we things that are now,
Who walk on the turf that lies over their brow;
Who make in their dwellings a transient abode,
Meet the things that they met on their pilgrimage road."


Charles Lewis Olney, Age 16 years
3rd Son of Archie & Elva Chandler Olney

What began as one of the Babcock homes, and a look at the Chandler/Olney homestead.

Much has changed with this little place since it once stood as an ice house storage building on the shore of White Lake.

I remember it as this small, three room camp. As you walked into the place there was an immediate door to the left that went into a narrow room that once housed the chemical toilet.

From what I've been able to find online, this place was once owned by the Babcock family before being purchased by Nelson R. Olney. I believe at some point back in the late 1940s or early 1950s, Mr. Olney rented the place out to the school teacher that taught at the school. The school sits next to the (above) building. I'll present some more on this building at another time.

The camp has (since the 1950s) undergone some major changes. Mr. Olney let his 4th son, Donald H. Olney, live there for a time prior to his son's subsequent enlistment in the Air Force sometime in the early 1960s. After that, Mr. Olney's 3rd son, Richard, bought the one acre property and the adjoining open field. This field can be clearly seen in the above picture. It is to the left, and it was used for growing potatoes. There were several families around Woodgate that had gardens. Mr. Olney's primary property and homestead located a little further down Bear Creek Road was identified as a farm. Nelson Olney, Sr. was the oldest son of (originally) three sons born to Archie and Elva Chandler Olney.


The Chandler homestead (pictured here) passed in ownership from Nelson and Uretta Moon Chandler to their daughter, Elva. Elva Chandler Olney then passed the homestead to her oldest son, Nelson Ray,Sr., and his brother, Lee Emerson. There originally had been three sons, but the youngest boy, Charles, died due to an accidental hunting incident involving a careless placing of the shotgun he took with him that afternoon. I'll share the rest of that story at some other point in time. This is a view from the east side of the Chandler/Olney homestead. That woman looks to be Mrs. Uretta Moon Chandler, with two of her children.
(names unknown at this time)
This is a picture of the west side of the Chandler/Olney homestead. This picture looks to have been taken in the middle 1950s. The person in the picture is unidentifiable presently. The homestead was subsequently 'control burned' in the early turn of this century by Robert C. Olney, Sr., with the help of the Woodgate Volunteer Fire Department. The reasons stated for the destruction of the building has a very involved and interesting story to it. One that I am not at liberty to share at this time.
The end of a spectacular building... family homestead, birthplace to both Chandler's and Olney children... shameful, say's the Woodgate Farmer.