Town of Paris Historical Society

Once I discovered that my 3rd great-grandmother Rhuby (featured in one of the podcasts) and several of her siblings were married by Reverend Eliphalet Steele of the Paris Religious Society in the 1790s, it brought up so many questions. Who was the first family member in Paris? Why Paris? Did they have a connection to Steele? How did they get there? What was life like for them?
 
Luckily the Paris Historical Society in Clayville, Oneida County, New York was there to help. They are a small dedicated group housed in a former church that keeps the history of the area alive. They have a wealth of information on the early days of  Paris including the Paris Religious Society. One of the unique aspects of the group is how they are documenting their history. There is a member who writes children’s books about how people lived while another does intricate watercolor paintings of local sites.
 
One of the challenges of upstate New York research is the changes in government jurisdictions as the counties and towns evolved. Paris is one of those areas. It was part of Herkimer County until 1798 when Oneida County was formed. However, the town of Sangerfield formed from Paris in 1795, became part of Chenango County in 1798 ,and then joined Oneida County in 1804. Recognizing when these changes occurred clears up some questions on where to look for records. My ancestor might not have moved as often as I thought, it looks like it was the names of the city and county that changed!
 
Visiting the historical society to review their materials and receiving their help is free. However, how can one pass up adding to the donations collected in an actual wooden ballot box from the early days?