The Genealogy of a House Fire

By Nina M. Herne Walsh

The March 2004 issue of the Richburg-Wirt Historical Society newsletter contained the account of the fire at the Ballard Home in 1883 submitted by Virginia Cooley Cecchi. I too had uncovered that story in my genealogy searching from information passed down by Irene Millis through Laurie Goodrich Deschler of Cuba. Until recently, I did not realize that I was related to Virginia, but now know that we are 4th cousins. In my childhood while waiting for the mail truck to arrive, I enjoyed many happy hours chatting in the Richburg Post Office with Virginia’s mother, Phyllis Cooley, the Postmistress and her assistant, Dude Burdick. This chart shows the relationship between Virginia and me:

Lemuel Rogers & Hannah Stewart Rogers
(Nina’s & Virginia’s Great Great Great Grandparents)

Ethel Rogers siblings Pamelia Rogers Ballard

Matie Rogers Moses 1st cousins Maryette Ballard Millis

Frank Moses 2nd cousins Juanita Millis Cady

Etha Moses Herne 3rd cousins Phyllis Cady Cooley

Nina Herne Walsh 4th cousins Virginia Cooley Cecchi

The following is additional information about the Ballard house fire, creating a more detailed picture.

Lemuel and Hannah Stewart Rogers were among the first settlers of the Town of Wirt. We know they lived in Wirt when their son Ethel was born in 1830. Lemuel died in 1879, and is buried along with his wife and daughter-in-law, Lottie Ellsworth Rogers, in graves marked by a square column monument near the back right of the original section of the Richburg Cemetery. Lemuel and Hannah had six children, among them Pamelia Rogers born in 1823 and Ethel P. Rogers. Ethel fought in the Civil War with Company B of the 189 Regiment, New York Army. The diary he kept of his time at war has found in the 1980’s by Winnie Putnam in her barn loft which had belonged to Ethel’s granddauther, Ethel Rogers Phillips. Correspondence was a major highlight of a soldier’s day. The diary records writing to and receiving letters from his wife Catharine Lebar Rogers, his sisters Pamelia Rogers Ballard and Julia Rogers Ryno, nephew William Ballard, his two brothers, Almon and Orin who were also soldiers, as well as some other correspondents.

Charles Ballard’s real estate was worth $3000 and his personal estate was valued at $881 in the 1870 census. He was a farmer and Pamelia kept house. They had very big hearts, as it would appear that they took in foster children. In the 1860 census, an 8 month old baby named Douglas Lebar lived with this family. In the 1870 census, a 7 year old child,
Minnie Harrison, lived with this family. They were generous, gracious people. It is no wonder that their home was bursting with family in March 1883.

The house sat at the crest of Jordan Hill on the south side of the road facing northwest towards West Clarksville. That particular night, the house was inhabited by Charles and Pamelia both 59 years old, their son William, age 28, their 36 year old daughter, Maryette Ballard Millis who was a school teacher, and Charles' mother, Hannah Biggers Ballard. Maryette’s five children were there also: Lulu Angie – age 8, Leona - 7, Irene - 5, Juanita - 3, and Henry Lee - 2. Upstairs was an apartment where Pamelia's 79 year old mother, Hannah Stewart Rogers, lived with her son and Pamelia's brother, Alanson, age 53. It is likely that Alanson was not “normal,” as a guardian had to be named for him to accept his inheritance. He was able to work as a farm hand in adult life, but did not fight in the Civil War though relatives his age did go to war. We are not aware that he ever married, and he lived with his mother through adulthood.

After Irene and Juanita had been put to bed, Maryette poured crude oil on coals in a wood stove. The oil container exploded in her face, catching her heavy duck apron on fire. Her father tore the flaming apron from her, seriously burning his arms and hands. William rescued little Henry Lee, handing him to this mother declaring, "Here he is!" Maryette grabbed the sleeping Irene and Juanita, then passed them out the window to her brother William. Lulu Angie managed to flee with Leona to safety. Charles, in spite of his burned hands and arms, succeeded in raising a ladder to a second floor window, and rescued his 200 pound mother-in-law, Hannah Rogers. We have no knowledge of how Alanson survived. Once everyone had escaped from the burning house, Maryette collapsed and had to be revived. She, Irene, and Juanita had a very narrow escape. Irene's and Juanita's hair was singed.

The fresh blood of a hen was placed on Maryette's facial burns, and covered with cotton. She was left with only one scar on her nose where there had been a small hole in the cloth. Her father suffered permanent scars on his hands and arms.

DeWitt Millis, Maryette's husband, had been traveling in the south, perhaps Virginia. He had returned and was at the old Clark House in Bolivar when he overheard that there was a fire at the Charles Ballard home. He hurried to the farm and discovered the reality.

The most amazing detail that has sifted down is that all twelve people in the house averted death on that dreadful evening!

The five children grew up to become valuable contributors to the Richburg community:

Lulu Angie Millis, who was later known just as Angie, married Gene Whitcomb and lived on Richardson Street behind the Red & White Store.

Leona Millis married Harry Goodrich who was a prominent local civic leader and served as a New York State Assemblyman for six years. Their son, “Dee,” married Isabelle Owens, sister of Pauline Owens Stohr, the mother of my aunt-by-marriage -- Donna Stohr Moses. Dee and Isabelle were both youthful friends of my mother, Etha Moses Herne, and are pictured in her high school album of snapshots. Laurie Goodrich Deschler is the daughter of Dee and Isabelle and supplied the photos of the Millis family from her archives.

Irene Millis remained a maiden lady and was interested in genealogy.

Juanita Millis married Edgar Cady, and is the grandmother of Virginia Cooley Cecchi. I do have memories of “Nita” Cady as a tall slim elderly woman active at the Richburg First Day Baptist Church.

The “new” house, which sits on the site of the house which burned, was occupied by Henry Lee Millis in my youth. Henry was our eggman, delivering eggs to our house regularly. I remember his unusual gait – his feet dropped from the ankles has he lifted each foot. He would come to our backdoor and enter calling, “Yoo-Hoo,” as was the custom in those days. He often took time to sit at the kitchen table having a chat with my mother. I had no idea then that he was related, but my mother must have known.

Charles and Pamelia Rogers Ballard are buried in the Richburg Cemetery along with Charles’ parents. Their tall square column monument is about halfway back on the right half of the original section of the cemetery.

The graves of many mentioned in this story are in the Richburg Cemetery or Bolivar’s Maple Lawn Cemetery. Virginia’s parents, Phyllis and Homer Cooley, are buried next to my uncle and aunt – Francis and Bernice Moses. Both Uncle Francis and Homer were jovial, well-loved characters, and both are descendants of the Lemuel and Hannah Rogers. Though they were good friends, I wonder if they knew that they were third cousins by marriage! I recall them telling about trying out their graves. They once lay side by side in the grass on their plots measuring to see if they would fit!