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By Edna WALBORN Bartlett (Undated article. Edna died 2002)
(This was written by Edna WALBORN Bartlett who resides in the Green Home in Wellsboro. Co-writer was her sister, Esther WALBORN Adams)
In 1885 a while before the turn of the century on the hill west of Pumpkin Center, a baby boy named Allen was born to Aaron and Lura Wilcox Walborn. Allen had several siblings: Jennie, Fred and Frank Wilcox, Myra Walborn Rinebold, Sadie Walborn Ammerman, Gertrude Walborn Putnam and Benjamin Walborn. As Aaron was a farmer, the family lived on what is now known as Spencer Hill Road where Dr. Ralph Rathbun lives.
When Allen became a young man, he heard of a pretty lady living over east of there. That pretty lady was Cora Case, daughter of Samuel and Mary Ludington Case, who lived in the Gulf Road.
Cora also had several sisters: Eva Case Lake, Lida Case Hinney, Clara Case Spencer, Mabel Case Packard (mother of Vance Packard, the author and social critic of the 1950’s and 1960’s) and Orlina Case Spencer; and brothers, James and Rodney Case. Samuel had served in the Civil War and after returning held several offices in Granville, including Constable. He was a mason.
Allen and Cora dated a while by horse and buggy and in 1904 they were married in Waverly, NY with Benjamin and Gertrude Walborn as their attendants. I guess going all the way to Waverly and back was all the honeymoon they had.
After living on the old homestead with his parents for a time, in 1905 their first daughter Lillian was born. Another daughter, Lura, was also born there in 1906.
Shortly thereafter they bought the Streeter farm on the road crossing over from his home to Cora’s which now is called Shedden Hill Road. Here they worked hard, feeding the pigs, chickens and horses and milking the cows. They had a large orchard and a large garden to feed the family. They got their feed for the animals from Cowley and from Canton. Their groceries came from Granville Center by horse and buggy or on foot, of course.
While living there Eunice, Lawrence, Leon, Lewis, Hazel, Lula and Katie were born to Allen and Cora. Later they moved to the little red house on the Emery Andrews farm, up the hill from Pumpkin Center for a couple of years. While there, their daughter Edna was born. The family returned to their farm where daughter Esther was born and another baby, their last, died at birth. This was an even dozen, and sure enough!
The family went to church in the Center in the horse and buggy and later on they had a Model-T Ford.
The children grew up and went here and there. Lillian married Lester Ripley, later Harold Pepper and lived in Granville and Troy. Lura died when 19. Eunice married Leon Knapp and moved to Mansfield.
Lawrence and Leon worked on farms in the area. They both served in World War II and received medals, Lawrence winning the Purple Heart. After the War Leon married Muril Clark. Lawrence never married. Louis died at age 14.
Hazel married Kenneth Krise and they lived in Canton. Lula married Ell Dunbar and they went in different directions. Katie married Kenneth Cole and lived in Granville for the rest of her life.
Edna married Harry Bartlett and settled in Mansfield after graduating from Troy High School in 1941. Esther graduated from Troy in 1943 and then moved with her mother, Cora, to Mansfield. There, Esther married Louis Adams.
While still in Granville, Edna worked part time in J. R. Smith’s store.
I hope there are some people somewhere who remember some of our family. In 1933 we moved from the farm to Uncle John Case’s house on High Street in the Center. Allen died in 1940 after a long illness and Cora died in 1957.
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