Well, I'll be Damned!

I am working on a post about one of my ancestors, and in researching material, had a “eureka” moment that brought a smile to my otherwise furrowed face (you see, the research was getting a tad tedious, as a lot of research tends to be).

Refer back to my “Walk with Ghosts” post, and recall Henry “Doc” Denison, if you will. Doc joined one James Belden, you remember, in establishing a construction firm that built much of the canal systems in our area back in the mid 1800s. And it was clear from “Doc’s” protestations that some underhanded dealings accompanied those projects.  In the parlance of that day, there were definitely some “shenanigans” going on in Syracuse. 

I happened upon my great-great grandfather’s obituary during the course of my research.  To quote:  “In his early days he was a canal boat captain, running from Oswego to New York city.  Afterwards he entered the employ of Denison and Belden, contractors.  This position he held for 10 years.”  The firm…that scandal. He was there, and he must have known, or at least heard. Was he involved, I wondered?  Was my great-great granddad part of a sordid chapter in our city’s history?   I came to the conclusion that he was not.

William L. Crossett - my great-great grandfather

His obituary was that of a decent and honorable man, with praise for what he had done in life.  There was no reference to any of the troubles that haunted “Doc.”  Indeed, research shows that he worked for the original Water Company in Syracuse for 30 years, and was instrumental in the construction of the great waterworks system that brought pure Skaneateles Lake water to the citizens of Syracuse.  He also supervised construction of 3 reservoirs:  Crossett in 1864, Onondaga Hill in 1865, and Wilkinson in 1878. 

From my youth, most of which escapes me, I do remember hearing some  “urban legend” talk from my relatives that the present reservoir on Geddes St. was indeed the old Crossett reservoir, and that much of the land that is now Onondaga Park used to be the “Crossett farm.”  Hence, the naming of Crossett Street in our city came to pass, as supposedly, all Crossett land was donated to the city by my family.   Of course, in my family, if you listened to the grown ups spin yarns after 5 pm, you ran the risk of hearing history slightly skewed by the memory altering properties of adult beverages.  We ain’t Irish for nothin.'

But most poetic – my great-great grandfather is buried in Section 5 of Oakwood (I have the original burial plot deed of sale, dated 1864, thanks to my cousin).  “Doc” resides in Section 4.  They are among the oldest sections in the cemetery, hard by Rt. 81. “Doc” and my great-great grandfather are easily within sight of each other.  Neighbors then, now, and forever.  Oh, the tales my great-great grandfather could tell.

Mark Twain Quote:  “Nothing incites to money crimes like great poverty or great wealth.”