Holly Sammons
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hollys.bsky.social
Holly Sammons
@hollys.bsky.social
890 followers 560 following 280 posts
Librarian who no longer works in a library. Professional genealogist. Intersectional feminist.
https://letterboxd.com/hollysammons/
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hollys.bsky.social
IYKYK
Photo of wooden marker on the edge of a lawn, to mark where the driveway line is. This device helps a person driving a snow plow to stay within the boundaries on the property and only plow the driveway, not the lawn or any buildings or municipal structures.
November 4, 2025 at 5:57 PM
hollys.bsky.social
St. Patrick's Church, Syracuse. The lit steeple at night dominates the neighborhood sky. Not far from my current residence. #steeplesaturday
October 25, 2025 at 7:32 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Alma Mahler's obit is... I have no clue how to describe it.
nyti.ms/4gVt1sU
September 29, 2025 at 3:56 PM
hollys.bsky.social
St. John's Episcopal Church, Johnstown, NY Built in 1837, the third building for this congregation. It was such a grey, rainy day (Thursday) when I took the photo. An amazing edifice.

#steeplesaturday
Color photo of 1837 episcopal church in Johnstown NY, old stone building, sitting on a corner.
September 27, 2025 at 6:41 PM
hollys.bsky.social
AI can be so amusing. Prompted to transcribe a section of a will and make a table with people named in the will and their relationship to the deceased, ChatGPT gave me this. Good to know about the god part. #genealogy
From ChatGPT when prompted to produce a table of the people named in a will and their relationship to the deceased, first name is "God" - relationship to the deceased "Religious Reference"
July 18, 2025 at 5:30 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Interesting side note - a 1920 manuscript titled "Cayuga Co., New York; Cemetery Inscriptions," held at the FHL, in Salt Lake City, the authors recorded his place of birth as Batavia but the stone clearly says he died at Batavia. This transcription too: cayuga.nygenweb.net/cem/cem118.htm
Snip from the Dixon-Wilson Cemetery, entry for Eli Wilson. Entry reads: "Eli Wilson, Lieut, birth Place Batavia, d. 12 Nov 1814, age 33.
July 13, 2025 at 10:05 PM
hollys.bsky.social
When you FindAGrave photo but part of the image is cut off - sometimes I request a new photo but I always wonder why the volunteer didn't take a picture of the entire stone? Image is very readable but part of the bottom is missing. Time for a road trip.
#genealogy
Gravestone of Eli Wilson, wording on the stone reads as: Sacred to the Memory of Lieut. Eli Wilson who died at Batavia Nov 12, 1814 on his return from a gallant defence of Fort Erie Age 33 years More wording appears to be on the very bottom of the stone but the photo cuts it off. It might just be a bible verse but without being able to see the entire stone you just can't tell.
July 13, 2025 at 10:05 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Transcribing a will for the Conquest Centre OPS, John I. Wilson (1841-1868)spells out what he wants done w/ his pictures, maps & books - comprising his library. He seemed to anticipate possible disagreement. I've never seen that in a will before; I kinda love John
#genealogy #oneplacestudy #library
Section of the 1859 will of John I. Wilson, who lived and died in Mentz NY. The longhand writing reads: The pictures, Maps, and the books comprising my library I bequeath to my three children equally and if they cannot peacefully without difficulty agree on a mutual division of the same my Executors are hereby directed to divide or cause them to be divided into three portions, as near equal in value as may be, and my said children shall be entitled to their choice according to seign_ ority; that is to say my daughter Harriett shall be entitled to the first choice and my daughter Mary E. to the second choice.
July 11, 2025 at 12:05 AM
hollys.bsky.social
This might be a bit hokey but I rely on these tricks when I struggle to remember which word(s) is correct. One example, immigrate vs. emigrate. My trick?

#genealogy #writing
List and explanation of how to remember the difference between the terms immigrate and emigrate. • Immigrate = to come INTO a country • Emigrate = to leave/go OUT OF a country Memory trick: Think of the prefixes: • IMmigrate = INto (both start with "I") • Emigrate = Exit/out of (both start with "E")
July 3, 2025 at 10:11 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Why isn't this streaming everywhere? or anywhere?
📽️🍿🏳️‍🌈🎥
Movie cover for "Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same" A film by Madeleine Olnek. with 3 aliens feature, wearing space suits, bald heads and odd facial expressions. Front one almost looks like a conehead.
June 26, 2025 at 11:01 PM
hollys.bsky.social
This was a label inside a book showing 3 different library classification systems: the first referred to a place on a shelf, second is Dewey, and final was our inhouse system, Mundy, created by Dr. Ezekial Mundy to accommodate a growing genealogy collection. 📚
Old label from the inside of a library book with different call numbers used over the years.
June 14, 2025 at 8:36 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Luckily this was a duplicate scan. Over the years I've seen these sort of errors mostly on microfilm. Sometimes they can be amusing, but too often it's an impediment to see the original image.
#genealogy
Scanned black and white book page, with text and page number. Image shows the movement of the book page while scanning, and catches part of the scanners hand in the lower edge of the image.
June 9, 2025 at 10:57 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Another 2nd great grandfather, Francois Xavier Laforce enlisted in 1862; died 25 Sept 1864 from injuries he received at the second battle of Winchester. He was shot in the head. Burial place unknown. He was 24 y.o. an immigrant from Quebec, a farmer; left a widow, Flavie Filion and a 2 y.o. son.
Part of the entry from the New York, Town Clerks' Registers of Men Who Served in the Civil War, 1886, town of Chesterfield, Essex County, NY for Francois Laforce of Keesville.
May 25, 2025 at 11:13 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Willard C. Joslin, my gg grandfather enlisted Sept of 1861 in Conquest, NY Sept. 1863 he was captured at Sabine Pass. When released he walked home 1500+ miles, severely damaging the soles of his feet; he suffered the rest his life from the injuries. I can't imagine any of it. #MemorialDay #genealogy
Color photograph of a Civil War soldier's gravestone in the Conquest Cemetery in Conquest NY. American flag and veteran marker are next to the stone.
May 25, 2025 at 11:13 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Reformed Church of Shawangunk, Wallkill, NY
Built 1752-55, oldest still in use among Reformed Church congregations in America.

1st photo taken 1948 by Emma Dewitt, held at Elting Memorial Library, New Paltz, NY Online: nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/coll...

#steeplesaturday #genealogy
Black and white photo of the Reformed Church of Shawangunk, parsonage in background. Both buildings constructed of stone masonry and wood, snow in the foreground, clear sky. Church has 5 white ionic columns at the entrance. A newer photo, in color taken from the Bruynswick Rural Cemetery that sits adjacent to the church. Cemetery stones in foreground, church to the left and parsonage in the far middle background. Shadows on stones cast from the setting sun. Small American flag on ground next to the stone in the lower right corner of the photo.
May 24, 2025 at 7:09 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Two out of the four were standouts.
#letterboxdfriday 📽️
Cover images of the last four films I've watched and logged on https://letterboxd.com/ from left to right, My Little Chickadee, Close to You, Clemency and Oh Canada.
May 23, 2025 at 1:17 PM
hollys.bsky.social
The Fourth Presbyterian Church in Syracuse New York was built in 1873 and sat on the corner of W. Onondaga and S. Salina Streets. This photo was taken in 1928 by Theodore H. Schuelke. The church building no longer exists.

#steeplesaturday
Black and white photograph taken in 1928 of The Fourth Presbyterian Church (built 1873) on the corner of W. Onondaga and S. Salina Streets. The Hotel Syracuse is the background. Snow on the ground and people walking on the street.
May 17, 2025 at 10:22 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Friedens Church in Syracuse, NY founded by German immigrants in 1900. Closed in 2011. Building is still located there on the corner of Lodi and Ash streets.

#steeplesaturday
Black and white photograph of the Friedens Church in Syracuse NY, from an old real photo postcard. Brick structure, with stained glass windows and steeple with close. Several bare trees line the streets on both sides.
May 11, 2025 at 12:12 AM
hollys.bsky.social
Plymouth Congregational Church in Syracuse, N.Y. once a stop on the Underground Railroad.

#steeplesaturday
Color photograph of the brick front of the Plymouth Congregational Church in Syracuse. Taken a few years ago, during the winter. Small amount of snow on the ground, bare trees, some parked cars and wet street.
May 3, 2025 at 9:36 PM
hollys.bsky.social
I will never cease to be amazed and annoyed when I find an obituary or death notice for a woman and her name was not recorded, instead like this one she was "wife of ...." On other occasions a woman could be recorded as Mrs. "husband's name" just maddening.

#genealogy
May 2, 2025 at 10:59 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, Syracuse, New York.
#steeplesaturday
Color photo of gold steeple domes above the Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Syracuse NY bright blue sky, tree with no leaves, parking lot with several cars
April 26, 2025 at 5:28 PM
hollys.bsky.social
United Methodist Church, in Middlesex, Yates County, New York #SteepleSaturday
Color photograph of the United Methodist Church in Middlesex NY - brick building with steeple, some stained glass windows. Photo taken on an early spring day, mostly blue sky with a few small clouds.
April 19, 2025 at 9:50 PM
hollys.bsky.social
I used ChatGPT "Monday" for the first time - I kind of liked it. That speaks to my masochistic side, right? I did manage to get a compliment:
April 5, 2025 at 9:25 PM
hollys.bsky.social
Here's a short glimpse of the amazing performance last night by NYS Baroque of Monteverdi’s “Vespers of 1610”

I had goose bumps at the end. You can see it in Ithaca tonight and tomorrow in Rochester.
nysbaroque.com

#baroque #music
April 5, 2025 at 7:40 PM
hollys.bsky.social
When you go visit your cousin, and he shows you what he found in his father's storage space and then he lets you take it home. #genealogy #genealogyheaven
Cover of old photo album scrapbook, with faux cover and name of the owners, my maternal grandparents Oscar Laforce and Sadie Joslin.
March 31, 2025 at 11:41 PM