The migration path
of some families was far from traditional. This branch of the Legg
family who appeared in the 1850 U.S. census for Butler, Wayne Co., NY is
an example. They were farmers, having a net worth of #2500, all born
in New York State.
Legg, Edward
35
Fidelia
27
Louisa
10
Abigail J.
7
Edward L.
4
Fidelia A.
2
Weslesy (?)
12 [daughter]
Conger, William 63
Catherine
62
Lydia C.
23
The William and Catherine
(Van Valkenburg) Congers were both identified in the International Genealogical
Index (IGI). They were the parents of Fidelia (Conger) Legg. William,
born 7 March 1788 in Heidelburg, Albany Co., NY married in 1807.
One IGI record placed this couple and their children in Adrian, Lenawee
Co., MI, but other IGI records do not agree. Catherine Van Valkenburg
supposedily was born in Long Island City, Queens Co., NY ca. 1786.
Their third child James Conger
was born 27 October 1811 in Cooperstown, Otsego Co., NY. He married
on 7 February 1888 Sarah Johnson, born 17 February 1818. He died
2 February 1901 as per the IGI.
It is unlikely any of the
children were born in Michigan. Fidelia Conger was born 8 December
1822 and married Edward Legg before 1840. Fidelia’s sister Lydia
Catherine was born 20 March 1827.
James Conger’s oldest child
was born in 1839 in Butler, NY, putting the Congers at Butler about the
time when Fidelia met Edward Legg.
E. Legg was on the 1858 list
of Butler landowners. Yet by 1860 the family lived in Red Creek Village,
part of Wolcott, NY. Edward had left farming becoming a merchant.
He greatly improved the wealth of the family declaring a net worth of $7,000
in the 1860 Red Creek census:
Legg, Edward
45
Phidelia
37
Louisa
20
Abba
18
Edward L
14
Phidelia
12
W. Fr.
6
Cordelia
4
Sarah
13
Edward apparently believed
he saw opportunity in the west. He likely departed after the Civil
War ended between 1865 and 1869. By 1870 he was farming again in
Clay, Ralls Co., MO. The 1870 Clay, MO. Census enumerated the following
(all born in NY):
Legg, Edward
55
Fidelia
48
Lou E
23
William
16
Delia
13
Edith
7
But things did not go smoothly.
The family was greatly split over the next decade. Delia/Dellie married
H. B. Kigebaum of Salt River, Ralls Co., MO. She became the mother
of Rena Kigebaum, born ca. 1875; Jesse Kigebaum, born ca. 1878 and baby
boy Kigebaum, born ca. 1880. Dellie and H.B. also took in her sister,
Edith Legg, age 16 in 1880, indicating Edward and Phidelia were likely
deceased.
William Fenton Legg, born
21 October 1852, wed Sarah E. Ward. He died 13 August 1941.
The couple were buried in the I00F Cemetery in the western part of Trenton,
Grundy Co., MO. Sarah’s stone read 1859-1925.
The west seemed not to appeal
to Edward Llwellyn Legg. He married before 1868 Phoeby E. _____ also
born in New York State. They had two children born in Missouri before
they both decided to return east. Their decision to relocate to Oswego
on Lake Ontario is not too clear. A check of the historians of Butler,
NY and their remarks on Oswego people suggest an answer. Butler historians
depicted Oswego people as successful. Oswegians built lovely, ornate
Victorian mansions at Butler. Oswego lay just to the north of Butler,
a place where successful people lived. It seemed Edward L. Legg took
the stories to heart.
By 1880 Edward L. was settled
in the 1st Ward of Oswego. He began as a grocery clerk. The
1880 Oswego census said:
Legg, E. L.
33 NY grocery clerk
Phoeby E. 33
NY
Inna [sic] L. 18 MO
E. Gardner 5
MO
Clarence L. 1
NY
The family joined the West
Baptist Church and remained active throughout most of the 20th century.
Mrs. E. L. Legg served for years on the Missionary Committee. She
also served faithfully on the Neighborhood Prayer Meeting Committee.
She called herself Elida P. Legg, not Phoeby.
In the 1910 Oswego census
the family resided in the 5th Ward. Phoeby/Elida had died probably
ca. 1907. Edward L. lived with his son at 56 Erie St. Edward
and Phoeby had been married a total of 39 years.
Legg, Clarence
31 clerk clothing store
Florence E. 30
Ina M. 12
Edward L. 63
clerk grocery store
Clarence had been married for
6 years. Florence had 5 births, but only two had survived.
In the 1920 Oswego census
the Clarence Legg household has grown. They were all born in New
York State.
Legg, Clarence I.
40` salesman for dry goods store
Florence E. 40
Ina M. 24
Helen G. 9
E. Llwellyn 73 salesman groceries
Wallace, Anna H. 53 sister
in law single
Jessie M. 45
sister in law single
Clarence’s brother was
enumerated also at his residence:
Legg, E. Gardner
45 MO printer
Josephine O.
44 NY
In the 1930 Oswego census
Edgar Gardner and Josephine O. Legg were then married for 24 years.
He continued work as a printer. Clarence and Florence still lived with
their two daughters, Helen and Ina who had not married. Both daughters
were involved in activities at the West Baptist Church. The Wallace sisters
also remained in the household. Clarence now managed the store where
he had worked so long, a position which gave him much social standing as
the store was considered at that time the best place in town to shop.
Clarence Legg died after 1940.
This branch of the Legg family
may have descended via the Ulster Co., NY Leggs. Considerably more
research is required.
SOURCES:
Halsey, Lewis. History
of the West Baptist Church in Oswego, N.Y. 1853-1897. Oswego:
Times Book, 1896.
International Genealogical
Index. Available [online] http://familysearch.org
[14 July 2003]
IOOF Cemetery, Grundy County,
MO. Available [online] http://www.rootsweb.com/~mogrundy/cemetery/ioofg.html
[24 July 2003]
Town of Butler Landowners.
Available [online] http://www.rootsweb.com/~nywayne/butler/butlerlandowners.html
[14 July 2003]
U.S. Census Clay, Ralls, MO
1870.
U.S. Census Salt River, Ralls
Co., MO 1880.
U.S. Census Oswego, Oswego Co.,
NY 1880, 1910, 1920 & 1930.
U.S. Census Butler, Wayne Co., NY
1850.
U.S. Census Red Creek Village, Wayne
Co., NY 1860.