In Phebe CAMPBELL Hoyt's photo album, there's a picture of "Mandy Hoyt
Buck" and, on the next page a photo of a girl, labeled "Nellie Buck". I
had no idea of who these people were or how they connected to Phebe's
husband, William Hoyt (1832 - 1888). The pictures are undated, but
Phebe lived 1832 - 1917). I don't recall ever hearing my mother or
grandmother say anything about Mandy or Nellie.
I did some research, which led to my posting the following on a message
board four years ago.
"Dr. Lester Buck and Amanda Hoyt - Addison, NY
Seeking data about dentist Lester W. Buck and wife, Amanda M. Hoyt, b.
1839 or 1840, d. 1881. He had a practice in Addison, Steuben Co., NY.
They had a daughter, Nellie Buck, b. 1851 or 1852, d. 1883 in
Hornellsville, NY."
Today I received a reply to the query. Someone kindly posted an 1881
news clip from the Hornellsville Tribune with a dateline of Almond, NY.
It has enough juicy gossip to appeal to a variety of readers -- domestic
violence, bigamy, etc. or to any of you with Hornellsville or Almond
connections.
You can read it at
http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.buck/1302.1/mb.ashx
As is so often the case, it answers some questions and raises others.
Who was Amanda's first husband (Nellie's father)? And it leaves
unanswered how Amanda connects to William Hoyt.
That's how it goes for us amateur detectives who's "Cold Case Files" are
super cold and don't have scriptwriters to neatly wrap things up at the
end of each episode.