The First Ward, Binghamton, New York
The First Ward in Binghamton, New York is one of several neighborhoods, but the only one named for the administrative district synonymous with its boundaries. Roughly, it lies at the north-west corner of the city, bounded on the west by the line with Johnson City - about Market street just west of Glenwood avenue. On the north by mount Prospect, on the east by the Chenango River and on the south by the railroad tracks that bisect Binghamton. Literally, the Ward -as known by the locals - is on the other side of the tracks.
Our family has roots in Binghamton's First Ward going back as early as 1885. The Binghamton City Directory for that year lists Clinton Wheeler - our great grandfather - boarding at 24 Dickinson Street . The directory for 1891 lists Frederick Caywood - our father's maternal grandfather-living at 74 Clinton Street. Neither building remains now. By 1893 Frederick Caywood is living at 4 Franklin Street. Franklin Street became the locus for our family, the street where our parents met and where they raised us. Our family lived in the First Ward through most of the 20th century.
Our family has roots in Binghamton's First Ward going back as early as 1885. The Binghamton City Directory for that year lists Clinton Wheeler - our great grandfather - boarding at 24 Dickinson Street . The directory for 1891 lists Frederick Caywood - our father's maternal grandfather-living at 74 Clinton Street. Neither building remains now. By 1893 Frederick Caywood is living at 4 Franklin Street. Franklin Street became the locus for our family, the street where our parents met and where they raised us. Our family lived in the First Ward through most of the 20th century.
It was in the First Ward that our father Donald A. Wheeler and our mother Joyce Wood first came into contact with each other. The Wheelers and Caywoods had already been living in the Ward for decades. Ralph Wheeler had met and married Ruth Caywood. They settled and raised their family in the Ward, near Ruth's parents on Franklin Street. Forrest and Harriett Wood had come to Binghamton about 1924 from Damascus township in Wayne county, Pennsylvania, probably to find work. The 1920 Federal census lists Forrest and Harriet in Damascus working their own farm. They have three children, our aunt Rhoda, aged 9, our uncles Carl, aged 3 1/2 and Dorrance, aged 2 months. The Binghamton City Directory for 1924 lists Forrest Wood living at 25 Charlotte Street - just south of the railroad tracks from the First Ward, and working as an engineer. The 1925 New York State census lists the family still living at 25 Charlotte Street. By now our aunt Dorothy is born. She is 2 years old, The other children are not listed. Forrest is working as a salesman.
The 1926 Binghamton City Directory lists Forrest and Harriett Wood living at 26 Franklin Street in the First Ward. The same directory lists Ralph Wheeler living at 33 Franklin Street, across the street and about 4 doors down. Our father, Donald, would have been about 5 years old and our mother, Joyce, was not yet born. The 1927 Binghamton City Directory, the year our mother Joyce is born, shows Ralph Wheeler living at 19 Franklin and Forrest Wood is no longer at 26. The Snapp family is listed for 26 Franklin Street.
In 1933, when Harriet Wood purchased 26 Franklin Street, her daughter Joyce, our mother, was 5 years old. Ralph Wheeler and his family, including our father Donald, aged 12, were living at 33 Franklin Street. The families are still there in 1939, but by 1940 the house at 33 Franklin Street is vacant and 26 Franklin street is occupied by someone named Balcom. The 1940 City directory lists the Wheelers living at 29 Mulberry Street. The Wood family is not listed. In 1943 Forrest and Harriett Wood are back in 26 Franklin Street. By 1945 Ralph and Ruth Wheeler are living at 26 Franklin Street, renting from Harriett Wood who owned the house. Harriett Wood is living down the street at 31 Franklin Street.
The 1926 Binghamton City Directory lists Forrest and Harriett Wood living at 26 Franklin Street in the First Ward. The same directory lists Ralph Wheeler living at 33 Franklin Street, across the street and about 4 doors down. Our father, Donald, would have been about 5 years old and our mother, Joyce, was not yet born. The 1927 Binghamton City Directory, the year our mother Joyce is born, shows Ralph Wheeler living at 19 Franklin and Forrest Wood is no longer at 26. The Snapp family is listed for 26 Franklin Street.
In 1933, when Harriet Wood purchased 26 Franklin Street, her daughter Joyce, our mother, was 5 years old. Ralph Wheeler and his family, including our father Donald, aged 12, were living at 33 Franklin Street. The families are still there in 1939, but by 1940 the house at 33 Franklin Street is vacant and 26 Franklin street is occupied by someone named Balcom. The 1940 City directory lists the Wheelers living at 29 Mulberry Street. The Wood family is not listed. In 1943 Forrest and Harriett Wood are back in 26 Franklin Street. By 1945 Ralph and Ruth Wheeler are living at 26 Franklin Street, renting from Harriett Wood who owned the house. Harriett Wood is living down the street at 31 Franklin Street.
A map kept in the Broome County Clerk's office is the basis for several property deeds on lots at Franklin, Front, Prospect and Valley streets in Binghamton's First Ward. The map, called Tyler's Front Street location, the property of Wm. R. Tyler of New Haven, Conn. 1884, or simply Tyler's Front Street location, is on page 75 of the book of maps, no.1 in the Clerk's office. The deeds for the properties owned by the Caywood, Wood and Wheeler families refer to this map.
4 Franklin Street, Binghamton, New York
Before he lived at 33 Franklin Street, Frederick Caywood lived at 4 Franklin Street, working as a wood finisher, listed in the 1893 Binghamton City Directory.
12 Franklin Street
The 1909 Binghamton City Directory lists Charles Caywood, our grandmother Ruth's older brother, living at 12 Franklin Street with his wife, Delia The 1920 Federal Census and the 1925 New York State census show Charles H. Caywood and his family back at number 12 Franklin Street after having lived at 20 Franklin Street and 8 and 9 Prospect Street.
18 Franklin Street
In 1916, according to the Binghamton City Directory for that year, Frank and Mary Caywood, another brother of our grandmother, have moved from 9 Prospect Street to 18 Franklin Street.
19 Franklin Street
The 1927 Binghamton City Directory lists Ralph and Ruth Wheeler, our grandparents, and their family - including our father - living at 19 Franklin Street.
20 Franklin Street
In 1911 Charles Caywood and his family are living at 20 Franklin Street, listed in the Binghamton City Directory for that year.
26 Franklin Street, Binghamton, New York
The house at 26 Franklin Street is the house we grew up in. It is the house my mother lived in for over 10 years as a child and teenager. My father's family briefly lived in this house. It is the locus of our immediate family; the place where the lives of several of our family were lived and the place where - finally - the families of our mother and father, our cousins and aunts and uncles intersect. The Binghamton City Directory for 1893 lists no buildings or even empty lots on the north side of Franklin Street after number 4. By 1899 the Directory lists several houses, but skips number 26. The first listing of number 26 Franklin Street is in the 1900 directory. It is occupied by Edgar Severson, a clerk working for McNamara & Harding, furniture dealers, at 176 Washington Street.
The Binghamton City Directory for 1926 lists Forrest N Wood living at 26 Franklin Street for the first time. Forrest and Harriett must have been renting the house, and by 1930, they were living back on Charlotte Street, where they had lived when first moving to Binghamton. The house and lot at 26 Franklin Street came into our family in March 1933. Our mother's mother, Harriett Wood, bought this property from Etta Snapp. The deed listed in book of deeds 431, page. 292. Harriett transferred ownership to Forrest - her husband - and herself in February 1943, and the property was transferred back to Harriett alone in February 1944. This transfer of ownership back and forth between Harriet and Forrest occurred with several of their properties during this same period. It is not clear why, but Forrest died of a stroke in 1945. Perhaps the properties were transferred because of Forrest's health? Harriet lived at 26 Franklin Street from 1933 until 1944. In 1945 Ralph Wheeler, our father's family, are living at 26 Franklin Street. There is no deed transferring ownership, so Harriett must have rented the house to them. Harriet was living there, again, in 1953 (Binghamton City Directory). Our mother and father bought 26 Franklin Street from our grandmother in January 1957 after renting it from Harriet for a couple of years. This is the house where our mother was raised - she was 5 years old when our grandmother bought the house - and where my brother and sisters and I grew up. Except for the 10 months we lived in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1966, our family lived at 26 Franklin until our parents moved in 1977 - after my sister Renee, my brother David and I had moved out to begin our own lives.
29 Franklin Street
in 1928 Ralph and Ruth Wheeler - our grandparents - are living at 29 Franklin Street, across the street from 33, the house Ruth grew up in. Ruth's parents both die in 1928 and the next year Ralph and Ruth move across the street into number 33.
30 Franklin Street
Wiliam Caywood, another of Ruth's brothers, and his wife Breata are living at 30 Franklin street, listed in the 1916 Binghamton City Directory.
31 Franklin Street
The 1944 Binghamton City Directory lists D N Wood living at 31 Franklin Street. This would have been Dorrance, my mother's brother. In September 1943 this property was purchased by Stephen and Mary Harahus, their daughter Helen and her husband Dorrance Wood, registered in the book of deeds number 534, page 135. Another deed, registered in book 537, page 405 at the Broome County Clerk's office, shows this property purchased by Harriett Wood, Dorrance's mother in April 1944. In 1945 Harriet Wood is living at 31 Franklin Street with John and Rhoda Novitski, her daughter and son-in-law.
33 Franklin Street, Binghamton, New York
33 Franklin Street is the last house on the south side of Franklin at the western corner with Valley Street. As early as 1899 the Caywood family - our father's grandparents, and mother - lived at 33 Franklin Street. At that time Frederick was renting the house from Walter Christie, owner by deed, of the property since 1892. In January of 1907 Frederick Caywood purchased 33 Franklin Street from Christie. The deed is listed in book 209, page 181 in the Broome County Clerk's office. The deed describes the property as "45 feet front and rear off the west side of Lot No. 40 in 'Tyler's Front Street location'. Said lot is 150 feet deep". The description in the deed is 5 feet shorter than the lot shown on the map. In 1924 Frederick borrowed $900.00 from Alois Krause using the house as collateral. Frederick Caywood and his wife, Alma, both died in 1928. The house was inherited by their children, Dorothy, Ruth, Arthur, Charles, Frank, William and Cora. By 1929 Ruth and Ralph, our grandparents, were living there with their children, including Donald, our father, aged 8. The 1930 census shows that Ralph was renting number 33, most likely from the Caywood family. In 1932 William and Cora Caywood transferred their interest in the property to their brother Arthur. The 1939 Binghamton City Directory lists Ralph Wheeler still living at 33 Franklin Street. In December 1939 the Caywood family sold the property to Galon Newman and his wife. The 1940 Binghamton City Directory lists 33 Franklin Street as vacant. In June 1945 Frederick Wheeler, our father's brother, and his wife Ruth - the oldest child of Ruth Caywood and Ralph Wheeler - bought the house from Galon Newman. The deed is filed in book 556, page 125 in the Broome County Clerk's office. Our cousins Frederick Jr. (Sonny), Barbara and Skipper grew up here.
8 Prospect Street
Prospect Street is parallel with and one block north of Franklin Street. Number 8 Prospect street would have been between Front Street and Valley Street - around the corner from Franklin - and probably on the north side of the street, with the property at the foot of mount Prospect. Houses here had their back yards up against rock faces. The Binghamton City Directory for 1918 and 1919 list number 8 Prospect Street occupied by Charles Caywood and his wife. Ralph and Ruth Wheeler - our grand parents - lived here from 1920 to 1927. Our father was born in this house in 1921. The family lived here until 1927, when they are listed as living at 19 Franklin Street in the Binghamton City Directory for that year. About 35 years later, in 1964 or 1965, the house at number 8 Prospect street was jacked up off from its foundation, put onto a flatbed truck and moved from Prospect street to the lot at 27 Franklin Street - directly across the street from number 26 - as the homes on Prospect Street were demolished to make way for the new interstate highway, route 17. This is the house in 2015. The physical location of these two houses - 26 and 27 Franklin Streets - and their places in the history of our family is a strange confluence to consider.
9 Prospect Street
Frank and Mary Caywood are sharing this house with Charles and Delia Caywood, listed in the 1915 Binghamton City Directory. Charles and Delia are still there in 1916, although Frank and Mary have moved to 18 Franklin Street.
22 Valley Street
Ralph and Ruth Wheeler are listed as living at 22 Valley Street in the 1915 New York State census. On the map Tyler's Front Street location Valley street is marked Stuart Street. It is perpendicular to Franklin street at the west end of Franklin. House number 22 Valley street occupies lot number 37 on Tyler's map at the southwest corner of Franklin and Valley streets. The back yard of number 22 abuts number 33 Franklin Street, where Ruth's father and mother lived. Nearly 30 years later, in May 1943, Forrest and Harriett Wood purchased 22 Valley Street from Charles and Julia Corey. This deed is listed in the book of deeds 525, page. 427. The property was transferred to Harriett alone on February 8, 1944, the same day as 26 Franklin Street was transferred back to Harriet. The house on the property at the time of the deeds and the family residencies burned down in the early 1960's. We knew the family living there at the time - the Miller's - and were good friends with the Miller boys. We watched the house burn that Friday night, just before Christmas.
The Broome County Clerk's Office holds copies of these deeds. From the records kept by the County Clerk I have copies of records for over 20 acres in properties owned between Harriet and Forrest Wood, by 1944, including 26 & 31 Franklin Street, 22 Valley Street as well as lots on Binghamton's north-east side, in the town of Dickinson and in the Town of Kirkwood.
Before he lived at 33 Franklin Street, Frederick Caywood lived at 4 Franklin Street, working as a wood finisher, listed in the 1893 Binghamton City Directory.
12 Franklin Street
The 1909 Binghamton City Directory lists Charles Caywood, our grandmother Ruth's older brother, living at 12 Franklin Street with his wife, Delia The 1920 Federal Census and the 1925 New York State census show Charles H. Caywood and his family back at number 12 Franklin Street after having lived at 20 Franklin Street and 8 and 9 Prospect Street.
18 Franklin Street
In 1916, according to the Binghamton City Directory for that year, Frank and Mary Caywood, another brother of our grandmother, have moved from 9 Prospect Street to 18 Franklin Street.
19 Franklin Street
The 1927 Binghamton City Directory lists Ralph and Ruth Wheeler, our grandparents, and their family - including our father - living at 19 Franklin Street.
20 Franklin Street
In 1911 Charles Caywood and his family are living at 20 Franklin Street, listed in the Binghamton City Directory for that year.
26 Franklin Street, Binghamton, New York
The house at 26 Franklin Street is the house we grew up in. It is the house my mother lived in for over 10 years as a child and teenager. My father's family briefly lived in this house. It is the locus of our immediate family; the place where the lives of several of our family were lived and the place where - finally - the families of our mother and father, our cousins and aunts and uncles intersect. The Binghamton City Directory for 1893 lists no buildings or even empty lots on the north side of Franklin Street after number 4. By 1899 the Directory lists several houses, but skips number 26. The first listing of number 26 Franklin Street is in the 1900 directory. It is occupied by Edgar Severson, a clerk working for McNamara & Harding, furniture dealers, at 176 Washington Street.
The Binghamton City Directory for 1926 lists Forrest N Wood living at 26 Franklin Street for the first time. Forrest and Harriett must have been renting the house, and by 1930, they were living back on Charlotte Street, where they had lived when first moving to Binghamton. The house and lot at 26 Franklin Street came into our family in March 1933. Our mother's mother, Harriett Wood, bought this property from Etta Snapp. The deed listed in book of deeds 431, page. 292. Harriett transferred ownership to Forrest - her husband - and herself in February 1943, and the property was transferred back to Harriett alone in February 1944. This transfer of ownership back and forth between Harriet and Forrest occurred with several of their properties during this same period. It is not clear why, but Forrest died of a stroke in 1945. Perhaps the properties were transferred because of Forrest's health? Harriet lived at 26 Franklin Street from 1933 until 1944. In 1945 Ralph Wheeler, our father's family, are living at 26 Franklin Street. There is no deed transferring ownership, so Harriett must have rented the house to them. Harriet was living there, again, in 1953 (Binghamton City Directory). Our mother and father bought 26 Franklin Street from our grandmother in January 1957 after renting it from Harriet for a couple of years. This is the house where our mother was raised - she was 5 years old when our grandmother bought the house - and where my brother and sisters and I grew up. Except for the 10 months we lived in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1966, our family lived at 26 Franklin until our parents moved in 1977 - after my sister Renee, my brother David and I had moved out to begin our own lives.
29 Franklin Street
in 1928 Ralph and Ruth Wheeler - our grandparents - are living at 29 Franklin Street, across the street from 33, the house Ruth grew up in. Ruth's parents both die in 1928 and the next year Ralph and Ruth move across the street into number 33.
30 Franklin Street
Wiliam Caywood, another of Ruth's brothers, and his wife Breata are living at 30 Franklin street, listed in the 1916 Binghamton City Directory.
31 Franklin Street
The 1944 Binghamton City Directory lists D N Wood living at 31 Franklin Street. This would have been Dorrance, my mother's brother. In September 1943 this property was purchased by Stephen and Mary Harahus, their daughter Helen and her husband Dorrance Wood, registered in the book of deeds number 534, page 135. Another deed, registered in book 537, page 405 at the Broome County Clerk's office, shows this property purchased by Harriett Wood, Dorrance's mother in April 1944. In 1945 Harriet Wood is living at 31 Franklin Street with John and Rhoda Novitski, her daughter and son-in-law.
33 Franklin Street, Binghamton, New York
33 Franklin Street is the last house on the south side of Franklin at the western corner with Valley Street. As early as 1899 the Caywood family - our father's grandparents, and mother - lived at 33 Franklin Street. At that time Frederick was renting the house from Walter Christie, owner by deed, of the property since 1892. In January of 1907 Frederick Caywood purchased 33 Franklin Street from Christie. The deed is listed in book 209, page 181 in the Broome County Clerk's office. The deed describes the property as "45 feet front and rear off the west side of Lot No. 40 in 'Tyler's Front Street location'. Said lot is 150 feet deep". The description in the deed is 5 feet shorter than the lot shown on the map. In 1924 Frederick borrowed $900.00 from Alois Krause using the house as collateral. Frederick Caywood and his wife, Alma, both died in 1928. The house was inherited by their children, Dorothy, Ruth, Arthur, Charles, Frank, William and Cora. By 1929 Ruth and Ralph, our grandparents, were living there with their children, including Donald, our father, aged 8. The 1930 census shows that Ralph was renting number 33, most likely from the Caywood family. In 1932 William and Cora Caywood transferred their interest in the property to their brother Arthur. The 1939 Binghamton City Directory lists Ralph Wheeler still living at 33 Franklin Street. In December 1939 the Caywood family sold the property to Galon Newman and his wife. The 1940 Binghamton City Directory lists 33 Franklin Street as vacant. In June 1945 Frederick Wheeler, our father's brother, and his wife Ruth - the oldest child of Ruth Caywood and Ralph Wheeler - bought the house from Galon Newman. The deed is filed in book 556, page 125 in the Broome County Clerk's office. Our cousins Frederick Jr. (Sonny), Barbara and Skipper grew up here.
8 Prospect Street
Prospect Street is parallel with and one block north of Franklin Street. Number 8 Prospect street would have been between Front Street and Valley Street - around the corner from Franklin - and probably on the north side of the street, with the property at the foot of mount Prospect. Houses here had their back yards up against rock faces. The Binghamton City Directory for 1918 and 1919 list number 8 Prospect Street occupied by Charles Caywood and his wife. Ralph and Ruth Wheeler - our grand parents - lived here from 1920 to 1927. Our father was born in this house in 1921. The family lived here until 1927, when they are listed as living at 19 Franklin Street in the Binghamton City Directory for that year. About 35 years later, in 1964 or 1965, the house at number 8 Prospect street was jacked up off from its foundation, put onto a flatbed truck and moved from Prospect street to the lot at 27 Franklin Street - directly across the street from number 26 - as the homes on Prospect Street were demolished to make way for the new interstate highway, route 17. This is the house in 2015. The physical location of these two houses - 26 and 27 Franklin Streets - and their places in the history of our family is a strange confluence to consider.
9 Prospect Street
Frank and Mary Caywood are sharing this house with Charles and Delia Caywood, listed in the 1915 Binghamton City Directory. Charles and Delia are still there in 1916, although Frank and Mary have moved to 18 Franklin Street.
22 Valley Street
Ralph and Ruth Wheeler are listed as living at 22 Valley Street in the 1915 New York State census. On the map Tyler's Front Street location Valley street is marked Stuart Street. It is perpendicular to Franklin street at the west end of Franklin. House number 22 Valley street occupies lot number 37 on Tyler's map at the southwest corner of Franklin and Valley streets. The back yard of number 22 abuts number 33 Franklin Street, where Ruth's father and mother lived. Nearly 30 years later, in May 1943, Forrest and Harriett Wood purchased 22 Valley Street from Charles and Julia Corey. This deed is listed in the book of deeds 525, page. 427. The property was transferred to Harriett alone on February 8, 1944, the same day as 26 Franklin Street was transferred back to Harriet. The house on the property at the time of the deeds and the family residencies burned down in the early 1960's. We knew the family living there at the time - the Miller's - and were good friends with the Miller boys. We watched the house burn that Friday night, just before Christmas.
The Broome County Clerk's Office holds copies of these deeds. From the records kept by the County Clerk I have copies of records for over 20 acres in properties owned between Harriet and Forrest Wood, by 1944, including 26 & 31 Franklin Street, 22 Valley Street as well as lots on Binghamton's north-east side, in the town of Dickinson and in the Town of Kirkwood.
More stories and stuff about Binghamton and the First Ward
Roger Green, who grew up just a few blocks from us, writes about growing up in Binghamton and the Ward in his blog.
When all the men were gone, World War II and the Home Front by Ronald G. Capalaces. Published: Irvington, VA, Lazarus LLC, 2010. A memoir of growing up in Binghamton’s First Ward in the 1940’s. Find it in a library.
On the seamy side of the street, colorful characters from Broome County’s history, by Gerald Smith and George Basler. Published by Broome County Historical Society, 2013. Three chapters describe people and places from the First Ward.
Statistics on infant mortality in the First Ward in the early 20th century, from the Annual Statistical Report of the Department of Health. for 1915.
Story about Trout brook, a buried stream running underneath the breadth of the Ward.
Film footage of Binghamton in 1934.
Public Relations film promoting: The Thruway and Binghamton Tomorrow (1951)
When all the men were gone, World War II and the Home Front by Ronald G. Capalaces. Published: Irvington, VA, Lazarus LLC, 2010. A memoir of growing up in Binghamton’s First Ward in the 1940’s. Find it in a library.
On the seamy side of the street, colorful characters from Broome County’s history, by Gerald Smith and George Basler. Published by Broome County Historical Society, 2013. Three chapters describe people and places from the First Ward.
Statistics on infant mortality in the First Ward in the early 20th century, from the Annual Statistical Report of the Department of Health. for 1915.
Story about Trout brook, a buried stream running underneath the breadth of the Ward.
Film footage of Binghamton in 1934.
Public Relations film promoting: The Thruway and Binghamton Tomorrow (1951)