J. Franklin Messmore & Wife to Hugh H. Snow

Teegate

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There is a section of Wharton that is landlocked from vehicles unless you are Bill Haines. Nobody can drive there on state land without crossing his property, and because of this it is very hard to access this location. Back in 2008 Ben, Jessica and myself waded across the West Branch of the Wading River at Franks Ford bridge and walked the full length of the property and explored. In that section of Wharton there is a tract of land that I have been interested in finding property stones but getting there is not so easy. However, with the low water levels that is a non issue and today I returned and searched for the property corners.

Here is the property in question.

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This is the Wharton survey and you can see they never surveyed it. The reason most likely is because after Hugh H. Snow purchased the property there is no record of sale after that point. It is as if it was forgotten.

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This is the text for the Messmore to Snow deed.

That certain tract of land beginning at a stake and stone in the North East boundary line of said tract —— conveyed to J. F. Messmore by Sam Pancoast twenty three rods (379.5 feet) from the North? East corner of —— —— property wherein going NW said tract conveyed by Sam Pancoast to J.F. Messmore thence in a Southern right line one hundred rods (1650 feet) to a stone and stake standing on the West side of the road leading to Rube? Hauken? Thence — right angle on a north westerly line to a stone and stake forty rods North at a right angle on a northerly line one hundred rods (1650 feet) to a stone and stake thence at a right angle along the above —north easterly —line of J.F. Messmore land fourth rods (660 feet), then in a Southern right line one hundred rods (1650 feet) to the place of beginning containing 25 acres.

Earlier this year Jessica and I searched for an easy place to cross the river if the water levels were low. However, I forgot about this until recently and decided to go today. Since Jessica was not available I headed out before sunrise and arrived early.

The location I crossed was six inches at the most.

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A blowdown along the way.

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After a while I made it to Franks Ford road. Again, never used except for Haines and his people.

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Really dry.
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When we visited in 2008 there were ruins of a building there and it looks untouched even today.

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A cellar hole of some sort.

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I search for the stones but I was not able to find anything so I have to return in the winter somehow.

While out there I was thinking about how far it was for whoever lived there years ago to get to this location. I felt there had to be a shorter way. While home here yesterday I noticed what appeared to be a causeway on the aerial so I headed there to see if I was correct. Could there have been an easier route? Working my way deeper into the woods I came upon what looked like a stream.

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It eventually led to an causeway that had rotted away. However, some of the wood is still evident.

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It even is still intact along the bottom of the stream.

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I have a video which shows the causeway much better as well as the bones of a dead deer that spent it's final moments there. I will post soon.
 

Teegate

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All,

Today we went to Franks Ford bridge at the southern end of Franks Ford road. This is where we crossed years ago with Ben. It is easy to cross nearby there.


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Jessica found this.

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Franks Ford road on the other side.

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Years ago Flash from this site found a sawmill there. We revisited it today. The bolts are circled.


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And we found a few nice Gentians there.


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Earlier in the day we visited the current location of the Red Top Gun Club and the Woodbury Stag Gun Club. I was told they merged in recent years after Red Top had concerns with the high taxes at their previous location by the Red Top Market and the 206 Circle.

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And after posting about my adventures yesterday I received an email with a tip concerning the location I visited. I will work on that and hopefully have some more information in the future.
 
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bobpbx

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Oct 25, 2002
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That's wild rice in that first photo. It's rampant on the Oswego.

A ford does not mean a bridge. Maybe they simply waded across when they named it.
 

Teegate

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Drove down East Stokes today. The water is gone except in one location and there is a go around.

Also, has anyone been down Carranza lately. That road is a mess. You can't drive more than 10 or it shakes your car apart. I avoided it yesterday completely and spent another 15 minutes going a different route.
 
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smoke_jumper

Piney
Mar 5, 2012
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Atco, NJ
Drove down East Stokes today. The water is gone except in one location and there is a go around.

Also, has anyone been down Carranza lately. That road is a mess. You can't drive more than 10 or it shakes your car apart. I avoided it yesterday completely and spent another 15 minutes going a different route.
Yea I did a few weeks ago too. It was dry then. I also made it to Mount from every direction and pretty much never got the tires wet.
 
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