USA > New York > Ontario County > A history of Ontario County, New York and its people, Volume II > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50
I43
ONTARIO COUNTY.
death. In politics he was a Democrat ; in religion a member of the Trinity Church.
He married Jane Carson, of Glasgow, born in 1821, in that city, died in 1890, at Farmington, New York, daughter of James and Mar- garet (Carson) Carson, granddaughter of James and Margaret (Mc- Dowell) Carson. Her father was a farmer, a Republican in politics, and a Methodist in religion. Her grandfather was of Dumfries, Scotland. She had sisters, Margaret, Ellen, Isabel and Agnes, and a brother James Carson. She was an earnest, loving, self-sacrificing woman, and after the death of her husband in the prime of life, she kept her family together, and with the aid of her young son raised and educated the children. Children : I. James, mentioned below. 2. Agnes, born 1847; married Cornell Dusenberry, who died in 1906; child: John Dusenberry. 3. Margaret, 1849; married Daniel N. Hooker; children: Anna and Cora Hooker ; he died in 1909, and the family is living in Portland, Oregon. 4. Robert, born at Farmington, 1853; married Sarah Low; children : Roy, Edith and John.
James, son of Robert Houston, was born in New York City, Octo- ber 13, 1845, and came with his parents to Canandaigua when very young. He attended the public schools at Canandaigua and at the age of fourteen he went to work on the farm of Wilkinson A. Herendeen, of Farmington, and continued for seven years. He was the eldest of the children and when but a child began to help his widowed mother in caring for the younger children. After he came of age he worked for several years conducting various farms on shares. He went to Michigan in 1867, and for a year was clerk of the "Hotel Three of Us." On account of his mother's ill health, however, he returned to Farmington. He became clerk of Hotel Victor, owned by G. W. Peer & Company, in 1872, and continued in that position for six years. He bought the business of his employers and conducted the hotel until 1888, when he sold it, and bought a farm of eighty acres in Victor, New York. After running the farm for four years he returned to the hotel business in 1892, in part- nership with D. H. Finncan and conducted Hotel Victor again until 1896. He then retired from active business for three years and a half, having sold to Ryan & Berry. He bought out Mr. Ryan, however, in 1901, and conducted the hotel again until 1905, with Mr. Berry. Then, on account of ill health, he retired from business. In politics he is a Republican. He was trustee of the village of Victor in 1890-91, and was supervisor of the town in 1892-93. During the civil war he enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth New York Regiment under Captain
.
.
n-
S.
g
1 1
1
1-
144
ONTARIO COUNTY.
Herendeen, but he was less than eighteen years old and his mother refused to give her consent, so he was unable to enter the service. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1874 and has been junior and senior deacon, also junior and senior warden.
He married, June 1, 1880, Mary C. (Eaton) Kellogg, widow of Curtiss A. Kellogg, who was born near Miller Corners in the town of West Bloomfield in 1841, a prominent produce merchant, who was killed in a railroad accident in March, 1878. Mary C. (Eaton) Kellogg was born in Michigan, November, 1845, daughter of Colvin Eaton. The daughter of Mrs. Houston by her first marriage, Lottie F. Kellogg, mar- ried William F. Hill. They have one child, Russell H. Hill. Mr. and Mrs. Houston have no children.
CARPENTER.
John Carpenter was born in 1303 and was a member of parliament in 1323.
(II) Richard, son of John Carpenter, was born in 1335, and mar- ried Christina Both are buried in St. Martin's Outwich, Bish- opsgate street, London. He was a chandler and probably also a gun- smith.
(III) John (2), son of Richard Carpenter, was a brother of John Carpenter, Jr., the famous town clerk of London, whose bequest to the city of certain funds was the foundation of the City of London school. It was a common practice to have two sons in the same family of the same name, even when both were living. The younger was called Junior, sometimes Jenkin. John Sr. was one of the executors of John Jr.'s will and was mentioned in his will as well as another brother, Robert, who was given "one of those two silver cups with a lid which Thomas Knolle gave me."
(IV) John (3), son of John (2) Carpenter, had a son William.
(V) William, son of John (3) Carpenter, was born 1440, died 1520, called "of Homme."
(VI) James, son of William Carpenter, married and had a son John.
(VII) John (4), son of James Carpenter married and had a son William.
(VIII) William (2), son of John (4) Carpenter, was born in Eng-
145
ONTARIO COUNTY.
land, 1540. Children : James, heir to his father's estate; Alexander, born 1560, went to Leyden; William, mentioned below; Richard.
(IX) William (3), son of William (2) Carpenter, was born in England in 1576. He was a carpenter by trade, and lived in London. He came to America in 1638, in the ship "Bevis," with his son William, son's wife Abigail and their children. He returned to England on the return voyage. It appears that all the family were Dissenters, and obliged to leave London. Child, William, mentioned below.
(X) William (4), son of William (3) Carpenter, was born 1605, in England, and came to America in 1638, in the ship "Bevis" with his family. He settled first at Weymouth, Massachusetts, where he was admitted a freeman, May 13, 1640. He was representative of the town in 1641-43; constable in 1641. March 28, 1645, he was admitted as an inhabitant of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, and June of the same year, he was made freeman. From 1643 to 1649 he served as proprietors' and town clerk. The original division of lands in Rehoboth took place, June 30, 1644, and in that division the name of William Carpenter stands as No. IO. He occupied many positions of trust in the town; 1645, representa- tive at the court at Plymouth; 1647, one of the directors, and again in 1655. He was a close friend of Governor Bradford and was much favored by the latter in all his measures at the Plymouth court. He owned real estate at Pawtuxet, Rhode Island, called "The Island," and in 1642 was appointed captain by the governor of Massachusetts and called upon to act for the protection and ownership of the Pawtuxet lands. He mar- ried Abigail --- in England ; she died February 22, 1687. He died February 7, 1659, in Rehoboth. Children, first three born in England, next three in Weymouth, last in Rehoboth; John, about 1628, mentioned below; William, 1631 ; Joseph, 1633; Hannah, April 3, 1640; Abiah, (twin) April 9, 1643; Abigail, (twin) ; Samuel, 1644.
(XI) John (5), son of William (4) Carpenter, was born in Eng- land about 1628, died May 23, 1695. He came from England with his father, and when about seventeen went to Connecticut. For several years he lived in different towns in the latter state, and worked at his trade as carpenter. He was in Stratford, Connecticut, in 1646, and in 1660 bought land in Hempstead, Long Island. He was chosen townsman of Hempstead in 1663, and was made freeman of the state of Connecticut, May, 1664. He bought land in Jamaica, Long Island, in 1665. In 1673 he was made captain of a company of fusileers in Jamaica, and that same year was ordered with his company to defend Fort James, New York, against the fleet of the Prince of Orange. This was at the time of the re-
146
ONTARIO COUNTY.
capture of New York by the Dutch. He was a patentee of the town of Jamaica under the "Dongan Patent" of 1680, and the tract bought by him there was occupied by three generations after him. He married (probably ) Hannah Hope. Children, born in Jamaica: John, 1658, mentioned below ; Hope, married Mary -; William, 1662; Samuel, 1666; Solomon, 1670; Ruth, married Rhodes ; Ludman ; daugh- ter, name not known, married Rhodes.
(XII) John (6), son of John (5) Carpenter, was born in Con- necticut, in 1658. His will was proved July 30, 1732. He lived in Jamaica, and took the oath as captain of troops there, November 22, 1703. He married Mary - -. Children ; born at Jamaica: Nehe- miah, about 1685 ; John, about 1685 ; Solomon, about 1685 ; Joseph, about 1687; Increase, about 1688, mentioned below ; Mary ; Hannah ; Susanna ; Phebe.
(XIII) Increase, son of John (6) Carpenter, was born in Jamaica, about 1688. He bought land in Jamaica in 1709. He died about 1776. He married Bergin. Children, born at Jamaica : William, 1740; Increase, April, 1743 ; Jacob. 1745, mentioned below ; John, 1747; David. married Mary Carpenter; Luke; Elizabeth, married Benjamin Wiggins.
(XIV) Jacob, son of Increase Carpenter, was born in Jamaica, in 1745, and married Widow Jane Smith, before her first marriage, Jane Baylis. She died May 6, 1813. He was a farmer by occupation and died in 1819 or 1820. Children, born in Jamaica : Increase, mentioned below ; Jacob; Nathaniel; Daniel, married Hepsabeth Higbee; Benjamin, died about 1837; Deborah, married William Lewis; Catharine, married Alex- ander Jones.
(XV) Increase (2), son of Jacob Carpenter, was born July 14, 1766, according to family records. In 1808 he came to Victor, Ontario county, New York, and settled. Some accounts give the date as 1811. He was a farmer. He married Mary Kinny. Children : Merritt ; Rose- well; Henry; David, mentioned below; Platt, born in Dutchess county, August 10, 1802, married Jane Ellis, of Victor, and had four children, Willett, Smith, Jane and Ann.
(XVI) David, son of Increase (2) Carpenter, was born about 1800 in Dutchess county, probably. He lived at Victor, settled in Allegany county, and finally returned to Victor. He married a Miss Cator. Chil- dren : William, Charles, Frank, Henry, Martha, Louise, Mary, James. Curtis, mentioned below.
(XVII) Curtis, son of David Carpenter, was born in Allegany county in 1828 and came with the family to Victor, Ontario county, in
ed
10 I. e-
ed
6.
S. in
:
T: n,
00 nv il- es.
nv
147
ONTARIO COUNTY.
1839. He had a common school education and learned the trade of decorator and painter. In religion he was a member of the Society of Friends. He was active in town affairs, an influential Republican in poli- tics and for two terms filled the office of collector of taxes of Victor. He married Minerva Payne, born at Farmington, December 28, 1832, and now ( 19II) living at Farmington, daughter of Calvin Payne. Mr. Carpenter died May 6, 1894. Child, Frank H.
(XVIII) Frank H., son of Curtis Carpenter, was born at East Victor, September 6, 1852, and was educated in the public schools of Victor. At the age of fourteen he began to work for his father in the decorating and contracting business and has continued in that business to the present time at Victor with notable success. In politics he is a Repub- lican, in religion a Methodist.
He married, December 29, 1877. Estella L. Saunders, born July 12. 1857, daughter of William and Jane ( Reeves) Saunders. Her father was born February 1, 1832, and came to Victor in 1847, was a carpenter and contractor for many years there, a Republican in politics and a Meth- odist in religion ; her mother was born near Rochester, New York, Janu- ary 17, 1839, married, August 28, 1855 ; daughter of Theopholus Reeves, a farmer in Victor, who died in East Victor in 1881. Theopholus Reeves married Louise Green. He was a soldier in the civil war, enlist- ing in order to search for his son, William Reeves, who had entered the service at the age of sixteen, who served a term of three years and then reenlisted, and was killed in the battle of the Wilderness. John Saund- ers, father of William Saunders, was born in England and came to this country at the age of thirty-five years ; married Martha Setford, followed the occupation of miller at Rochester and died at the age of eighty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter have one child, Bertha, born at Victor, January 6, 1880, married Fred J. Connelly, of Fishers, New York, and they have one child. Thelma Connelly, born June 6, 1904. Mr. Connelly is a prosperous produce dealer at Fishers.
HORTON.
The word Horton in the Anglo-Saxon language means an enclosure or garden of vegetables. It is said to be derived from ort and tun, ort meaning plant and tun enclosed. The name is apparently of Latin origin, and has been known in England ever since the conquest of Caesar. The
148
ONTARIO COUNTY.
Hortons had a manor-house in Great Horton, with a mill and certain demesne lands belonging to it, at a very remote period. One, Robert de Horton, manumitted a bondman to his manor of Horton, long before the time of Henry Larey, Earl of Lincoln, who died in 1310. William Horton, Esq., of Frith House, in Barksland, Halifax, descended from the above Robert, married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Hanson, Esq., of Toothill, had issue and died about 1640. Among his children was Joseph, born about 1578, settled in Mousely, Leicester county, and is supposed to have been the father of Barnabas, the immigrant.
(I) Barnabas Horton, immigrant ancestor, is supposed to have been the son of Joseph Horton, of Mousely, Leicester county, England, and was born there, July 13, 1600. He emigrated to America in the ship "Swallow," Captain Jeremy Horton, master and owner, in 1635 or 1638, and landed at Hampton, Massachusetts. He removed to New Haven in 1640, with his wife, Mary, and two children, Joseph and Benjamin. He settled permanently in Southold, Suffolk county, New York, October, 1640. Children, the first two born in England, the others in Southold : Joseph, about 1632; Benjamin, about 1634; Caleb, about 1640, men- tioned below ; Joshua, about 1643; Jonathan, about 1648; Hannah, mar- ried Barnabas Terrill; Sarah, married Joseph Conklin; Mary, married Joseph Budd; Mercy, married Christopher Youngs; Abigail, married Charles Booth.
(II) Caleb, son of Barnabas Horton, was born at Southold in the autumn of 1640, and married there, December 23, 1665, Abigail, daugh- ter of Peter Hallock, the Pilgrim. They settled at Cutchogue, Southold township, Long Island, and he was accepted as freeman, of Connecticut, 1664. He had land deeded to him the same year. In 1683 his valuation was three hundred and fifty pounds. In 1686 he had four males and six females in his family. His wife died in 1697, and he, October 3, 1702. Children, born in Cutchogue : Barnabas. September 23, 1666, mentioned below; Jonathan, 1668; Nathan, 1670; David, 1672; Mary, 1675; Han- nah, married Ensign John Booth; Abigail, married David Booth, her cousin; Esther; Rachel; Ruth.
(III) Barnabas (2), son of Caleb Horton, was born at Cutchogue, Long Island, September 23, 1666. He married, about 1686, Sarah Hines. Children, born at Cutchogue : Caleb, 1687, mentioned below ; Barnabas, Penelope, Bethia.
(IV) Caleb (2), son of Barnabas (2) Horton, was born at Cut- chogue, December 22, 1687. He married, December 10, 1714, Phebe, daughter of Nathaniel Terry, son of Richard Terry, born in Southold,
I49
ONTARIO COUNTY.
1698. In 1748 he removed to Roxbury, now Chester, New Jersey, and settled there. They were both members of the Southold church and its liberal supporters. He died August 6, 1772, and his wife, December 24, 1776. Children, born in Southold : Caleb, 1715; Hannah, 1717; Na- thaniel, October 13, 1719, mentioned below ; Nathan, about 1720; Phebe, about 1722; Elijah, June 19, 1724; Richard, about 1726; Rhoda, about 1728; Mary, about 1731 ; Rachel, about 1733; Sarah, about 1735.
(V) Nathaniel, son of Caleb (2) Horton, was born at Southold, October 13. 1719, and married, about 1740, Mehitabel Wells. They removed to Chester, New Jersey, in 1748. She died December 10, 1801. He died January 24, 1804. Children, the first two born in Southold, the others in Chester : Deacon Nathaniel, 1741, mentioned below ; Benjamin, 1743 ; David, September 2, 1750; Daniel, married Martha Terry ; Polly, married Caleb Terry ; Mehitabel, married Edward Lewis.
(VI) Deacon Nathaniel (2) Horton, son of Nathaniel ( I) Horton, was born in Southold, in 1741, and married. 1761, Rebecca Robinson, born June 21, 1742, died December 14, 1819. He died August 13, 1824. Children, born in Chester : Huldah, January 14, 1762; Rebecca, Decem- ber 31, 1763; Jonah, 1765 ; Susan, 1767; Polly, 1769 ; Nathaniel ; Hiram ; Mehitabel ; Elisha, about 1777, mentioned below ; Nathaniel, 1778; Esther, about 1782.
(VII) Elisha, son of Deacon Nathaniel (2) Horton, was born in Chester, about 1777, and married, about 1800, Polly, daughter of Caleb and Sarah ( Benjamin) Horton, his second cousin, born in Chester about 1779. They removed to Scipio, New York, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Children, born in Chester: Isaiah, mentioned below ; Aaron, unmarried; Phebe, married Stephen Robinson: Esther, married Warren R. Atwood.
(VIII) Isaiah, son of Elisha Horton, was born at Chester, New Jersey, died in Springwater, Livingston county, New York, May 22, 1873. He was a carpenter. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He married at Aurelius, Cayuga county, New York, January 31, 1817, Char- lotte Chatfield, who died February 21, 1854. Children: Amarilla, born 1818, married Stephen Pearl. 2. Elisha. 3. Miranda, married Luther P. Norton. 4. Eliza, married Luther P. Norton, for second wife. 5. Hiram, married Mary Briggs. 6. Esther, married Augustus Boughton. 7. Lu- cinda. 8. Isaiah, mentioned below. 9. Mary, married J. B. Tiffany. 10. Lewis.
(IX) Isaiah (2), son of Isaiah (1) Horton, was born in Spring- water, Livingston county, New York, August 27, 1831, and was edu-
------ - --
150
ONTARIO COUNTY.
cated there in the public schools. He was a farmer all his active life. He moved to Victor, Ontario county, in 1865, and for many years made a specialty of fruit culture and sheep raising. He has been retired from active business for several years. In religion he is a Universalist. In politics he is a Republican. He is an earnest advocate of total abstinence and at times has supported the Prohibition party. For ten years he was the only voter of this party in Victor township. He married, February 21, 1856, Ruth C. Adams, of Springwater, born August 28, 1830, died May 3, 1897. Children : I. Hiram C., born July 24, 1863, married Ella M. Sanderson and had Ruth, Genevieve and Waldo. 2. Coe C., men- tioned below. 3. Aurilla, born at Victor, January 30, 1866, married Alfred N. Crandall and has two children : Bernice and Alice. 4. Arabelle, born at Victor, September 18, 1868, formerly a school teacher, married William P. Flint. 5. Joseph M., born July 6, 1871, a school teacher, married Carrie Flint ; children : Ray, born May 6, 1896; Harold, May 6, 1897: Kenneth, June 12, 1898; Donald, August 12, 1899. 6. Manley A., died aged six years.
(X) Coe C., son of Isaiah (2) Horton, was born at Springwater, Livingston county, New York, April 12, 1864. He attended the district schools and the Victor high school. In 1882 he engaged in the lumber trade at Avon, New York ; in 1889 he came to Victor and has followed farming there to the present time. He was for four years employed by the Wabash railroad in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. He was for one year in the employ of the New York Times of New York City, and three years in the furniture and hardware business in Bennington, Vermont. For seven years he was engaged in core drilling, testing mineral lands. He has a farm of ninety-two acres at Victor and fine orchards and herds of Dorset sheep. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire- men. In politics he is a Prohibitionist, in religion a Methodist.
He married, April 11, 1894. Marie Strong, born at Port Gibson, Ontario county, New York, October 3, 1861, daughter of Ashbel Strong, who was born at Waltham, Vermont, December 14, 1813, and followed his trade as painter and decorator in Port Gibson, married, December 10, 1843, Hannah (Hazen) Phelps, born in Dutchess county, March 15, 1818, died December 3. 1891. During his younger days, Mr. Strong followed the sea on a whaling vessel. He died September 19, 1891. Mrs. Strong married (first), Selden Phelps, and had Charles E. Phelps, born January 8, 1837, died October 4, 1837; Charles E. Phelps, born at Man- chester, October 12, 1838, married, in 1861, Ellen Loomis; Sarah Jane Phelps, born December 29, 1840, married, April 2, 1868, John Schutt,
15I
ONTARIO COUNTY.
and she died December 19, 1899. Children of second marriage : Mary J. Strong, born September 10, 1844, married, in May, 1870, Albert Hun- toon ; Loren James Strong, born November 9, 1846, married Tamison Penoyar, May 9, 1870; George Backus Strong, born April 25, 1849, mar- ried Margaret Randall; Franklin A. Strong, born November 5, 1851, married, March 14, 1882, Addie Young ; Marie Strong, wife of Coe C. Horton. Mr. and Mrs. Horton have two children: 1. Charlotte, born at Victor, November 6, 1899. 2. Mary, born at Caledonia, March 6, 190I.
CORNFORD.
In the early history of England when tribal names were used, and just about the time that family names were adopted, certain tribes crossed a small stream known as Corn river or creek, and upon the adoption of names this family were called Corn-ford from the ford or said river. As a rule English families arriving in this country at a comparatively recent date possess but little knowledge concerning their genealogy. The Corn- ford family, however, is an exception and has kindly furnished its line of descent, covering a period of nearly one hundred and fifty years.
Thomas Cornford. born in England. December 24, 1762, was mar- ried, April 16. 1793, to Margaret Patterson, who was born February 16, 1774, died in 1854. Their children were: 1. Mary Ann, born February 6, 1794. 2. Thomas, see forward. 3. John, December 25, 1798. 4. Mar- garet, June 29, 1801. 5. Ann Elizabeth, March 10, 1804. 6. David, September 6, 1806. 7. Jane, June 6, 1808. 8. William, July 10, 1810. 9. James, March 12, 1815.
(II) Thomas (2), eldest son of Thomas ( 1) and Margaret ( Pat- terson ) Cornford, was born in England, September 20, 1796. He mar- ried Urina Harmer, and they came to America in 1835. In order to show their respect and admiration for the land of their adoption, they named their two youngest sons, who were born in this country, in honor of two of the most illustrious figures in American history. Children: 1. Sylvan, born July 2, 1819. 2. David, June 26, 1821. 3. Thomas, April 2, 1823. 4. Mary Ann, August 31, 1825. 5. Margaret, October 30, 1828. 6. Jonathan, December 19, 1830. 7. Julianna, January 5, 1833. 8. William H., see forward. 9. George Washington, April 22, 1838. 10. Benjamin Franklin, June 30, 1840.
(III) William H., fourth son of Thomas and Urina ( Harmer)
152
ONTARIO COUNTY.
Cornford, was born in England, September 8, 1835. He accompanied his parents to America, in early childhood, began the activities of life as a carpenter's apprentice and having learned that trade he followed it as a journeyman in Phelps for some time. At the breaking-out of the rebel- lion in 1861, he went to the front with the Seventy-sixth Regiment, New York Volunteers, and after completing his first term of service he re- enlisted in the Ninth Michigan Volunteers, with which he served until the close of the war. In 1868 he removed from Phelps to the state of Michigan, locating first in Hudson and later in Birch Run, Saginaw county, where he settled at a pioneer farmer. The primitive log cabin in which he had domiciled his family was subsequently burned, and return- ing to Phelps in 1871, he resided there until his death, which occurred October 3, 1909. He was a past commander of the local Grand Army post, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Catharine, daughter of William Chandler. Children: William H., mentioned below: Hiram E., Milton, Nellie, Kate, Allen R. and Mae (twins ), and Edith.
(IV) William H. (2), son of William H. ( I) and Catharine (Chandler ) Cornford, was born in Phelps, June 15, 1859. He was edu- cated in the district schools and in his boyhood he shared with his parents the hardships of a pioneer's life in Michigan. Upon his return to Phelps he assisted his father in farming for a number of years, and eventually pursued that calling upon his own account. For a period of six years he carried on a farm upon a sharing basis. About 1889 he removed to the village, and for the ensuing five years was employed as a clerk in a dry- goods store. In 1894 he purchased the saddlery business hitherto con- ducted by H. Rice and Sons, and has ever since been engaged successfully in that line of trade. In 1901 he was appointed a justice of the peace to fill a vacancy, and through successive reelections has retained that office to the present time. He is prominently identified with the Methodist Episcopal church, and in addition to serving as trustee and treasurer for the past ten years, he is actively interested in forwarding its charitable and benevolent work.
Mr. Cornford was married, December 12, 1878, to Miss Helen Love- ridge. They have one son, Enoch Marsh, born May 13, 1880, and is now engaged in the business with his father.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.