USA > New York > Jefferson County > Genealogical and family history of the county of Jefferson, New York, Volume II > Part 38
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 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67
WALTER BRYANT HOTCHKIN. one of the successful bro- kers of New York city, is worthy of note in the annals of Jefferson coun- ty people. He was born July 30, 1865, in Auburn, New York, a son of William H. Hotchkin, and was reared in Watertown, his father's native place.
The first of the name of whom record is now found was Eli Hotch- kin, who was born July 6. 1772, and died November 26, 1858. at Wa- terville. Oneida county. New York, where he lived for many years. His wife. Betsey Drury, was born January 8. 1786, and passed much of her youth in Dedham. Massachusetts. She died June 30, 1869, at Waterville. Their son. Josiah B. Hotchkin, was born about 1808, at Waterville, and died there at about the age of fifty years. He was twice married. his second wife being Keziah Austin, of Norway, Herki- mer county, who survived him some thirty years. There were four daughters by the first marriage, and two sons and three daughters of the second. Helen, the eldest of these, married Isaac P. Odell. and died in Watertown in 1865. William H. receives extended mention
1
1050
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
in succeeding paragraphs. Julia died at the age of fifteen years. Emily died in Watertown, where Herbert B. now resides. The last named has two children.
William Henry Hotchkin, eldest son and sixth child of Josiah B. Hotchkin ( second child of his second wife), was born September 12, 1840. in Watertown, where he grew up. After attending the public schools there, he was a student at Sand Lake Academy. On leaving school he went to New York city and became a reporter on the " New York Sun." Subsequently he read law in the office of Sherman & Lansing, the leading attorneys of Watertown, and was admitted to the lor at Rochester in 1872. His practice began at Watertown imme- (liately after his admission to the bar, and he served some years as jus- tice of the peace. He was a good lawyer, a fine linguist and a skilled chess-player. After his marriage he was baptized in the Episcopal church. In politics he was a Democrat. Mr. Hotchkin enlisted as a soldier at the outbreak of the Civil war, and set out for the front on the day following his marriage, as a member of the Eighth New York regiment. He became assistant regimental quartermaster, with rank of first lieutenant, and was discharged with the regiment at the end of three months' service, after participating in the first battle of Bull Run.
In November, 1883. Mr. Hotchkin purchased a ticket at Water- town for New York city, to join his family, already located there, and no trace of him has since been found. It is presumed that he met with foul play after his arrival in the metropolis, and that his body lies among the hosts of unidentified or undiscovered dead of a great city.
Mr. Hotchkin was married April 22, 1861, to Miss Julia Pratt Cook, who was born in Rochester, New York, and survives her hus- band, residing in New York city. She is a daughterof Phineas Bald- win and Mary Burr ( Pratt) Cook ( see Cook, VIII), both of old New England families. Three children were born to William H. Hotchkin and wife. William Herbert, the first, died in Watertown, June 3. 1883, aged twenty-one years. The name of the second heads this article. A daughter. Caro Sherman, died at the age of fifteen years, in New York. Mrs. Hotchkin is regent of Colonial Chapter, Daughters of the Revo- lution, of New York city, and is a member of the New England Society.
Walter B. Hotchkin is largely self-educated, and has been identified with Wall Street since 1883. As a boy he attended the public schools of Watertown until he was seventeen years old, and then set out to make his way in the world. For about one year he was employed in
1051
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
the Watertown steam engine works, and went to New York in 1883. He immediately entered upon a clerkship in a broker's office, and rap- idly acquired a knowledge of financial operations and the business of " the street." Since June, 1889, he has been a member of the Consoli- dated Stock Exchange, and since 1903 of the Chicago Board of Trade, and has conducted a successful brokerage business. In 1899 he formed a partnership with Joseph H. Stoppani, under the title of Stoppani & Hotchkin, with offices at 66 Broadway, and this connection has since continued, a large volume of business being handled annually. They deal extensively in railroad stocks and grain and cotton.
While taking an active part in the financial affairs of the metrop- olis, Mr. Hotchkin has also borne his part in the social and military life. Coming of several lines of colonial and Revolutionary ancestors, it is natural that he should ally himself with the Sons of the Revolu- tion and the Society of Colonial Wars, and his active participation in military affairs makes him a useful and honored member of the Order of Foreign Wars, the Naval and Military Order of the Spanish-Ameri- can War, and the United Spanish War Veterans. He is a member of the New York Athletic Club, Army and Navy Club, Jefferson County Society in New York, and the New York Historical Society. He is a member of All Angels' ( Protestant Episcopal) Church of Manhattan. Previous to 1896, Mr. Hotchkin adhered to the Democratic party in political matters, but the financial plank of the national platforms of his party has kept him aloof since that date.
At the age of seventeen years Mr. Hotchkin began to develop the military spirit inherited from a brave ancestry, and in 1882 he joined the Thirty-ninth Separate Company, National Guard of New York, at Watertown. In 1884 he became a member of the Twenty-second regi- ment, in which he has risen from private to major. He went out as major with the regiment in 1898 in the Spanish-American war, and re- mained with it until mustered out of the United States service in No- vember of that year. He continued in Cuba, entering the Twelfth New York regiment as first lieutenant, and was mustered out as captain in April, 1899. He immediately returned to the Twenty-second, in which he is now serving as major, and in which he is deservedly popular.
Mr. Hotchkin was married April 15. 1903, to Miss Mabel L. Hall, who was born in New York, a daughter of Henry B., junior, and Em- ma ( Lord) Hall, the former a native of England and the latter of New York city. Mr. Hall is widely known as a skilled steel engraver, men-
1052
4
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
ber of the famous firm of H. B. Hall & Sons. His wife is a grand- daughter of Hezekiah Lord, who came from England.
Mrs. Julia P. ( Cook) Hotchkin is descended from two of the old- est and best families of Connecticut, and the lines are given below.
(I) Major Aaron Cook, born 1610. in England, came from Dor- chester. Massachusetts, and settled in Windsor. Connecticut, in 1636. His wife was a daughter of Thomas Ford. He was a farmer in Wind- sor, and his posterity is found throughout the United States, many of them holding honored positions in society and public life.
(II) Captain Aaron Cook (2). son of Aaron and
(Ford) Cook, was born February 21, 1641, in Windsor, and was mar- ried in Hadley, Massachusetts, May 30, 1661. to Sarah, only child of William Westwood. She was born 1644. in Hartford, and died March 24. 1730, aged eighty-six years.
(III) Aaron Cook (3), son of Aaron (2) and Sarah (West- wood) Cook, was born in 1663 in Hadley, and was a resident of Hart- ford, Connecticut, in 1680. He was married there January 3, 1683. to Martha, daughter of Hon. John Allyn, and granddaughter of Matthew Allyn.
(IV) John, son of AAaron (3) and Martha (Allyn) Cook, was born December 23. 1696, in Hartford, and married Elizabeth Marsh. (V) Abigail, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Marsh) Cook .. was born June 29. 1729. in Hartford, and was married January 23, 1751. to Zacariah Pratt ( see Pratt, VIII).
(IV) Aaron Cook (4). son of Aaron (3) and Martha (Allyn) Cook, was born September 23, 1689. in Hartford, and married Hannah Wadsworth, daughter of William Wadsworth, who concealed the Char- ter of Connecticut in the historic "Charter Oak," when the English sovereign sought to take it away from the colony. Hannah ( Wads- worth) Cook was born in the same year as her husband. They set- tled in Harwinton. Litchfield county, Connecticut.
(V) Aaron (5). son of Aaron and Hannah (Wadsworth) Cook, was born July 7. 1716. His wife's name was Charity.
(VI) Lieutenant Joseph Cook, son of Aaron (5) and Charity Cook, was born February 3. 1735. in Harwinton, and was lieutenant of militia in 1785. He married Lucretia Post, who was born January 13, 1739. in Hartford. He was a member of the general court in 1774-5. 1777-8-9-80-1. 1783-4-5-6-7-8-9-90 and 1793-4.
(VII) Nathan, son of Joseph and Lucretia ( Post) Cook, was
1053
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
born March 19, 1777, in Harwinton, and married Abigail Beckwith, who was born June 12, 1775. in Southington, Connecticut.
(VIII) Phineas Baldwin Cook, son of Nathan and Abigail ( Beck- with) Cook, was born November 24, 1803, in Litchfield, Connecticut, and married Mary Burr Pratt, who was born September 18, 1807, in Hartford. She was a daughter of Harry Pratt ( see Pratt, X) and his wife, Susan Cleveland and died December 30, 1901. Mr. Cook re- sided in Rochester, New York, and died February 7, 1887, in New York city.
(IX) Julia Pratt Cook, daughter of Phineas B. and Mary B. (Pratt) Cook, was born June 18, 1838, in Rochester, and was married April 22, 1861, to William H. Hotchkin, as previously noted in this article.
The Pratt family was prominent in the twelfth century in Eng- land, at which time the name had many representatives in that king- dom. The first of the line descending to Walter B. Hotchkin of whom record is now found was Thomas Pratt of Baldock, Hertfordshire, England, who made his will February 5, 1539, and mentioned therein his wife Joan and children-Thomas, James and Agnes.
(II) Andrew, son of Thomas Pratt, had children, Ellen, Will- iam and Richard.
(III) William, son of Andrew Pratt, was baptized in October, 1562, in Baldock, and died in 1629, at Stevenage, in Hertfordshire, where he had been rector of the parish for thirty years. His wife was named Elizabeth, and his children Sarah, Elizabeth, Richard, John, Mary and William. The second and third sons accompanied Rev. Thomas Hooker to Hartford, Connecticut, in 1636, and William re- moved to Saybrook in 1645.
(IV) John, second son and fourth child of William and Eliza- beth Pratt, was baptized November 9, 1610, at Stevenage, England, and is supposed to have come to Massachusetts with Rev. Thomas Hooker's congregation. In 1634, he received a grant of land in New- town (now Cambridge), Massachusetts, and was made a freeman there in the same year. He sold his house there in 1635, and his name ap- pears on the list of proprietors of Hartford, Connecticut, in 1639, in which year he was elected a representative to the general court. He was an active, prosperous and useful citizen, serving frequently on pub- lic committees, and was grand juror and constable. He was a carpen- ter by trade, but was occupied much of the time with public business.
1054
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
He owned three house lots. and Pratt street was cut through his prop- erty. thus deriving its name. His will. made October 14, 1654. names his wife, Elizabeth, and children, John, Daniel and Hannah.
(V) John, eldest child of John and Elizabeth Pratt, was born about 1638 in Hartford, where he was made a freeman February 26, 1656 He was constable in 1660. 1669. 1678 and 1698. and from 1653 to 1665 was otherwise active in town affairs. He married ( first) Han- nah Boosey, who was born in 1641, a daughter of Lieutenant James and Alice Boosey of Wethersfield. She must have died soon, as his children were all born of the second wife, Hepsibah Wyatt, daughter of John Wyatt of Farmington. His will was executed April 19. 1689. and he died November 23. of the same year. His widow was married March 10, 1601. to John Sadd. She died December 20. 1711. Her children were: Hannah, Jolin, Elizabeth, Sarah, Joseph, Ruth, Susan- nah and Jonathan.
(VI) John, second child and eldest son of John and Hepsi- bah ( Wyatt) Pratt, was born May 17, 1661. in Hartford, where he lived and died. He served as selectman, constable, and in numerous public capacities. He married Hannah Sanford. daughter of Robert Sanford, whose parents were Robert and Anne ( Adams) Sanford, the last named being a daughter of Jeremy Adams of Hartford. Mr. Pratt's will was dated March 15, 1741, and was probated exactly three years later. His children were: John. William, Hannah and Esther.
(VII) William, second son and third child of John and Hannah ( Sanford) Pratt. was born in 1691 in Hartford, where his life was passed. He lived in front of the state house, and was elected constable in 1729. The principal duty of that office in his day was the collection of taxes and. in 1739. his house was broken into and his collections of one hundred and seventy-seven and one-half sovereigns carried off. He was buried January 19. 1753. in the Center churchyard, where his wid- ow was interred June 10. 1772. His first wife's name was Mary ( sup- posed to have been Cadwell ). who died in February, 1727. His second wife, Amy Pinney, was born October 6, 1704, a daughter of Nathaniel Pinney and his wife. Martha Thrall. daughter of Timothy Thrall. Nathaniel Pinney was born May 11, 1671. and died January 1. 1764. He was married September 21, 1693. His brother. Nathaniel Pin- nev. was born in December. 1641. in Windsor. Connecticut. and married Sarah, widow of Samuel Phelps. and daughter of Ed- ward Griswoldl. He was a son of Nathaniel Pinney, who came with
1055
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
Rev. Humphrey to America in 1630. in the ship " Mary and John." and settled at Dorchester, Massachusetts. He married Mary Hull, a fel- low passenger. Mr. Pratt's children, born of the first wife, were named : Mary, Mabel. Zachariah: of the second wife, Hannah, Esther. William, Martha, Susannah and Joseph.
(VIII) Zachariah, eldest son and third child of William and Mary Pratt, was baptized in the First Church at Hartford. February 25. 1726. He was commissioned as ensign of the first militia company. or train band of Hartford in May. 1772, and in 1784 was a member of the first court of common council of the city. His residence was on the west side of Main street, on a lot purchased by John Pratt (of the fourth generation, an original proprietor of Hartford) from Governor Haynes. He was married January 23. 1751, to Abigail Cook, who was born June 29. 1729, in Hartford, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Marsh) Cook ( see Cook, \').
(IX) Captain James, son of Zachariah and Abigail (Cook) Pratt, was born October 19. 1753. in Hartford, and married Mary Burr, who was born January 20. 1754. in the same city. He was a soldier in the Revolution, from Hartford.
(X) Harry, son of Captain James and Mary (Burr) Pratt, was born June 9. 1778. in Hartford, and married Susan Cleveland of Nor- wich, who was born September 26. 1784. Their daughter. Mary Burr. became the wife of Phineas B. Cook, as hereinbefore related ( see Cook, VHI).
VIRGIL J. DEMAARSE, foreman of the painting department of the Watertown Carriage Company, was born in Kingston, Can- ada. May 10, 1846. His father, John Demarse, was born in Toronto, Canada, August 10, 1810, and was there reared and edu- cated. In 1844 he crossed the border to the United States, locating in Norfolk, Connecticut, but later returned to Canada, where he en- gaged in farming until 1849, when he came to Watertown, New York, and entered the mill of E. H. Kimball, in which he was employed for ten years. He spent his remaining days in Watertown, passing away at the advanced age of eighty-three. His wife, Mrs. Mary Demarse. was born in Canada in 1809. and is now living at the age of ninety- four years, a remarkably well preserved woman. She was a daughter of John and Mary Stewart: the former of whom was born in 1779. His wife lived to the extreme old age of one hundred and seven years,
1056
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
dying in 1885. To Mr. and Mrs. Demarse were born twelve children, of whom three are living: Mrs. R. L. Harris, of Fort Leyden, New York: Virgil J. and Mrs. W. J. McCutchney, of Watertown, with whom the mother is living.
Virgil J. Demarse was brought to Watertown in his boyhood days, attended its public schools in his youth, and when he had finished his education began learning the carriage-painter's trade under the direc- tion of Harmon Scoville, with whom he worked as a journeyman for eleven years. He then went to Brownville, New York, where he en- tered the employ of Wilder & Smith, having charge of their painting department for three years. In 1878 he was given charge of the paint- ing department of the Watertown Carriage Company, in which capac- ity he has since served. Employment is furnished to thirty-five work- men throughout the entire year, and at times the number is increased, and in this department the painting is done on four thousand carriages annually. Mr. Demarse's practical knowledge of the business enables him to so direct the labors of those who serve under him as to produce the best results for the company, and at the same time he is ever just and considerate of his employes.
Nr. Demarse has been married twice. In 1868 he wedded Miss Addie Smith, who was born in Watertown in 1848, a daughter of Stewart Smith, who was born in 1819, and for many years served as deputy sheriff of Jefferson county, and died in Brownville. In the family were four children, but only two are living: Mrs. O. W. House and Mrs. Seth Hunter. Mrs. Demarse passed away at the age of twen- ty-nine years. She had four children, but three died in childhood. The other is Amelia, the wife of George Drew, an inspector in the shop of which Mr. Demarse is the head. They have two children, Blanche and Harlan B. In 1879 Mr. Demarse was married to California De Long, who was born in Watertown, in 1855, and is one of two chil- dren. Her mother is still living.
Mr. Demarse gives his political allegiance to the Democratic party, and has served as inspector of elections. He belongs to Watertown Lodge, No. 291, I. O. O. F., and to the encampment ; Crotonia Lodge, K. P. ; Cayuga Lodge, No. 185, I. O. R. M., and the Masonic fraternity. He has served as an officer of the tribe of Red Men and in the Odd Fel- lows society, having been district deputy of the patriarchs militant of the uniformed rank of the Odd Fellows, and also a lieutenant. He likewise belongs to the Carriage Makers' Mutual Aid Association. In
.
1057
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
his religious views he is liberal, but the rules of his daily conduct are such as command for him respect and confidence among those with whom he is associated both socially and in a business way.
BAKER. This name had several representatives among the first settlers of Massachusetts, and has been prominently identified with the development of the colonies and the United States. Every state has citizens of the name, and they have usually been found of worthy and exemplary character.
(I) John Baker came from England in the ship " Rose," and settled at Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1638. Edward and Francis Baker were also among the founders of Massachusetts, the former locating on the south side of Baker's Hill, in that part of Lynn now Saugus, in 1630. It is quite probable that John was a younger brother and came with or followed the others. The first record of him is found at Ips- wich in 1638. His wife's name was Elizabeth, and their children were Elizabeth, John, Thomas and Martha.
(II) Thomas, second son and third child of John and Elizabeth Baker, married Priscilla, daughter of Hon. Samuel Symonds, of Ips- wich, then assistant and the following year deputy governor of Massa- chusetts Colony. Thomas Baker was lieutenant and later captain of militia.
(III) John, son of Thomas and Priscilla (Symonds ) Baker, was born January 6, 1691, in Topsfield, Massachusetts, and married Mary Perley. He died at Ipswich, August 1, 1734, leaving a widow and four children: John, Samuel, Thomas and Mary.
(IV) John, son of John and Mary ( Perley) Baker, born in Ips- wich, resided at Marblehead, Cape Ann and Andover, Massachusetts.
(V) Jonathan, son of John Baker, lived for a short time in Tops- field, Massachusetts, whence he removed soon after his marriage (about 1775) to Keene, New Hampshire. Three of his children are supposed to have been born there, and he soon removed to that part of old Gil- sumn, New Hampshire, which is now the town of Sullivan. He was born June 15, 1749, at Cape Ann, Massachusetts, and died in Sullivan, October 13, 1833. He was married May 4, 1775, to Sarah Holt, who was born February 3, 1758. Their children were as follows: Betsey ; Sally, born April 25, 1778, married Thomas Powell; Jonathan, born August 15, 1779, died November 24, 1863, in Watertown; Polly, born 1781, died 1869; Phebe, 1784, married Joseph Smith and died at Hop-
67
1058
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
kinton, New York, in 1880; Aaron, July 10, 1786, died 1849; Thomas, born April 30, 1788. in Sullivan, married April 27, 1817, Betsey Tol- man, died February 10, 1841, in Watertown, New York (see Tolman, Ebenezer (V): Rebecca and Abigail, twins, born Sullivan 1790, mar- ried Solomon Smith and - Nye, respectively ; Mahala, 1792, married a Johnson; George, 1794. married Eunice Whittemore: Da- vid, 1706; William, 1797: Emerson, 1798-9; and Elijah, 1800, mar- ried Laura Mason.
(VD) Jonathan, eldest son and third child of Jonathan and Sarah ( Holt ) Baker, was born in 1779. as above noted, in Keene, New Hampshire, and his boyhood and youth were passed in Sullivan, the adjoining town, whither his parents removed soon after his birth. At the age of nineteen years Jonathan Baker set out to make his own way in the world, and proceeded to the province of Quebec. By teach- ing and other employment he earned and saved a little money, and early in 1800 started for the " Black River Country.", On the thirteenth of February in that year he arrived in Watertown, then having three fam- ilies, and in the same year purchased the farm on which he made his home during his remaining years. It is located in the northeastern part of the present town of Watertown ( which then included Rutland), and Mr. Baker cleared and developed a fine farm. Ile was inured to se- vere labor in early life and was never known to shirk any duty that devolved upon him. Ilis farm bore every evidence of diligent and in- telligent culture, and he was respected wherever known. A kind neigh- bor and friend, he was ever liberal in support of progressive public and private enterprise, but had the utmost contempt for the idler. As a result of his industry and economy he became independent, and, while prompt in meeting his obligations, was lenient with his debtors and was never party to a suit at law. He was a volunteer soldier in the war of 1812, and served with his neighbors at the battle of Sackets Har- bor. Always a good citizen, he appreciated his responsibilities and voted at every town meeting and general election during sixty-two con- secutive years, and died November 24. 1863.
Mr. Baker was married February 26, 1807. to Dorcas Fellows, who was born September 2, 1787, in Deerfield or Shelburne, Massa- chusetts, and died August 24, 1877. They were the parents of six chil- (Iren. noted as follows: I. George W., born November 5, 1809, and died February 28, 1838. 2. Daphne, born May 31, 1812, married Elisha Wakefield, and had a daughter, Lucia. 3. Franklin, born July 5, 1816,
HART V. BAKER
1059
GENEALOGICAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
died in 1879. He married Sophia Webber, of Boston, and had a son. Frank, who now resides near Benton Harbor, Michigan. 4. Hart Vol- ney, mentioned at length below. 5. John Leonard receives extended mention in subsequent paragraphis. 6. Caroline Amelia was born De- cember 19, 1829, and became the wife of Jackson Woodruff. Their children are Caroline and George. The latter resides at Story City. Iowa, and the former is the wife of George C. Ball, of Chicago.
Dorcas Fellows was a daughter of Willis Fellows and his wife Sarah Hart. Willis Fellows was born October 5. 1758, a son of Sam- nel and Eunice Fellows. Another son, John Fellows, was a captain in the Revolutionary army, and was present at the battle of Stillwater and the surrender of Burgoyne. Willis Fellows built a gristmill at Shelburne, Massachusetts, and his son, Levi Fellows, erected the first frame building in Cincinnati, Ohio. Samuel Fellows was a member of the third Provincial congress and of the first Continental congress.
(VHI) Hart Volney Baker, third son and fourth child of Jon- athan and Dorcas ( Fellows) Baker, was born September 28, 1821, on the paternal homestead in Watertown, and received his education in the public school of his home district. He remained with his father until of age and then made a trip to the west, spending about a year in Chicago. Subsequent to this he made a voyage at sea in the codfish- ing industry. After this experience he decided to engage in farming. and returned to his native place and took charge of the home farm. Here he passed the rest of his days, and was known as one of the most progressive and successful of his class. He affiliated some years with the Republican party, but, believing in the prohibition of the liquor traf- fic, he voted according to his convictions and was a staunch supporter of the Prohibition party through all his later years. He exemplified his principles in his daily life, and furnished a most worthy example for emulation. He passed away July 11, 1903. and his departure was wide- ly mourned.
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.