USA > New York > Herkimer County > History of Herkimer county, New York > Part 33
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 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90
Dr. Willsey was the first physician in the town and settled on what is known as Willsey Hill, in the southeastern part, in 1797. Simeon Conklin, the first blacksmith, settled north of Van Hornesville in 1798.
The first town meeting for the town of Stark was held at the house of Andrew Smith, March 28, 1828, when the following officers were elected :
Supervisor, Daniel Van Horne; town clerk. Cornelius W. Vedder ; collector, George J. Young; overseers of the poor, James Winegar and Jacob S. Moyer; assessors, Cor- nelius Sloughter, Robert Johnson, and J. II. Walrath; commissioners of highways, Frederick Smith, Jolmn Kinter, and Adam Shaul; inspectors of common schools, Peter P. Murphy, Stephen Halstead, and Richard Conklin; school commissioners, Frederick Broner, William Watson, and Jacob P. Shaver; constables, William Gibson, Felix Broner, jr., and John F'ulmer.
By the date last mentioned the town had become quite thickly set- tled and much of it cleared. Among others more or less prominent in its early history were George Springer, who lived at Starkville; William H. Parkhill, who was supervisor in 1841 ; Cornelius Sloughter, who lived
He trained 200 41+1+1.1 * 77 02
/7/1/14
351
TOWN OF STARK.
two miles north of Van Hornesville ; Truman Miner, supervisor in 1848, who settled three miles north of Van Hornesville; Levi Weeks. super- visor for many years, who settled east of Van Hornesville; Sylvester H. Ellsworth, supervisor in 1862, who lived a mile east of Starkville; Alex- ander Smith, still living at Starkville, at one time sheriff of the county ; Menzo Kelly, of Van Hornesville, and others yet to be mentioned.
The town of Stark is now essentially a dairy district, the manufact- ure of cheese being the principal industry. Hops have been raised to a large extent and considerable attention is still given to that product. Stark ranks among the very best of the fruit sections in the county, while the production of honey has formed a not unimportant part of the town productions. At the present time there are six cheese factories in operation in the town, and the product stands high in the market.
The first school was taught at Starkville by Mills Bristol, in the first school-house built in the town, as far as now known The school-house was built in 1802 on the south side of the Otsquaga Creek, on the flat opposite Abraham Maxwell's blacksmith shop. There are now ten school districts in the town.
Following is a list of supervisors of this town, with date of their in- cumbency :
1828, Daniel Van Horne; 1829-30, Ethan Sawing; 1831, James Winegar; 1832, 18:4, 1838, 1845, 1846, 1855, C. T. E. Van Horne; 1833, David Elwood; 1839, Solo- mon Keller; 1840, 1853, 1854, 1856, George Springer; 1841, William S. Parkhill ; 842, Cornelius Sloughter ; 1843-44, Frederick Bronner: 1847-48, Truman Miner ; 1849. H. A. Casposas ; 1850, Alexander Hall; 1851-52, 1857-58, 1866, Levi Wick ; 1859-60, 1863, Richard Van Horne; 1861, Daniel Shall; 1862, Sylvester H. Ellsworth ; 1864-65, Alexander Smith ; 1867-68, Menzo Kelley ; 1869, Alexander Smith ; 1870-71, Jacob A. Fikes; 1972-73, Peter Moyer ; 1874-75, Oliver H. Springer ; 1876, Joseph Shumway ; 1877-79, S. H. Ellsworth : 1880-81, Daniel Hawn; 1882-83, Willard Weeks: 1884-85, Oliver H. Springer ; 1886-87. Lewis G. Young; 1888, Charles A. El- wood; 1889-90, Gershom Smith; 1891-92, Delavan Elwood.
Van Hornesville - Is a pleasant small village, situated near the south side of the town. The first settlement was made here by Thomas Van Horne, who was a sergeant in Capt. Henry Eckler's company of Revo- lutionary soldiers. The coming here of Richard Van Horne has been noted ; he built the first grist-mill in 1793 and a distillery in the same year ; in 1794 he built and opened a store.
352
HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
It was a busy little place in early years, the creek supplying excellent water power, and the old plank road from Fort Plain to Cooperstown being built through the village. Cornelius Ten Eyke Van Horne was clerk of the county in 1856. In 1836 a cotton factory was built and put in operation by Elias Braman & Co. It is not now in use. The flax and cider-mill of James Cramer is on the site of an old card- ing and fulling-mill. The present grist-mill, owned by Byron Hollen- beck, stands on the site of the early Van Horne mill. A furnace was built in 1827 by Mr. Stansell, which is now owned by Joseph Tunnicliff; it is not in operation. What was recently a furniture manufacturing es- tablishment stands on the site of a distillery that was built in 1840. The saw-mills here are owned by O. N. Young and Daniel Tilyou. In 1800 Jonathan Conklin built the first tannery in the town at this place ; it was known as Kershaw's tannery in recent years, but has not been operated for some time There was a trip-hammer also in operation here in 1800, but that long ago went to decay. The present post- master at Van Hornesville is Lewis Eckler. E. M. Snyder has a store which he has conducted since 1890, succeeding J. Wettereau. J. M. WViles is another merchant, and Joseph H. Shumway formerly carried on a store here for many years. The two hotels are kept respectively by J. W. Kinter and Orange Tunnicliff; the old house was built about 1854 by Wellington Tunnicliff F. P. Marsh has a blacksmith shop and Adelbert Tunnicliff a wagon shop.
Starkville-The only other considerable village in this town, is situ- ated near the northeast corner at the confluence of Otsquago and Camp Creeks, and at the junction of the old Fort Plain and Cooperstown and the Utica and Minden turnpikes. The site of the village was settled in 1788 by Johan (or Johannes) Smith, who built the first frame house here ; he was the great grandfather of Alexander Smith, still living at Starkville, and the house stood on the site of his present residence. Daniel Champion was another early settler here, coming in 1798; Barney Champion was his grandson, and the house built by the pioneer stood where the widow of the latter lives. Daniel Champion built the first saw-mill in 1800; it stood on the south side of the creek, about half at mile west of the village near the Alexander Hall place. John Cham- pion opened the first store in 1810 on the site now occupied by the
353
TOWN OF STARK.
dwelling of Abraham Maxwell. Mr. Champion also built the first grist-mill in 1812, which stood where Martin Mathews now lives. In 1814 Jesse Brown built a carding-mill where the flax-mill stands. The first tavern was kept by Johannes Smith, who located at Starkville in 1788. After his death, which occurred in 1796, Andrew Smith con- ducted it until 1844, on the site where Alexander Smith now lives. In 1823 John Champion built a trip-hammer shop where the widow of Alexander Hall now owns. Robert C. Hall began keeping a store here in 1863 in association with his father, John R., who was one of the early merchants ; the latter died in 1883. Mr. Hall is postmaster, having had the office two terms. The present hotel was built by John A. and J. Walrath, and is kept by Henry Husen. L. J. Brandow is one of the enterprising citizens of Starkville and has a large wagon manufactory. The grist- mill and saw-mill are operated by Abraham De Garmo. There was in former years a tannery here, but it has fallen into decay.
A busy little hamlet existed at what is known as Brown's Hollow in early years ; but most of its activity has died out. The place was founded by Judge Henry Brown, who brought considerable wealth to the place and established mills and several industries, all of which have gone into disuse and decay, excepting the saw-mill.
Deck-Is the name of a post-office in the northern part of the town ; the office is a recently established one, with Alanson Young, the local merchant, as postmaster. This point has been known as Bethel and as Wick's Corners. There is a union church here, but no regular services are held. Peter Chickering is a blacksmith here.
Smith's Corners-Is a settlement a little west of Deck, where there was formerly a tannery, which is not operated now, a saw- mill and a store. Alexander Fort is now the merchant here.
Churches .- In the early part of this century religious services were held in this town, usually by Methodist circuit riders, who formed classes, and later societies. One of these was organized early at Starkville, and in February, 1829, they took up steps to build an edifice. The society was incorporated under the name of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Starkville, and the building erected continued in use for about forty- five years. In 1874 it was thoroughly remodeled at an expense of $3,400. The society has never been large, but it is and has been en-
45
354
HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
thusiastic in its good work. The present pastor is Seward L. Little- field. The Methodist society at Van Hornesville has also had a long existence, and the union edifice at that place was built in 1847, the Methodists having an interest in it with the Baptists and Universalists. The pastor of the M. E. church has always served at both places. S. R. Ward is the present pastor of the Universalists at Van Hornesville. There was a Universalist society organized at Starkville in 1876 with the following trustees : A. B. Champion, Henry Hawn, M. C. Smith, O. H. Springer. A. B. Champion and Washington Champion were then the only members of the Free Will Baptist church at that place, and being trustees of that society and owning an equal share in the old church with the Lutherans, they gave a deed, June 5, 1876, of their right and title in said church to Alexander Smith and Daniel Hawn for the benefit of the Universalist society. No services are held in this church at the present time.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE TOWN OF WARREN.
W ARREN is the most southerly town in Herkimer county, and re- ceived its name in honor of General Joseph Warren, who fell at the battle of Bunker Hill. It was taken from German Flats on the 5th of February, 1796, and originally contained all of the present town of Columbia. A small tract was taken from it and added to Stark in 1869. It is bounded on the north by German Flats and Little Falls ; on the east by Stark and Otsego county ; on the south by Otsego county, and on the west by Columbia and Otsego county. It em- braces the principal parts of Henderson's and Theobald Young's pat- ents.
Among the German settlements made a considerable distance south of the Mohawk River before the Revolution, was one at Andrus- town, composed of Germans from the upper valley, and another at the Little Lakes, both of which were within the present town of Warren. These will be more fully described a little further on.
355
TOWN OF WARREN.
The surface of Warren is upland, several ranges of hills traversing the town from east to west, one of which constitutes a part of the water- shed between the Mohawk and Susquehanna rivers. Fish Creek flows southward across the town, and along its banks in early years were many saw- mills, a grist-mill, four tanneries and many other industries, every one of which has disappeared. The Little Lakes are two small bodies of water near the south part of the town, which are fed by two small streams, which also supplied power to several mills long ago. Mud Lake is in the northeastern part of the town, and Weaver Lake is another small body of water. The soil is a rich clay loam and nearly all susceptible to cultivation ; but dairying is the chief industry, and there are now six cheese factories in the town. The shipping of milk to New York by rail is beginning and promises to increase.
The German settlement at Andrustown was about two miles north- east from the site of Jordanville. This settlement included, so far as can be learned, the families of Paul Crim, George Hoyer, John Oster- hout, George Staring, Frederick Bell, Stephen Frank, Frederick Lep- per, and probably a few others. Little is known of the settlement, or of that at the Little Lakes until 1758, when some of the residents fled from the French and Indians, who in that year devastated the Mohawk valley. At the close of that war they returned and rebuilt their de- spoiled homes. From this time until the War of the Revolution there islittle record of what was done at the points in consideration. Powers, mentioned as one of the settlers, was an Englishman and adhered to the royal cause. Being ordered to leave the settlement, he took his family to Canada, and returned and joined the tories under Brant. The settle- ment at Little Lakes, then known as Young's Settlement, was also a tory neighborhood, among the dwellers there being George House. On the 18th of July, 1778, Powers and House guided Brant and his savage band to Andrustown, and there on a beautiful morning the wretches burned every building and killed many of the settlers, among these Mr. Bell and his son. Most of the men, women and children were either killed or taken prisoners, except the families of Crim, Hoyer and Osterhout, who escaped to the fort at Herkimer. Horses and cattle were driven off and the orchards leveled to the ground. A pursuing party was made up when the news reached Fort Herkimer, which went
356
HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
down to bury the dead and punish the enemy. After burying the bodies found, they proceeded to the tory settlement at Little Lakes and destroyed it. Two of the sons of Frederick Lepper were absent at the time of the raid, and a part of the family of George Staring escaped. A young son of Mr. Bell was kept in Canada ten years and then re- turned. Descendants of several of these pioneers still live in the vicin- ity of the site of Andrustown. The centennial anniversary of this event was appropriately and successfully celebrated in July, 1878. Many prominent residents of Herkimer and adjoining counties were present at Jordanville, where a stage was erected in a grove. A procession was formed ; public speakers of note addressed the assemblage, among them being the late Samuel Earl, M. A. McKee, A. M. Mills, G. M. Cleland, and others.
The second settlement in the present town of Warren made prior to the Revolution, was in 1765, when the families of Henry Eckler, his son of the same name, Jacob Haberman, Michael Snyder, and Andrew Young located at what is known as the Chyle, formerly called "Youngs- field." This settlement, to which had been added a few other families, was attacked by Brant and his followers in the fall of 1781, and the en- tire settlement was burned. Two of Mr. Eckler's sons were killed and scalped, and a third was carried away a prisoner. Henry Eckler held the office of captain in the Revolutionary army and performed heroic service. The old homestead has been handed down to his descendants to the present time.\
After the close of the Revolution, settlers began to come into the town from New England. Among them was Samuel Cleland, who came in 1786. He had been a quartermaster in the Revolution. His sons, who came with him, were Norman, Salmon, Martin, Moses, and Jonas. Hon. George M. Cleland, an ex-sheriff, was a son of Jonas. David Mixter came in early from Massachusetts, and Anthony Devoe came in 1798. Dr. Rufus Crain, one of the very early physicians in the town, came before 1798 and was a prominent citizen. He located at what is now Cullen (formerly called Crain's Corners), where the homestead is still owned by his descendants. John Marshall came to the town in 1808 and settled near the Little Lakes; he lived to be ninety-eight years old. Other early settlers were Thomas C. Shoe-
357
TOWN OF WARREN.
maker, David Belshaw, Ephraim Tisdale, Gurdon Lathrop, Abel Mill- ington, Samuel Bloomfield, Moses and Leonard Shaul, John W. Tunni- cliff, James Maxfield, and others elsewhere mentioned.
Morris Fikes was born in the town of Warren in 1846. He com- pleted his legal studies in the office of Judge Hardin at Little Falls, and after being admitted opened an office in Herkimer, where he died April 16, 1874. He was a bright, promising young lawyer. His son Mau- rice may follow his father's footsteps in the profession. He is now be- ing educated at Syracuse University.
The first town meeting in Warren was held at the house of Daniel Caswell, on the 5th of April, 1796, when the following officers were chosen :
Supervisor, William B. Mix ; town clerk, Samuel Ingham ; assessors, Timothy Frank, Joel Reynolds, Isaac Freeman, John Osterhout, and Caleb Woodward ; commissioners of highways, John Mills, Daniel Talcott, and Philip Cook; overseers of the poor, Jacob Petrie and Warren Mack ; school commissioners, Luke Warren, Nathaniel Ludington, and Benjamin Cary ; collectors, Oliver Warren and George Edick.
Following is a list of supervisors of this town, with date of their in- cumbency :
In 1796, William B. Mix ; 1797, Francis Hawley ; 1798, 1799, 1803, 1805, 1806, John Mills; 1800, 1802, Philip Cook; 1801. Moses Wheeler ; 1804. Hugh Peunel; 1807, 1808. 1810, 1813, 1815, Eher Hyde : 1809, Samuel Woodworth; 1811, Dyer Green; 1812, Ephraim Tisdale; 1814, Peter P. Mesick; 1816, Gurdon Lathrop; 1817, 1818, 1832, 1833, Jonas Cleland ; 1819, 1822, Abel Millington; 1823, Samuel Bloomfield ; 1824, Moses Shaul; 1825-29, Wilham C Crain; 1830-31, Charles Fox; 1834-35, 1851-52, Leonard Shaul; 1836-37, Thomas Shoemaker; 1838, John W. Tunnicliff; 1839- 40, William C. Crain; 1841-42, James Maxfield; 1843, Marcus Lawyer ; 1844, Lambert Sternberg; 1845-46, 1848, Jacob Marshall: 1847. Rufus G. Starkweather ; 1849-50, Calvin Hulbert; 1833-54, Thomas C. Shoemaker ; 1855-56, 1863, 1865, John M. Tredway ; 1857-58, Lawrence Harter; 1859-60, 1869, George M. Cleland : 1861-62, 1866-67, Elisha W. Stannard; 1868, Christopher Shoemaker ; 1870-72, James Mason ; 1873, Jefferson J. Tilden : 1874, 1878-79, Palmer M. Wood: 1880, Elias Weatherbee ; 1881-82, 1891-92, Rufus G. Starkweather; 1883, George H. Eastwood ; 1884, Nathan- iel Farnham ; 1885, James A. Hopkinson ; 1886-90, James W. Blatchley.
As before stated, the streams in this town furnished in early years power to run numerous mills and small factories, all or nearly all of which have disappeared, and at the present time there is almost no manufacturing in the town. The first log house in the town was built by Paul Crim, in 1753, and the land has descended to A. J. Crim, its
358
HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
present owner. George Hoyer built the first frame house in 1789, on the premises now owned by James Bronner. One of the Osterhouts and Simeon J. Vrooman kept the first store at the Little Lakes in 1793. Stephen Ludington kept the first tavern.
In early years the settlers were compelled to go to Fort Plain if they wanted grain ground In 1793 Isaac Freeman built two mills in the southern part of the town, on land now owned by Brayton Wetherbee. Mr. Wetherbee is still living, and his sons, Elias and William, have a saw-mill, grist-mill and tannery at what is called Wetherbee's Mills. The father of Brayton Wetherbee formerly operated mills and a tan nery at Cullen. The first saw-mill on Fish Creek was built in 1799 by Benjamin Wilkerson. The first distillery was built by Frederick Ly- man and Gurdon Lathrop, between 1810 and 1815, about half a mile north of Jordanville. Roselle Lathrop built a brewery near by.
Captain Charles Fox, of Connecticut, who came to Warren in 1805, is given the honor of making the first cheese in the county south of the Mohawk, beginning about 1815. He subsequently had a dairy of 100 cows and was a prominent and successful man.
Jordanville is the largest village in Warren and contains about 500 inhabitants. It is situated near Fish Creek at the intersection of the old Minden turnpike and the State road from Utica to Richfield Springs The post office was established December 9, 1845, with Henry Bell as postmaster ; the other postmasters have been, Phineas P. Hyde, June 1, 1849; Adam Miller, June 10, 1853; R. D. Wight- man, March 29, 1861 ; C. C. Blatchley, August 3, 1865 ; George I .. Bell, June, 1870; Dr. A. Miller, 1884; Charles E. Hyde, 1887; F. H. Bell, 1889. George L. Bell has been a merchant here since 1868. The grist-mill and saw mill are now operated by Chauncey Brownfrigg and Andrew Crowell, who succeeded W. Chase ; the latter was burned out and rebuilt the mills. John W. Brandow was formerly a wagon maker here, but started the American Hotel in 1885, and with the exception of two years has kept it since. George T. Yule is a wagon maker, and William Sibell and Charles J. Fisk are blacksmiths.
Cu len (formerly l'age's Corners) is a hamlet near the junction of the two branches of Fish Creek, not far from the center of the town. The post-office was established in December, 1845, with Nelson Seager as
359
TOWN OF WARREN.
postmaster ; he has been succeeded by John Lewis, C. M. Hustis, Rufus IV. Crain, Jonas Petrie. The office was discontinued in October, 1859, and re established in December following, with Frederick Petrie as post- master, succeeded by John Lewis, and he by George M. House. The name was changed from Page's Corners to Cullen in 1866; Volney Houghton was the next postmaster, followed by Charles Houghton, Clark Cole, Joseph R. Petrie, William Foster, Clark Cole, William Fos- ter, who is the present incumbent and keeps a store. Joseph Petrie keeps the hotel here.
Little Lakes (Warren post-office) is a hamlet near the lakes, which give it the name. The post-office was established in October, 1840, with Robert Bush as postmaster ; he has been followed by Francis Gates, Amos Shaw, John WV. Tunnicliff, William Kinne, Ferdinand Tunnicliff, William Kinne, Chester Crim, Thomas Ellis, jr., and Lester Eckler, the present incumbent. The hotel now kept by Lester Eckler was built very early and before the turnpike was constructed through the place. Mr. Eckler has kept this house six years, succeeding John J. Thorp, and owns the old homestead of the Ecklers. Merchants here have been D. A. Tunnicliff, Philp Eckler, J. J. Thorp and James Collyer. S. H. Conklin has sold goods here about six years. There was formerly more business done here than at the present time.
There was in early years considerable business done at Crain's Cor- ners, including stores, a hotel, and several shops. A post office existed here from 1828 (when Jacob Marshall was postmaster) to 1857, when it was discontinued. A pretty little Episcopal church was erected here in 1890, by D. J. Crain, and services are maintained.
The early schools were taught in German as well as English. Stephen Frank was one of the first teachers in German at Andrustown, and Captain Henry Eckler taught at the Chyle in both German and English. Jonas Cleland taught the first English school subsequent to the Revolution. Warren now comprises eleven districts and the schools are efficient. Hon. William C. Crain, who was speaker of the Assembly in 1846, resided in this town, was courteous and bright, and an able politician.
The Warren Baptist church was organized in 1799, and in the follow- ing year Phineas Holcomb was ordained as first pastor, and labored
360
HISTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY.
with the church seventeen years. For many years the society was es- pecially prosperous. In 1836 the building of a church was begun on land donated by Deacon Eber Hyde, at Jordanville, and the structure was dedicated in November of the following year.
The following have served the church as pastors :
George Swain, Isaac Newell, William A. Wells, Zelora Eaton. Asa Caldwell, Charles E. Brown, Daniel Dye, L. J. Huntley, Lansing Bailey, Nelson Ferguson, Charles Bailey, I. Bolton, M. H. De Witt, L. B. Barker, Peter Goo, William Church, D. D. Odell, A. D. Smith, J. J. Pierson, Jolin L. Duncanson. Services are now held by Elder Lord, but the society has to some extent lost its identity as a Baptist organization.
The first church edifice in the town was built near Bloomfields, by the Methodists in 1814. The next was the " Warren Union Church," near Crain's Corners, which was dedicated in 1816. This church has dis- appeared. There is a union church at Little Lakes, which was built about 1845. Rev. Mr. Helms, of Richfield, preaches there at the pres- ent time.
The history of the Methodist Episcopal church of Jordanville dates back to 1846, when Rev. Moses Dunham, of the Litchfield circuit, formed a class of eight members. William Bouck was chiefly instru- mental in forwarding the project, and a lot was procured and the work begun. The church was dedicated in the fall of 1847. In 1871, when the church had sixty-five members, and through the energetic work of G. M. Cleland and Isaac Lake, a new building was erected on the site of the old one and dedicated in June, 1872.
The pastors who have served this church are Revs. Moses Dunham, W. C. Loomis, William Jerome, Mr. Crawford, E. L. Wadsworth, R. O. Beebe, Samnel Hill, Mr. Barnes, L. K. Redington, W. A. Wadsworth, R. L. Kenyon, L. Eastwood, Gordon Moore, F. A. O'Farrel, Harvey Woodward, A. R. Warner, D. O. Edgarton, James Coote, W. F. Purington, II. R. Northrup, James Stanton, J. G. Brooks, Samuel Salisbury, S. P. Gray, and the present pastor, F. K. Pierce. The membership is about 100, and Dwight Starkweather is Sunday-school superintendent.
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.