Rossville Church & Cemetery Association

Article on the Benedict Family Bible

By Alan Crawford, May 2025

     One of the Holy Grails of genealogical research is a family Bible. These family tomes are often a wealth of information and can often include details not found in census reports, obituaries, and so on. In the 19^th Century these were the vital records of a family, documenting their lives including marriages, baptisms, births, and deaths. Most towns did not begin documenting these events until about 1881, so a Bible like this will have information unavailable in public records. Many of the writing was done with ink and quill. 

     These Bibles are treasure troves for genealogical information. One must be cautious when reading through the entries, however. Occasionally, the entries are all done well after the actual event by a family historian who wanted to record everything that they were told by previous generations. This can sometimes include errors and must be carefully examined and validated.

     Recently, a family Bible was donated to the Rossville Cemetery Association to archive and preserve. The Bible’s copyright date is 1859, and states the publisher is in New York, the American Bible Society. Inside the front cover is a presentation page on which a handwritten dedication shows it was a Christmas present in 1865. Cursive handwriting coupled with faded ink is a challenge. To my untrained eye, it appears to state “Mr. & Mrs. Vannosdoll from their friends, I & J H Griswell”. Interestingly, the spelling in later documents and records show it as “VanOrsdoll” as well as other variations.

     If you’re familiar with the history of Leptondale in our Town, and have been a reader of my articles, you are aware of the Benedict House, originally the John Bushfield House, on the corner of Quaker Street and State Route 300. And, if you’ve really read various documents, such as Kenneth Hasbrouck’s History of Leptondale, published in 1948, you know that Ray B. Benedict was one of the principles in the planning and construction of the “new”, two room Leptondale School House. Bonus points if you visited both these elegant homes on last year’s Candlelight Tour! Didn’t know there was going to be a quiz, did you? If you got all this correct, send me a stamped, self-addressed envelope and I’ll send you two gold stars!

     This Bible is from the family of Ray Burt Benedict. The entries appear to have been entered as they happened and not from someone’s memory. What is also interesting is that someone, much later, began doing the family genealogy and there are about a dozen pages of notes and “facts” they recorded.

     We’ll include the original pages of the Bible’s entries on the Rossville Cemetery Association’s website so people doing research can peruse the information. If there is a desire to see the actual Bible, an appointment can be arranged by contacting me.

     I’ve been saddened over the years when I see family Bibles such as this one discarded, or thrown in the trash. Sometimes one will turn up in an estate or yard sale. The older ones are invaluable pieces of our Town’s history and the individuals who shaped it. They need to be saved.