HomeMy WebLinkAboutGodding, CalistaCALISTA (GODDING) BYRUM
Calista Godding was born June 1820 in the Town of Enfield, the daughter of
William and Mary (Bennett) Godding.
In 1850, Calista (29) was working as a Domestic in the home of widower Oliver W.
Byrum* (35) and his three children: Viola (9), Joseph (8), and Rodrick (6). His
departed wife was Caroline (Newberry) Byrum (NFI). Not too much time elapsed
before Calista and Oliver decided to marry. Which they did before 1860. Oliver’s
42-acre farm was in the NE ¼ of Section 51 in Enfield on the south side of Route
79 at Rothermich Road, two miles east of the Tompkins/Schuyler County Line.
When Oliver died in September 1875 without a Will, he was buried in Budd
Cemetery in Enfield. Shortly thereafter, Calista approached the Tompkins County
Surrogate Court Judge and requested she be released as Administrator of Oliver’s
estate and be replaced by Oliver’s youngest child Rodrick. It was obvious to the
Judge that Calista was incapable of the task assigned her as she was unable to
write (her unmistakable “X” was prominent on the request) and probably could
not read either. Her request was granted.
Calista then took up residence with her sister Hannah and family (husband
Rowland Wilbour and daughter Kate). By 1900, Calista was 79 and living with her
niece Kate and husband James Courtney in Enfield. Calista died 1 December 1901
at the age of 81. She is buried in Trumbull’s Corners Rural Cemetery in the
adjacent Town of Newfield. Three years later in 1904, Kate died at age 65 and is
buried in the same Cemetery.
* There are two spellings of Oliver’s family name: Byrum and Byram.