Delaware County NY Genealogy and History Site

This adorable photo, housed in the Stamford Village Library history room, of Mildred is what caught my eye and I figured Selleck was her father but he is not. I highly suspect that they are related in some way because they lived in the same vicinity. Selleck was an industrious fellow and farmer his whole life. Mildred married and had a couple of kids.

Selleck was born December 26, 1875 to John M. and Mary (Selleck) Cronk probably in Moresville (now called Grand Gorge). It appears that he only had one older sister Ina (became Mrs. Fred Dixon). He married Pearl, daughter of Herbert Kipp, September 1905 in Lexington, NY and they had two daughters Vivian and Olive.

Before marriage Selleck listed his occupation as creamery laborer and helper at his fathers farm. He then was a self employed farmer and dairy farmer. In April 1915 (Otsego Farmer)- One of the portable hen houses belonging to Selleck Cronk of Grand Gorge, was destroyed by fire last week, and one hundred small chicks perished in the flames. Had it not been for the timely aid of neighbors the other hen houses and four hundred other chicks would have met with the same fate.

At age 42 he had to fill out a WWI Registration card which included his description: medium height and build, dark brown hair and eyes.

His mother Mary, who died July 30, 1925, had an interesting obituary. Mary was born in NYC in 1850, both her parents died in 1855, her sister and husband Mr. and Mrs. Hubbell brought her to Prattsville where shortly after she was adopted by Soloman M. and Mercy Selleck. Mary and Johns daughter Ina died when she was about 40 leaving two young children parent-less (Ina's husband Fred had died before her) so they brought them up. Within a year after Selleck's mother died, his father died and following his fathers death he moved his family into the Cronk homestead.

In 1930 Selleck is the Grand Gorge postmaster (he held the position for 12 years), in 1938 he is president of the Sheffield Producers association and in 1947 he was appointed by Governor Dewey to a seven-year term on the board of visitors of the New York State Agricultural and Technical Institute at Delhi. The Roxbury town Republican committee nominated him for justice of the peace in 1951, a position he held until his death.

Selleck S. Cronk died suddenly December 14, 1954 age 77 in Margaretville Hospital and was buried in Grand Gorge cemetery. He was predeceased by his wife Pearl and survived by two daughters, Mrs. Fred McCandish of Delhi and Mrs. Olive VanAken of Grand Gorge. He was chairman of the Roxbury town Republican committee, a member of the Delaware County Magistrates association, a director of the Grand Gorge National bank, past president, treasurer and director of the Eastern Milk Producers association, committeeman on the Farm Bureau and a former member of the Grand Gorge fire department.

Mildred (Cronk) Conro

The back of Mildreds photo says- "Uncle Harvey, Wishing you a Happy New Year, come and see me, Mildred"- another person wrote underneath "Lyman Cronk's daughter". I found Mildred to be the daughter of Frank and Luella Cronk born March 9, 1901 in Stamford but her early years were spent in Gilboa. She had four siblings: Raymond, May/Mae, Iva and Florence.

Mildred, age 19, married Imer Lawrence Conro, age 21, March 1, 1920 in the District of Columbia. The description on Imer's WWI Registration card states he was of short height, medium build, and had dark brown hair and eyes. Imer was a farmer and they lived in Harpersfield, Gilboa and Stamford with their two children Carlton and Wilma.

Imer seemed to live on the edge as he had some legal issues and filled for bankruptcy in 1936. In 1938 Luisa Gallo, filed charges against Imer and Mildred having to do with a mortgage foreclosure. In February 1958 their home was almost destroyed by snow while they were in F and in May 1958 Imer, a cauliflower grower, plead guilty to operating a migrant labor camp without a health permit. The judge suspended imposition of any sentence and later, the county health department issued Conro a temporary 30-day permit to operate the camp where 13 Puerto Rican men have been living and working. In May 1964 he brought an action against the Stamford Cooperative GLF Service, Inc. but no verdict was reached.

Mildred was a member of the Gilboa Community Club and the Order of the Eastern Star.

Imer died April 1979, age 79, and Mildred February 1981, age 80. Their last residence and resting place was Stamford.